There aren’t many things about parenting I hate. But this is one. I hate seeing other kids the exact same age as our’s doing something that I think my kid should be doing. It just causes all sorts of emotions. Worry. Guilt. Fear. Frustration.
Ben is a little more than 7 months as I type this. I have not seen the kid roll over. I swear. I have heard that it’s happened. My wife has seen it maybe three times. Our nanny a few times. A friend witnessed one roll over. But not daddy. And trust me, I’ve tried. I will put that kid down on his tummy, on his back, put food in front of him, toys, anything.
The response. Nothing. He won’t roll.
The books say he definitely should be rolling. Other parents say their kids are rolling. Not mine. He is happy as a pig in mud just sitting up, smiling, reaching for his toys, banging on his mini piano. But he ain’t moving. Meantime, another day, another week goes by. My only hope now is
that he will just skip rolling and crawling altogether and just start walking. But for now, if I see another 7-month old, I don’t ask any questions about how they’re progressing. I don’t want to know.