My 8 month old grandson is terrified of being put on the floor. Whenever we try to put him on the floor, he screams. We have hardwood floors, but even putting him on a blanket or carpet he screams. We are trying to get him to learn to crawl, but he would rather stand and try and walk. We try sitting with him and playing with him on the floor and he's okay sometimes, but when we put just him on the floor, he starts to cry and scream. He hates being on his stomach. The other thing that he hates is the playard. When my daughter puts him there, so that she can fold clothes or just sit and relax for a bit, he screams and cries until he is picked up. The whole family can be in the room and we put him in the playard and he will still scream. We just don't know how to get him to not be afraid of the floor or the playard. Has anybody out there been through this before? Has anyone had a child walk first before crawling and could this be the reason? Need some insight and some advice, thanks :)
Thank you all so much for the advice. I have been telling my daughter pretty much the same thing in that she needs to sit with him on the floor and just keep him entertained, so that he doesnt see the floor as a source of being alone. He does have a jumper and he loved being in that until he was introduced to the walker, now he speeds around the house and loves being in it because it keeps him mobile. Based on what I have read in the responses, I am under the notion that he will one of those babies that walks before he crawls, Although I hear from some people that crawling is better then walking because they say the baby is more apt to do better in school. I am not sure about that one. My daughter walked at 8 months, also. He loves to have us hold his hands and walk. There may lie the dilema of not wanting to be in the playard or on the floor because he knows that he can be mobile in the walker. Your all right in that my daughter holds him a lot so he is used to being with her all the time, which I know is not all that good for him. He needs to learn to play with his toys and not be stuck to mommy's hip. For the past 2 days, I have had her and my husband and myself sit on the floor with him and play, so he seems to be adapting pretty well. We havent tackled the playard yet. He was a almost preemie born at 36 weeks and weighed 5lbs 10 oz, so they say that smaller children take longer to accomplish their mildstones, though not sure if this is the case. We will keep chugging along though and hope that eventually he will learn to play on his own and give his mommy a break every once in a while. Thanks again.
Sorry I can't help you, but I just wanted to let you know that my 8 1/2-month-old daughter is the exact same way! It is so frustrating - I cannot do anything. She just wants to be walked around the house all day. She does not want to try to crawl - anywhere I put her by herself she screams and cries and gets all worked up. Hopefully they'll be much happier once they are walking? But that could be a while, huh?
Good luck!
Afraid or controlling you? Sounds like he just wants to be picked up & held. Good to manage it now. Best Wishes!
Hi V., My kids are all grown as well, but I do run a home daycare, and have taken care of many, many babies. It sounds to me (and I could be wrong) that your precious grandson is not screeming out of fear, it's more out of manipulation, because he knows if he screems somone will puick him up. My first child ( a son ) did the same thing everytime I put him on the carpet, and like a first time mom, not knowing much I picked him up everytime, like your grand son, my son was 8 months old and was not crawling, well at the time my husband was in and out to sea, and could not u derstand why other people's 8 months were crawling and our wasn't, well one week end when he was home the whole week end he discovered why, because I kept picking him home, so my husband steped in and made me put him down and let him screem
I hated that, but my husband was there with him, put toys just out of his reach, by the end of the weekend he was crawling, the problem was I did;t leave him on the floor long enough to get frustrated, after that he was happy camper on the floor. J.
maybe he feels vulnable being on the floor where everybody is so big that is standing, he has certainly found out how to be picked up again and thats by screaming, not all baby's learn to crawl, in fact my daughter walked before she crawled. Baby's are so funny and so unpredictable, you just never know some of the reasons why they do the things they do. Could somebody stepped on his fingers by accident. He hit his head on something, my daughter would cry if we set her down on my bed, because grandpa once put her on it to take a nap and forgot to put pillows around her, we heard this kur pluck smake , silence then a whaaaaaaaa , till this day he giggles at it, my daughter is now 17, what a mean grandpa LOL she was ok just startled her.
Good luck,
Hi V., i have two little ones and experiance with young children, and I completely agree with Julie. My first thought when reading was he knows he'll get picked up. It sounds like someone is always holding him and giving him constant attention, which is nice, but they do need to learn to play on their own a bit. May just be also seperation anxiety which is very common at any stage. Just be patient and let him cry sometimes. Best of luck.
All this sounds normal - I don't think you should be worried. Everyone develops at their own pace. I have heard bad things about walkers though so you may want to look into that. The best ideas I heard and implemented my my son for more tummy time were:
1. roll him over every diaper change. After the diaper is done, roll baby over, rub his back sing a song, massage his legs - do everything possible to try to stretch that tummy time to a minute then two and so on. One minute every diaper change gives babies at least ten minutes a day. This was done when my baby was younger than your grandson but probably not too late for you!
2. Floor mat with the mirror. If you put a mirror on the floor and baby on stomach, able to see the mirror, he will be amuzed long enough to build those back and neck muscles so when he does crawl, stand, walk, he'll be nice and strong.
