To think that many mums try too hard to promote their baby's development

[Reallytired]

My son's speech was quite slow to develop. He said his first word at 14 months. This was inspite of being taken to numerous baby groups. Infact I think going to all these activities was a mistake as my son got lots of colds and developed glue ear. His speech was very delayed until he had grommets and his adenoids removed at three and half years old.

My daughter is nine months old. We have only had one activity which is a breastfeeding support group. We don't do any music groups, baby swimming or any other fancy activity. We meet other mums at the school pick up and meet people when we take my son to his various activites. Her speech developing really nicely and she has about 5 or 6 words.

I suppose it shows how different boys and girls are. I also think it shows that children develop in their own time. Children do things when they are ready, however hard you work at stimulating them.

My mum still goes on about the fact that I couldn't walk until I was nearly two (bottom shuffler). But then in her time a coffee morning was an excitement.

To be honest I have better things to do in life than remember the dates when my own DCs managed to achieve 'milestones' (yawn).

Each child is different, no idea of the diff between girls and boys, but I'm damn sure that taking a child to baby groups does them no more harm than not taking them to baby groups.. It all works out in the end!

How nice for you that you already have a son so have plenty of adult contact without having to take your dd to 'fancy activities'.

I have a DS (7 weeks old) and have already started taking him out to 'fancy' activities. However, I have no qualms in admitting that I am taking him out purely for my benefit at this stage. For the first time in my memorable life, there is nowhere I 'have' to be at any particular point in the week, month, year, and I am finding now that I actually NEED a bit of structure to my life. The groups we go to on a monday and wednesday are simply to make me feel human again, and so I can see and talk to more adults during the week than my DH (lovely as he is )
I imagine in a few years we will be going to the groups for much the same reasons, but also so DS can meet other children (I'm now a SAHM for the foreseeable future, so no benefits of meeting other children at nursery etc) and so he can make a mess somewhere other than at home
I had never considered that I would take him in the hopes that he would advance any quicker than he will do in his own time anyway .