help with 1 year old?!

[Peaches2018]

Hi Mumsnet on this (finally) cooler day
I'm a ftm of DS thank god (1/13,5 mths) and seriously couldn't be happier but I'm thinking I'm doing everything wrong
He doesn't walk yet (not that concerned about that) but also doesn't say anything recognisable only dada / daddy when seeing his daddy.
He doesn't point at things, still smashes / hits toys around the house and hits one toy with the other, no pushing the car forward or anything like it. There's quite a bit for him to play with, maybe I should only give a few toys and switch them around in morning and afternoon? He plays mostly on his own although I've been trying more to do with him and to try to get him to copy me with pushing the car forward & bang the spoon on the pans (good thing my neighbours don't see me lol)
I notice he still bites every single toy / me and for trying to sink his teeth in me I gently tell him no. He gets teething powder and sometimes Calpol to sleep but that's it.

What can I do, should I do, encourage him to do?? I try to get him to take a few steps with his walker but his legs turn to yelly although not when you put him in front of the stairs
Should I worry or is there no reason to and am I being silly with this thanks

bump

There is no reason to worry.

Really?? I see and get told about other children around me that are further ahead and that are doing a lot more. I definitely know I shouldn't compare kids & I seriously try not to but I'm still a bit worried

There is nothing in your post which leaps out at me as inappropriate for his age. Yes, there most definitely are children who are more advanced at that age, but there is nothing there which I would stress about too much at this point. The chances are good that he will make progress soon. Just keep engaging and chatting and pointing and hopefully he will follow suit.

If it helps at all, I worried a fair bit about my son as he didn't utter a single word until he was 18 months old and had less than a dozen words at the age of 2.

He's just turned four, has an enormous vocabulary, speaks very clearly and his mouth really only stops flapping when he sleeps - I would never have imagined that a couple of years ago!

"I see and get told about other children around me that are further ahead and that are doing a lot more."

And if you look at ALL the children you meet, you'll certainly also find those who are NOT further ahead ;)

I think comparing children is normal - we all want to know where our child stands. But often we only focus on the things others are better/faster at than ours and start worrying.

Hi @HalfBearOtherHalfCat really 18 months?? That's great to hear definitely thank you. I know he likes small cars and things that move so yesterday I got him another small one and he loves playing with it. I think I'll do a bit more with books during the day as well and not only during bed time!

Thanks @SmartPlay you are right!! I think you nailed it on the head with saying that we focus on things others are better / faster at instead of looking what he already can do. Teeth wise and length wise he is incredibly ahead but his weight took ages to come along, a big worry especially if you hear from people that their little one is quite heavier. Our paediatric told us eventually that if there's not more than a 2 grow curve difference she's not worrying and that helped me & DH a lot. We now know he's just like us: tall, slim and can eat like a horse on some days

I agree with what people have said already; there is nothing that really jumps out as concerning for 12M - if it had been 17-18M then that would have been different, but at 12M everything you described sounds age appropriate. I know it is very easy to worry, it is our job as a parent to worry! (do we ever stop worrying?), but from what you described I would not worry and just enjoy him, these moments are precious :)