I want to shout from the rooftops, MILESTONES ARE SUGGESTIONS. I’ve worked as an infant teacher for nearly six years and so many times parents have been beside themselves for not hitting each milestone exactly on time. Most of the time, your baby is fine.
As a baby who never crawled - I rolled everywhere - I am happy to hear crawling has been taken off the milestones list. Stressed my parents out a lot back in the day.
@@bombygriz I was apparently a butt-scooter as well! 😅 I'm told I sat early, but never crawled, and as a small baby I'd sleep like 23 hours a day and thus, I suppose, didn't bother to practice walking until a bit later than I was supposed to. But, I mean, I did eventually walk, AND sleep normal hours. 🤷 I really agree with the milestones-as-suggestions mentality.
My bestie has 2 little ones and they both crawled for MAYBE 2 weeks before they started trying to walk by hold on the edge of furniture. They were otherwise pro butt scooters 😆
I still regularly hear the old myth that somehow if babies don't crawl before they walk, they'll never learn to read well. Which was proven wrong a long time ago but still persists, even among some professionals.
As a non-parent, you two are the only RUclipsrs whose parenting content I actually enjoy. Perhaps because you parent more consciously than most others I've come across. Btw an interesting read is "Bringing up Bébé" that talks about the differences between Anglo and French parenting. The French parents are *very* into structure, so you might relate!
@@ayellowpapercrown6750 As an American living in France, nobody I know here thinks it's particularly accurate. It's kind of like the French version of the Tiger Mom book, making it sound like every parent from the culture behaves in a particular way. A school I used to work with had the author come to speak, but there wasn't a lot of interest from people who'd actually read it if they were at all familiar with French culture.
I love the mile-pebbles. My little brother "bear crawled". Which is the snake crawl. He scared my mother one day as he had learned to crawl backwards. He was right behind her she turned around for a couple seconds and he was gone. He had BACKWARD crawled under the couch. A scary moment at the time but something we laugh at now. He never crawled. He went straight from his little bear crawl to walking.
My brother went straight from crawling to running - I bet my parents loved that! He also scaled a cliff at the beach when he was 2 (again scary at the time, but funny now).
my brother used to army crawl as a baby. it was hilarious. i was a very angry baby that learned to walk at an insanely early age because i was furious that my cousins were running around and i couldnt keep up. some babies just have different motivations. my brother's was just "come get me, you know where i am" 😂
I was the opposite: my brother is older and loved running and doing things, so I didn't see the point in learning to walk when I could just get him to do things for me 😆
I chuckled when Jessica said that she doesn't want to talk too much about parenting even though it inspires her because she's afraid of being boring: I don't want children and I usually stay away from baby content but (I don't know why) I watch every videos from you about Rupert and parenting because somehow it's so interesting when it comes from you! You're not boring, your experience and point of view is very much needed!
The mental image of a cheery baby boy wearing a fancy hat while listening to jazz is easing my anxiety & restoring my hope for life, which is exactly what i was hoping this video would do 😊
i really like seeing these child-raising focused videos just bc its really nice seeing a perspective of just like full respect for your child and their privacy and the pace at which they develop and make their way through life and its just a way of parenting that feels really positive and kind to your children which is not the perspective im used to seeing and it makes me feel a lot more positively about parenting as a whole concept
Frankly, if you want to be a “mom” channel BE A MOM CHANNEL. You two are amazing, I do not have any kids yet but I love the information and lived in experience I hear from others, especially information from you two, it’s quite light, fun, informative and transparent. We need more lgbtq parenting channels ❤️
I definitely belong to the "I don't have kids myself but love seeing the content of two wholesome individuals talking about their everyday life raising their child" group. You bring a sense of calm and normality to my otherwise chaotic life. It makes me happy hearing things are going well for others and learning from their example makes us grow us people as well.
I had to smile when Claudia said, ''It'll be easier when he's walking...'' Good luck with that! In my experience, the toddler stage was even harder. At least when the baby is crawling their ability to get around is limited somewhat. That changes pretty rapidly once they start walking, as climbing swiftly follows and common sense/safely awareness and the instinct for self-preservation is a long way off still. At least there's only one of him and two of you (I was a single mum of twins. It was exhausting!)
Child development is like filling up a thousand ability cups from ten paces away with a garden hose. No matter if you spray or pour, no two attempts fill the same cups at the same rate, and there's no way to make all those cups fill up evenly. At no point does any child really represent, individually, the "average" of all those different ways to fill up the cups. Some kids, sure, a few of those cups take more water to fill, or are on an angle, or have leaks, or even have funnels and are easier to fill (like being all over the place with my autism), but no child hits the averages for every milestone. You two are doing great!
The way Jessica laughs starting from 0:52 is so cute and hilarious. Claudia being unintentionally funny is one of my favourite things about this channel. I’m still cracking up at the whole situation 🤣🤣
also in the "never having a baby club", just utterly adore watching you both be such loving caring mothers - with all the nonsense and hardships in life and the world right now, the queer joy and unconditional love that pours out of this channel is wonderfully soothing and a much needed reminder of the kindness and goodness of others that is out there 💕
a portion of the reason Rupert is "not on par with milestones" could actually be due to his excelling in the fine motor skills! his brain is too busy learning complex tasks, the gross motor skills aren't prioritized and honestly not that important to his little brain at the moment!
