Designed to Move

While this isn't directly related to what Nike is doing, I think the principles are the same. 

This brief post has to do with our little ones and what we may - or may not - be doing with them. Around the same time last year, I posted my thoughts on Bumbo chairs which garnered no shortage of attention. Most of it was positive and understanding of my viewpoint, but there was certainly some confusion. Particularly when it came to developmental milestones.

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to infants and toddlers, and it's no secret that I don't have children. But I have studied and I have observed. Objectively. And I have seen who looks like they're on the right path and who doesn't. And the one's that are, are the one's that are moving.

We humans are creatures of the stimulus-adaptation relationship. When faced with a good stimulus, we'll adapt. But when faced with inappropriate or no stimuli, we'll either shut down or do nothing.

To some it may be difficult to swallow. To me, it's almost common sense.

You keep a kid down in a car seat, high chair or one's arms all day, that'll be it's throne. It's place of comfort. The very place where they will develop very little biomotor abilities!

Children need to move. They need to explore. And there's no better place for them to do that than on the floor with lots of toys. Some will fuss and some won't. But usually the one's that fuss are the same one's who've been artificially supported by devices and contraptions meant to do just that...support.

Remember the phrase "use it or lose it"? Well in children, if you don't use it, you won't even learn it.

Crawling and walking just don't magically happen. They're learned. And they're learned via necessity. Our little ones learn how to do things out of want and need. If they see a toy they want to eat, they will figure out a way to go and get it. Unless we grab it for them of course.

So why isn't your kid crawling or walking? It's simple. They haven't been asked to. At least not from the get go and likely not enough (an hour a day on the floor vs eight hours sitting doesn't cut it). Asking a child who's been artificially supported for the first 8-12 months of their life to locomote is like asking a rock to come over and sit beside you. Of course they'll fuss and no question it'll look like their rear end is duct taped to the ground. That is, if they haven't already face planted five or six times.

It's hard, I know. Well, I don't. Because I don't have any children.

But what I do know is this. If you always do something for them, they'll never learn how to do it themselves.