Scared of Standing.

Hi,
My son passed through this same phase- we had a bouncer thing that he would pull up on and stand next to- so we would just put big couch pillows behind him and to the sides for when he would fall...that way he could stand for a while and exercise his legs and I didn't have to worry about when he got tired enough and fell over. Eventually he taught himself to lower back down and then we never had to worry about that again:)- till the next phase- learning to walk!
-Wendy

H.,

Practice sitting down and standing up with her. Make sure she feels comfortable and then if she gets stuck, wait a min and see if she figures it out-then go help her sit down.

Molly

My son does this too. He is 9 months now. Sometimes he is great when he's up and con even sit back down but sometimes when he is tired he will just stand and cry until I come help him. I think you should try showing her how to fold her body and plop back onto her bum. Good luck and God Bless

well i know it is normal that they dont know how to go back down right away but i havent had a screaming fit because of it, my guess is she is frustrated and doesnt know how to get down and maybe if she scream she gets her way. maybe instead of just putting her down show her. I did that with my son. I took one hand down off the table or couch then touched it to the floor and then he fell back on his butt, we did this about 4 or 5 times and then he just got it.

She is just testing the standing out and will get used to it. Th idea of standing and walking is very scary but she will get used to it.

Your post brings back memories. My oldest daughter didn't go down at night or for her nap until she was 4-1/2 years old. My mother-in-law's "I told you so" was that I shouldn't put kids into toddler beds until after 4 years of age. So, I'm keeping my youngest in her crib until she's 3 years old to see what happens.

step around a corner where she can not see you and you can see her to make sure she stays safe but maybe by her not seeing you she might try to fix the problem herself good luck hope this helps

It'll take some time and patience right now but will be worth it if you help her learn how to get herself down. Don't simply rescue her, she doesnt learn how to get herself "unstuck" but help her move so she's able to get down. At least to bend down a little bit then plop on her padded behind, rather than falling from a straight up position. No one likes falling, at least I dont! so teach her how to be in control of her body getting down when she goes up. Oh and be reassuring, praising, telling her good job, yay, you can do it, etc.

My son went through this when he first started to stand too, except he only did it in the crib. I think he may have fallen once and it scared him, because on the carpet he would plop right down, but in his crib he would stand up and then scream forever until he was rescued. It took a lot of times of me helping him up and down over and over again. It lasted until he felt confident enough to do it himself ( I think it was about two weeks). The nighttime crib standing and freaking out was frustrating for all of us, since he was also at that age where he had decided he might miss something, so as soon as we left the room he would stand up, then we would have to go back in and lay him back down over and over again. Like I said, thankfully it only lasted a couple of weeks, but it seemed like forever at the time.

This is all part of the learning process - each phase of growth will bring new challenges and frustrations - for her and you both! It's amazing to watch these young creatures develop and learn and explore. Let her explre and learn on her own terms. Crying is the only way she knows how to express herself now, and crying isn't harmful to her. As long as she's not in danger, let her experiment with her physical limitations - kneeling, standing, other movements. She'll get it soon enough - and then you'll have to worry about all the new things she's getting herself into!

Are you sure she is not in any pain. If it continues you should call your pediatrician just to make sure there is nothing that is hurting her ankles, feet or knees. I'm sure there is not but always better to have it checked out. Good luck

Your post made me giggle, because my older daughter (now almost 6) went through this too! She would stand there and scream her head off, turning beet red and getting so angry! I would let her stand there for a minute, holding out my hands just a tiny bit out of her reach and telling her, "Good girl! You can do it!" and just encouraging her. Then I'd help her sit down. Thankfully she got over it within a few weeks and actually started walking very early.

You may find as your daughter gets older that she will be something of a perfectionist. My daughter would get so furious about falling down, as if she had somehow failed herself. She's still very much that way - about school work, swimming, ballet, everything. They develop strong personalities early on! Enjoy her, kids like this don't come along often!!