Any tips for getting DD2 to walk unaided?

[messylittlemonkey]

She was a year old three weeks ago. She's been cruising for ages, can get up and down by herself, CAN stand unaided but seems to prefer not to. Generally, she will happily let go with one hand but is resisting letting go with both.

She is SO close to walking, anyone got any ideas for encouraging her - I'm pretty sure she's got the strength/balance - she's able to stand unaided for about 30 secs then realises what she's doing and grips back onto something!

I'd let her do it in her own time - children don't really need encouraging to gain these skills.

Just let her get there under her own speed. No need for encouragement. I'm sure there is a reason why it takes them a little time to get there.

I'm sure you're both right :)

I think I'm keen because it will make trips to the park with DD1 (5) a lot easier if I can get DD2 out of the buggy and she can potter by herself. Ditto for going out into the garden (no grass so not ideal for crawling!).

I'll take a chill pill!

It'll be a while until you're at the stage where you can ditch the buggy. My DS2 is nearly 2 and still needs to hop in and out of the buggy when he gets tired. He walks at a much different pace to my 4 year old who likes to run on ahead and everyone gets a bit frustrated. I end up carrying DS2 a lot or doing the stop, start walk.

Oh, I don't mean to ditch the buggy. I just meant to be able to get DD2 out in the park and not have to carry her around whilst her sister plays! I fully expect to be using the buggy for another year or two.

The trouble at the moment is that when we're outside, DD2 wants to come out of the buggy and get on the ground, but that's not practical in most places, so she ends up sitting in the buggy while DD1 plays in the playground etc...

She'll get there, but something that someone recommended for DS was a toy pushchair - it gave him the confidence of holding onto something, but actually only provided a tiny bit of balance. Easy to schlep around too

Thanks CMOT.

We have an old toy pram that belonged to DD1 so I could dig that out and take it to the park with us - good thinking!

Time :-)).

My DS walked with hands from 10 months to 16 months . When he did let go he hardly fell over!

My DD didn't walk until 18 months and didn't do the whole holding hands stage first either- it is frustrating when you are out and about, but I would often put her down when out with DS- certainly on grass, but it could be a variety of surfaces (!) and she would get filthy- got used to it!- or just carried her, luckily she wasn't very heavy. She didn't crawl either, bottom shuffled!

She did sit in the buggy too, which was fine if she was happy in there, but they get increasingly unhappy don't they! (well DD did).