In their own time!

Last weekend my granddaughter turned 2! She is such a treasure to our family with her own very special personality---a blend of both her Mom and Dad. At her birthday party I had the chance to meet her best friend at day care, Reece. She talks about her all the time. They enjoy playing together both at day care and on playdates. So....I was surprised to see the developmental difference of the two girls at her birthday party last weekend. Jerynn, my granddaughter looks like she is more 3 than 2. She is tall and slim, always on the move! She talks in sentences, carrying a conversation with ease. Her curiosity is amazing. There is nothing that passes her notice. She is independent with a vibrancy to try everything. Reece on the other hand (4 months younger) is quiet and baby like. She stays close to adults and says only a few words. She toddles rather than running like Jerynn.

It got me to thinking about how individual development is. Both girls are in the normal range. Children come with their own inner time clock and blossom at their own time. Reeces's development is as normal as Jerynn's. As a parent we want so much for our children that it's only natural to want to push that clock. What a gift it is to be able to relax, enjoy our children and just marvel at the way the flower of their life unfolds. If we slow down and enjoy the process rather than racing to the finish line---life is so much sweeter. Understand that development is a non-linear and irregular process. Sometimes you wake up and it seems like they've grown 3 inches and have progressed 6 months developmentally overnight. Other times they seem to be savoring a particular stage. Either way there is a purpose and a timing to development. Your role as a parent is to provide all your child needs and respect the timing. Everything happens in it's own time!