This may break your heart but if you set your grandson on the floor and he is crying for help/to be picked up, make him work for it. Sit on the floor next to him (about three feet away) and stretch out your arms. Let him know you want to pick him up he just needs to get a little closer to you so you can reach him! He'll wriggle over once he gets the jist. Celebrate and big hug reward when he makes it even a little bit. Good luck! I hope that helps.
P.S. I don't use the play yard or crib because my son hates being confined. He was left in a play yard or crib all day for a week straight with a day care until I found out that that was her method - I won't remind him of that ever again. Babies have their reasons to be upset when they cry.
This is certainly strange. I'm not sure about the play yard problem, but the floor problem - maybe enroll him in a Gymboree or similar class where there is lots of floor time and crawling around is encouraged with toys and tubes. Please persist. I remember being told that it was very important for a child to crawl as it helped build important hand and eye coordination that was needed in life. My daughter walked at 9 months, so she didn't crawl much, so we took her to a Gymboree class where there was lots of floor play and tube crawling so that she could master those skills. We even bought a little play popup tent that had tube to enter. She'd crawl through the tube and play in the tent. Good luck.
I agree with many of the responses so far, but I also just wanted to say that maybe he is ready to walk. I've known many 9 month olds who were walking, so maybe instead of putting him straight on the floor, you can put him in one of those exersaucer things. That way he is upright, has plenty of stimulation but is still contained in one area. Good luck!
it is important that he crawl before walking as this has to do with his ability to read and explore his surroundings. Try the grass and see if it isn't a tactile thing OR everyone on the floor and crawl and TEACH him what you want him to do. If you want him to stay in the play area it's OK to let him cry, as you have already taught him how long he has to fuss before he gets his way........reteach him for short periods of time and praise him what he is quiet in the play area and ignore when he is fussy but don't stay in the room but watch from out of sight and when quiet go and pick him up and hugs and kisses for a good job
child therapist
As a mom of twins, I remember that feeling of never have a minute to get anything done. I did find some tricks though.
I loved using the Baby Bjorn carrier. It was a way to hold my girls without using my arms, which allowed me to fold clothes, empty the dishwasher, walk the dog, or even vacuum.
When I did tummy time I let my girls face each other or a mirror because they love to stare at facial expressions.
I also used the motorized cradle swings that instantly soothed my daughters when they got fussy and this was the best option when I needed to make dinner or take a shower. They loved it so much they often napped in it!
Try giving him some more exciting things to do that will make him more willing to be released from your loving arms. My twin daughters both loved exercising their legs by bending and jumping in the Exersaucer, plus it had entertaining toys all around the tray. Check out Babies R Us or Target for a variety of entertainment seats.
We also put attached a Jumper seat from the doorways and let them swing and jump. This helps build his leg muscles and the bonus is that you can get something done for a few minutes while he isn't being held.
I hope these suggestions help and just now that soon he will be walking and you'll crave just a moment to hold him again.
Hi V.,
I would really recommend that you take your grandson to a developmental pediatrician for an evaluation.
Best wishes,
N.
I agree with Julie in that your grandson probably just wants to be held. In regards to him walking before crawling...My daughter is just about 1 and has been "crusing" (walking around furniture or pushing her wagon, etc) since she was about 8 mo or so. A little before 8 mo she showed a little interest in trying to crawl around but wasn't very interested. One day I stood her up and she walked a few steps holding my hands. She was hooked. For at least a month or so thats all she wanted to do, gave up on crawling. Then she decided to figure out the crawling while still learning to walk. Now at almost 1 she crawls everywhere and is still very cautious about walking by her shelf. She knows she can get from point a to point be much faster by crawling. Your grandson will take whatever route is best for him, when he's ready and when he has the opportunity to try. I hope this helps. Oh a side note...my husband never crawled, he was walking on his own at 7 months old!!
Sounds like he doesn't like it becasue he is not used to being in a "floor position" and he's not strong enough to see what is going on. He really does need to spend some time doing "pushups" in order to build his trunk and upper body strength. Believe it or not, this will affect him greatly in his fine motor skills as well when he starts school (i.e. the ability to write). My daughter spent 6 months in physical therapy in her first year of life, so I learned alot from her developmental issues (she's perfect now, and whizzes past the boys on the monkey bars, too!). They really do need to "crawl before they can walk" in order to develop in a well-rounded way.
My daughter hated the playard at 8 months... Still does, come to think of it. She also didn't like tummy time, But we got her a bright little play mat and lay down facing her and she was moving fast. My mother, who is a nurse working with little ones, told me to place toys just out of her reach to get her moving. We also got a non-doorway jumper with music and bright things and she loved that for a short time, though I guess you have to be careful with those things, I have heard that kids can break their legs in it, but I don't know if that is true. My daughter was walking and out of the thing pretty quick.
Well, good luck.
R.
Hi V.,
Here are some of my thoughts...
You could try to lie down on the floor with him, in fact have the whole family lie on the floor and interact, but don't do it with the intention to get him on the floor, just have a good time and have fun and let him watch. If this is the ticket, then you may have to do a several times, let him come to you to play.
