“Look at me!” and “Look what I can do!”—exclamations that any and every parent of a child older than two has probably heard hundreds of times. Taking pride in and getting attention for physical feats and accomplishments is just another one of those typical childhood phases…
Cartwheels, somersaults, headstands, and back flips—somewhere around the preschool and early grade school years, kids seem to become obsessed with getting their bodies to do all sorts of feats and acts. Kicking, riding a bicycle, climbing a tree—it is as if it becomes a quest to see just how much they can accomplish with their physical selves. AND, it seems imperative that there is a cheering audience of onlookers to recognize the feats. I remember being constantly surprised at how and when my kids had learned to do things. I think my two daughters learned to ride a “two-wheeler” from an older neighbor girl and one day I just saw the two of them riding bicycles and wondered when the training wheels and tricycle had been abandoned.
Of course, along with all this physical activity come more bumps, bruises and safety concerns. What parent hasn’t heard “Look at me!” just before watching a five-year-old leap from a tree or attempt some otherwise equally dangerous physical feat? As near as I can figure, as our kids become increasingly physically adventurous, they need us to pay attention not only as encouraging and adoring audience—but also as watchdog to keep them safe and help them learn to temper their physical endeavors with some caution and safety concerns!
Rest assured, the “Look what I can do!” stage passes as children develop more ease and comfort with what their bodies can do. But, you may still find yourself wondering “When did you learn to do that?”
Also: 5 Red Flags That May Signal a Motor Development Problem