Can you point out any "milestones" in children's development?

[bramblina]

I found Annabel Karmel's First Year Planner very interesting, reading about general milestone ages and what to expect. Since ds turned 1 though I never know what kind of stage he may be at, IYSWIM. I'm not obsessive about this and don't have any expectations, just find it very interesting. At HV few weeks ago she expected he would have 6 words, be emotional, could kneal, can self feed solid food though not able to hold yogurt etc on a spoon, can understand simple commands, and he was pretty much dead on.

I'm just curious what age do most children totally self feed? Usually drop a nap? Can climb down stairs? Anything else?

I know some of these things are very varied over a few years, I just mean, generally?

DS was feeding himself with a spoon at 9m old, now he is 3 I can't convince him to take his fingers out of the food (arghhh!!!)

I really don't remember well, but, have you had a look at your redbook? they are written there.

Negotiated stairs - 14 months. Walked at the same age, which is later than average.

Strung simple sentences together - about 18 months but he was first of his ante natal group.

Scribble side to side about the same age.

Write his own name about 3.5

Rode bike with stabilisers at 3 - took them off about 5.5

That's all I can think of - he's 13 now so it's too long ago!

i found the ' what to expect in the toddler years' book very handy it says what they should be doing when at each section.

dd self fed at 12 months
dropped a nap at 1.1/2
climbed down the staits at 16 months

TBH I really can't remember. DS was self-feeding (read stubborn) before 12 months. DD was a bit later.

They both went from 2 to 1 naps at 12 months (change forced by nursery routine though) but DS didn't drop his final nap until well over 3. DD is still napping 5/7 days for up to 2.5 hours at 2.6. Can't remember about the stairs. DS was very late with it. DD more like average. DS potty trained at 2.2 and DD at 2.

DS had 30 words at 18 months which was considered less than average and related to his glue ear. DD definitely had more at that age. Both stopped using sippy cups at just over 2.

Very interesting everyone, thank you. When you say self feeding do you mean a complete evening meal, on a fork or spoon, alone? Or lumps of food with fingers?! No way could ds keep anything on a spoon without help. But gives it a damn good shot!

Bumping for more too, if anyone can remember!

TBH i have purposefully not read into any books etc that tell me this info and i have taken my sons lead in all things development wise as he is an individual.
I have however compared him to his peers. Interestingly with a group of about 6 other close family and friends of the same or similar age, they have all progressed and reached milestones within weeks of each other.
We as parents do this in a completely non competative way, we have been friends for far too long to start all that mallarky!
He kind of does his own thing and with me not knowing what to expect, i have no anxieties nor expectations as he has done every thing in his own time but within a close time frame as his pals.
My big challenge at the mo is behaviour, he is 3 and OH MY GOD i keep thinking "this cant be normal"!!!!! But yes, his pals have done or are doing the very same things

by self feeding it was using a spoon to eat by herself, we started her with easy foods like mash, yougurt, porridge and once she got the hang of it she was away.

Donbean, I'm with you on not competing too, but I'm asking as there's no-one here of a similar age and I just have no idea what comes next really, so unlike you I have no comparison to make. Rather, not comparison just observations. You know when they're little and you tell someone they did xyz today, an experienced mother will say, yes they start to do that at this age, and you think "oh, had no idea", like the growth spurt my ds went through at 7 weeks and I told someone he was starving, not knowing it can be expected. I have no anxieties or expectations either, I'm just interested. Esp in the stairs as at 15 months we still have no stair gate, and wonder if, for example will he soon be able to negotiate them himself or will it be ages be fore it's even a consideration and we need to buy one? (We do not let him near them alone, before anyone jumps on me here!)

We moved house when DS was 13 months. We never put stair gates up in the new house as he was able to go up and down quite safely by then. Have a mate who never used a stair gateat all. They start by going down backwards then learn to walk down later.