Being a parent is one of the most joyous occasions of anyone’s life. Despite being joyous and delightful, raising a baby is challenging. They go through several phases and one of them is dropping items on purpose.
Parents are left feeling confused but kids generally do it out of curiosity. They want to know what happens next, how far will it go, etc. Even though it is annoying, the dropping phase is important for babies in many ways. In this blog, the cause behind dropping items and their importance are stated.
When do babies drop items the most?
Babies between the age group of six to nine months are most active in dropping things from their hands. They are extremely curious about different things and are developing their gross motor skills.
The dropping phase varies from baby to baby. Some toddlers will begin to drop things extremely often than others, while some will outgrow the phase much earlier. However, every kid will experience the phase at some point since they are exploring the world and figuring out how things work.
Why do they drop things?
According to doctors, babies drop spoons and other things simply because they know how to drop things. Before learning the dropping skill, babies could only grasp objects in their hands for a long time. Hence, it offers them a change of reflex.
Babies also develop object permanence during six to nine months of age which inspires them to drop things. Object permanence occurs when kids realise that the things that are out of their sight still exist in the world. They gradually become aware and get an idea about the working of the world around them.
As parents, you must remember the phase when you could not leave your kid alone for a long time as they kept crying because you left their line of sight. The babies behaved that way until six months of age they believed that things outside their view did not exist.
However, once they begin realising it, they purposefully drop things and allow them to disappear out of their vision. They have the desire to experience what happens after the disappearance.
Should you pick up the items after them?
Two schools of thought exist behind “whether the dropped items should be picked up or not”. Some say that by picking up the items, you can support your child’s development. However, others believe that picking up will teach them to keep dropping things. In conclusion, there is no right answer since it depends upon the baby and their parents.
Generally, it is good to pick up a dropped item as it shows that you are supporting them. They develop a sense of trust and build fine motor skills. However, if a kid repeatedly drops items and causes disruption in daily activities, you should avoid picking them up. Provide them with a different toy altogether to distract them.
Conclusion
Even though dropping things constantly can be frustrating for parents, it is an essential part of a baby’s development. The dropping phase allows them to develop gross motor skills and learn about their world.
Therefore, it is extremely normal for them to drop things on purpose. When you feel tired of picking up things, just remind yourself that you are helping your baby grow and develop into a beautiful human being.