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!

“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.