He may not be feeling well, His abdomen may have pain, he could be extremely sensative to smell, dust, and texture. If this is true, if he is very sensative, that could mean his nervous system is overloaded, and the floor just makes it very uncomfortable for him. A note of concern if this is true, these kind of sensativities show up when there is toxic overload in the childs body. (heavy metal from moms body, vaccinations, medications, flue shots) This is an accumulitive problem. You can get his blood and hair tested easily for metals.
Check in with the environment, is it very loud, tv on alot with him around, lots of chaotic energy.
lastly, and this is just me, this is not time for mommy to be a full time student, learning to be with her baby and caring for a child is better than any degree one can get from a University. Maybe it is his way of expressing something he has no other way of telling you he wants his mommy.
Good Luck and Take Care
S.
V.,
I have to agree with Julie....I don't think he is "afraid" of the floor he does it because he has you all trained! LOL! Being put down might mean being alone to him. I mean if he is only put down so the adult can walk away to do something else then can you blame the kid. :0) If you didn’t send off the energy that you are worried/ stressed/ or bothered when he starts screaming that might help. Instead of picking him up when he starts a tantrum because he was put down I think you should sit on the floor with him and try to keep his attention on a fun patty-cake or peek-a-boo game or something until he stops.
I don’t know just suggestions but I think this might be a good solution: Get the snacks & toys he loves and everyday for an extended period sit on the floor with him interact/play and make it a positive experience. Move a little closer to the door to the play yard every day. I think that might help him overcome the idea that down means alone. When you make it outside creep up on the play yard toys after being outside with him for a week or so doing you’re "routine"......then introduce him to the toys outside instead of the ones you provide him. I don't know if my plan inspired you to do anything similar but any advice helps huh?! :0) Good luck.....stay strong and realize that your Grandson just may be smarter then you are giving him credit for…..he has you right where he wants you! LOL!
Peace~Love~Light
V.
Hello V., I am 34 and a mother of 4. My oldest who is now 15 years old, started to not just walk but run before she ever crawled. As a matter of fact I don't recall her ever crawling at all. That might just be the problem you are having, he justs might want to walk because that is what he see's all of you doing.
Good luck and have fun with him.
God Bless you and your family.
K.
V.,
I'd recommend that you research "sensory integration disorder" or "sensory integration dysfunction" and if you see any other red flags for sensory issues, have him evaluated. I don't know where you are at but in Las Vegas, they are in the phone book under "Nevada Early Intervention." My older child is 4.5 and he has autism and sensory integration disorder. As a baby, he had lots of weird quirks like not liking laying on carpet, refusing to crawl, he'd freak out if his feet touched grass. You can have sensory issues without having autism but most kids with autism have sensory issues. And I'm not saying your grandson has sensory issues but it is definitely something to research and consider.
Another route you can go is finding an occupational therapist who specializes in kids and sensory issues (some of them do and some of them do more physical issues so you have to ask) and getting an evaluation that way. I've found that Early Intervention sometimes will say there is nothing wrong because they don't want to provide services, not because there is actually nothing wrong. EI is free though so it doesn't hurt to try them first.
T.
Hi V.,
Crawling helps the brain make connections between the left side and the right side.
It helps the two halves of the brain work together.
Often times a child who has trouble later on with reading - it turns out they didn't crawl.
(This does not mean that every child who doesn't crawl will have trouble reading).
So my advice would be to not use a walker -
but to sit on the floor with your granson and play there - put toys out in front of him, and encourage him. Babies learn a lot from movement - all kinds of movement including crawling.
Your grandson is lucky to have such a caring grandmother in his life.
Linda
some babies skip crawling alltogether and just walk hel do it in his own time my little boy would rather stand then be on his belly as for his play yard my little boy wont stay in his without crying but if you just let him cry hel soon learn he cant always have what he wants iv been doing that with my little boy and its starting to work. as for going on his belly have you got as walker for him my little boy loves his and he can get around by himself it not only gives me time to do what i want it is also making his legs stronger to help with learning to walk hope this helps take care
My soon-to-be 1 year old daughter also only wanted to walk, cruise or stand. For the longest time we thought for sure she would skip crawling altogether and go straight to walking! (This is normal, too, by the way. According to our pediatrician, they no longer use crawling as a measurement for developmental growth.) We never put her on her belly (SIDS fear) so she never got the hang of it and as a result never liked her "tummy-time". I don't think your grandson has a 'fear' of the floor as much as a desire to be more like the adults he sees around him. My daughter was the same in her playpen. When she was 6 months or so, she was fine in there for about 5 or 10 minutes, but then around 7 months old she didn't want to be in there at all! I think she figured, "why be limited to a playpen when I am used to cruising around the living room and hanging with mommy, daddy and the dogs?" So, to get laundry etc done, we put a bin of her toys in the living room and blocked it off and let her do her thing while I did laundry, made calls or just breathed! lol! NOW, she crawls ALL THE TIME - she just started on her own around 10 months. She is almost walking on her own but sees she can get to her desired destination quicker (and safer) by just crawling. So, all this to say every baby is different and I think, in my amateur opinion, that your grandson is just fine, he just knows what he wants and doesn't want! Anyway, I hope this helps, good luck and enjoy having your grandson so close!
About me: I am a 39 year old first time mother, and my husband and I live happily with our daughter and two doggies!
