One of the hardest parts of early development is this phase: Nothing looks different. Nothing feels measurable. And everyone around you is asking, “Are they doing X yet?” This is usually the part where parents assume something is wrong. But development doesn’t announce itself when foundations are forming. It gets quieter before it gets obvious. When a child’s nervous system is organizing, you might see: - longer pauses before movement - less frantic effort - more stillness, not more action - fewer “new tricks,” but better quality in old ones From the outside, it can look like nothing is happening. Internally, a lot is happening — just not in ways that photograph well or show up on checklists. This is why milestone pressure is so misleading, it trains parents to look for output instead of integration. And integration always comes first. If you’re in a season where things feel subtle, slow, or unimpressive — that doesn’t mean you’re behind. It often means the system is doing exactly what it needs to do. Trust the process!

Early development rarely shows up in big, obvious jumps. More often, it looks like: - small changes in how a child moves - slightly longer attention during play - less effort getting into or out of positions - quicker recovery after frustration These shifts are easy to miss if you’re only watching for milestones. Development works more like a ladder than a checklist. Each rung is built on the one below it. Bigger, more visible skills depend on smaller, quieter ones happening first. A child can’t skip rungs and expect the top to feel stable. They might reach it, but it often takes more effort, more support, or more regulation to stay there. Foundations tend to show up quietly — before skills become obvious. When those lower rungs are solid, higher-level skills come more easily and with less strain. That’s why understanding how development unfolds matters just as much as what shows up, We’ll keep coming back to this idea and how it shows up across early development. Remember to celebrate the small things!!🤩

“Trust your gut” sounds empowering, until your gut is anxious, tired, or overloaded with conflicting advice. Parental intuition isn’t magic. It’s shaped by information, experience, and context. When parents understand development better, their intuition gets clearer. Not louder — clearer. That’s a big difference.

A reminder: Play that supports development doesn’t need to look organized, impressive, or productive. Rolling. Reaching. Eating. Staring at the sky. Car rides. Trying, pausing, trying again. A lot of important development happens in moments that look pretty ordinary. If your child is moving, exploring, and staying regulated enough to stay engaged — that counts. You don’t need to optimize play. You just need to notice it.

When I talk about foundations, I’m not talking about skills a child can perform on command. I’m talking about things like: - how their nervous system processes input - how their body organizes movement - how regulation shows up before milestones - how early patterns support everything that comes later - Foundations aren’t flashy. They don’t always look like progress. They definitely are not a check box on the CDC milestones list. A child can learn a skill without strong foundations — but it often costs them more effort, energy, or regulation to do it. That’s why this space focuses on the why, not just the what.