As soon as we welcome a little bundle of joy into the world, it’s inevitable that we find ourselves looking forward to those all-important child development milestones. From witnessing their inaudible babbles turn into special first words to wincing at those first few unaided steps, few cautious first steps unaided, these landmarks are things that a proud parent will never forget.
But, it’s also important to remember that your little ones will hit frequent milestones even after the age of three and each child will reach them in their own good time – oh, how they grow up so fast!
We caught up with some of our favourite mummy bloggers to discover more about their parenting experiences and find out what their most meaningful moments were when it came to the development of their kids.
Flying without wings
Once those first major child milestones have been reached (no doubt the baby book will already be bursting with memorable moments, photographs, receipts and more!), it can be easy to forget that your child is in fact blossoming by the day.
Watching your curious youngsters learning and trying new things for the very first time in their life can be one of the real joys of parenting.
A summer staycation can be the preferred choice for new parents; seeing your little one react to the feeling of sand between their toes is bound to be one for the books (plus, who can resist them wearing the teeniest pair of flip-flops or beach shoes!). But, if you’ve decided to brave their first time flying on a plane, it can be a daunting feat on a whole new level!
Stephanie, who blogs at Renovation Bay-Bee, recalled with some relief that her three children took to the unusual sensations of flying without any difficulty.
“My favourite first with my three children was when we took them on a plane for the first time together. When the jets kicked in on take-off and it pinned them back in their seats, their faces were a picture!” she explained. “They had such a positive first experience of flying, I hope it means they will happily travel the world when they’re older.”
Another one of our mummy bloggers shared her positive (but slightly sticky) experience:
“I remember the first time I took my eldest on a plane. We were going to Majorca and he was only nine months old,” recounted mum-of-two Emma Shilton, who blogs at Mrs Shilts, admitting: “I was anxious about how it would go as I’m not the most confident of flyers.”
She reassured us, “It was absolutely fine; he stunk the plane out with a dirty nappy and I was mortified but then he slept for the rest of the flight so we were okay!”
First day at school moments
One particularly important life landmark – and one that can be especially emotional for parents – comes on their first day at school.
Buying school shoes for your child can be an emotional experience in itself – at the moment we’re offering a keepsake box for their first pair in-store (as long as stocks last), so you can treasure them forever.
Rebecca, who blogs at The Coastal Mummy, reminded us that reaching school age represents the start of a new and especially important stage in child development:
“One of Elsa’s biggest firsts was when we found out she got a place in her primary school,” she says. “It was a first which showed us just how much she was growing up.”
Rebecca adds, “A lot of firsts are in the first three years but some of the biggest ones are after. We have had our first big girl’s shopping trip for school essentials and first big conversations about starting big school!”
A single-worded reward
Other milestones are more intimate and private. Laura Dove, who blogs about her family’s shared life and adventures at Five Little Doves, recalled poignantly, and with great pride, a particularly personal moment with her young son, and the difficult road it took to get there.
“I will never forget the first time my son called me Mama,” she told us. “We went through such a lot to have our children, including losing many much-wanted babies, and to hear those words was a moment I wasn’t sure I would ever be lucky enough to experience. I still get a lump in my throat when I think about it!”
Do you treasure one particular milestone or experience with your child? We’d love to hear about it over on Facebook today!
Whether you’re looking for a pair of school shoes to make those first-day photos mantelpiece-worthy, or you’re after some boys’ or girls’ summer sandals for that first-ever trip to the beach, we have a fantastic range of affordable footwear for children, here at Wynsors.
