I took D in for his 18m checkup the other day. Right off the bat, his pediatrician asked me to describe him. I said he was naughty! He gets into everything all the time and nothing can stop him. She said that he’s just fearless – that’s a much nicer way of describing it!
Can you spot D, trying to give me a heart attack?
As I mentioned before, I am SO grateful that he is active and naughty – what he’s overcome is truly amazing. For now, I’m trying to do what I can to encourage and support him in pushing himself, but enforcing some (hopefully clear) limits. I let him wander about the playground if he’s on the ground or climbing up something (which he’s pretty good at), but he definitely needs help going down. Immediately after taking the picture above I ran up to follow him; I figured I had some time as he made his way up! As he climbs down I try to encourage him to find his own hand placements and figure out how to shift the weight in his legs. At his yearly EI evaluation the other week we “tested” his ability to stand up and go down stairs without assistance – he failed! I think he’s still overconfident and doesn’t realize how much I’m helping him keep his balance.
At home, he has been climbing on our toddler chair and table set for months. I initially just pulled him off each time, but lately I’ve been trying to give him time to balance himself and safely climb on/off the chairs. He’s really improved a lot! I hope this coordination extends to the playground as the weather warms up and we’re able to go more. He has learned that he needs help safely going down a slide, and will wait at the top to hold my hands. This limits him to slides which are not taller than me, but given the dangers of sliding down with him on my lap, that seems like an appropriate cut off!
This fearlessness and apparent ignorance of danger, risks, or peril is a new outlook in our house. K has always been very cautious and shy – it takes him a long time to try new things. He won’t enter moon bounces if there are other kids inside. He only recently (at 3.5y) will tolerate swinging on a playground swing! I am always trying to convince K to be more independent, yet I find myself willing D to be clingier and careful.
I wonder how this dynamic will play out as they get older. Will D encourage K to take more risks? Will K serve as a voice of caution to D? Will the two of them just balance each other out and I’ll have the best, most mellow and easy going kids ever? I guess I’ll have to wait to find out!
Are your kid(s) little daredevils, or more cautious? Does D have lots of broken bones in his future? Any insights or playground tips for crazy toddlers are welcome. 
blogger / nectarine / 2600 posts
Juliet is my fearless one where Drake is my cautious slow one. Its funny how second borne I think have more confidence because they are always watching someone older tackle things. I think they just assume they can do anything after seeing the older one do stuff
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
@Mrs. Chocolate: oh gosh don’t tell me that! My first is so confident and such a Daredevil I can’t even imagine it being more exterme!
blogger / nectarine / 2043 posts
Ruby is definitely a daredevil, but she’s a smart one. Somehow she figured out how to slide off a high bed or chair vs falling off, and how to call for us if she can’t get down from something, etc. We never taught her, she just did it. But she’ll rush into trying anything, especially if it’s climbing, sliding, etc.