Hahaha the jump cut from Claudia diving in on a tangent on the delights of brick-laying videos 🧱 I for one would watch Claudia talk about diy anytime, even if only theoretical diy 😂
Milestones aren't important in the sense that they don't tell you the value of your child. Your kid isn't better than others if they learn things earlier, and also not worse if they learn things later. However, it's still important to watch for milestones because they can be a sign for learning disabilities, high abilities or autism. All these things are also not bad or good (although, as an autistic person, I'd say autism is p cool), but are worth noting and the earlier they are found out the earlier your child will receive the care they need to develop (in their own way) and better understand themselves. The message that "every child has their time", although seemingly harmless, is what keeps parents from searching for help when their kid is struggling. "Waiting and seeing" can be very frustrating for a child, who will struggle for longer than necessary without any help. The fear of a diagnosis and the prejudice against children who develop differently is also a factor that can lead to denial. So, unlike what people think, saying that "milestones don't matter", actually harms children who develop in a different time and contributes to prejudice. Also, since this is the internet, I'd like to say that I love your channel and I'm inspired by the two of you. This is a very common misinformation and I'm not trying to say you're being pRobLeMaTic or anything, I just wish more people understood that.
Yes! I was hypotonic baby and had to have intense PT since few months old and then started walking slowly around 18 months. I had motor delays in pretty much every way, but on the other hand I was more skilled with language skills and spoke in sentences and sometimes used "unusual words" for my age. There was more to it but this is just a few things on the top of my mind. But because of all of this "every child is different, everyone has their own time, it doesn't mean anything, they'll grow out of it"... the system failed me. They failed to "connect the dots", my other issues that worsened with age were blamed onto different factors and of course I was misdiagnosed multiple times through my life and as a result, recieved no or inaccurate support, wrong meds and mistreatment. So I was diagnosed with autism at 19 (+ I have few other comorbidities to it). If people had different mindset and knowledge, I could be diagnosed way sooner and I definitely wouldn't be in such an unfortunate position that I ended up in. Not saying that this is Rupert's case! Just agreeing with you - it's still important to watch for milestones. I wish parents wouldn't so easily fall into this "everything in development normal and unrelated, they'll catch up one day" mindset. Because at the end, it only hurts the children who need to be diagnosed and properly supported to thrive.
@@ek7652 Thank you for sharing ♡ I feel the same way. And I'm glad you mentioned how they didn't connect the dots, that's smth that can happen too. Maybe the development itself won't say much, but paying attention to it can help with the big picture. I'm also late diagnosed so I feel really sad when I see that even well intended kind people still hold on to this mindset :/
@@comettripper Exactly, people need to watch out for the full picture. I think the problem with autism and other similar conditions often is that it's many little issues from different areas combined and sometimes also accompanied by strong skills (and people don't tend to connect issues from different areas together + they don't tend to think someone can be disabled when they have some strong abilities) - so it's "here she's a bit delayed, here she's so mature for her age" and people sadly just... don't try to see the full picture. And then they're like "Wow, why she has anxiety? Doesn't make sense to me"... of course it doesn't make sense when people don't look at the full picture and of course that misdiagnoses happen then.
@@ek7652 Yes, that's part of why their pediatrician's advice made me uncomfortable. Autism is usually not going to be "all skills delayed", and I'm assuming other disabilities will also be more complex than that too. Besides, being ahead can also be a sign to watch out for because kids with high abilities will also need assistance. Of course, the consequences of that will only show when they're a teenager or in college and have +3 comorbidities, so that might be why pediatricians are so casual about it. But I'm happy to see there are more doctors aware of this now, and quite a few are here on the internet spreading information and helping other doctors get up to date too.
@@comettripper Indeed! I felt uncomfortable with their pediatricians advice too. But unfortunately, most pediatricians don't have enough education about these things so it's not surprising. My pediatricians were the same. Exactly, "gifted" or "highly intelligent" kids often need a lot of help too... Yup, it's so sad and common that the consequences pop up in teenage years and early 20's with comorbidities. :(
Congratulations on the one-year (ahem) milestone. I’ve got a couple of practical suggestions, though you may already have thought of them yourself: 1. Attach a roller blind or honeycomb shade to the glass door between your office and kitchen/family room area. Put it on the office side, of course! It won’t help much w/ the noise, but it can reduce the visual temptation that you - and Rupert - experience from seeing each other. 2. Consider blurring Rupert’s face in your online video and photo content. It’s not as aesthetically pleasing as a full view, but it is better than omitting lots of visuals that you would otherwise like to share. And the older he gets, the less able you will be to stop him from whipping his head around to face the camera lens. (Thwarting your efforts to protect his privacy could strike a child in the “terrible two’s phase as a really fun game!)
It's funny you mention about the photos. I think I have way more photos from behind than I do of my kids faces because they never sit still long enough 🤣
When Claudia mentioned watching videos she'll never do, I immediately thought about me falling into RUclips rabbit holes of rug cleaning and dogs being shaved 😂 I also don't have/won't be having children but love hearing about your adventures raising Rupert! It's so interesting! Though, I do find early childhood development really interesting anyway.
I'm not sure if I want to have kids, but I think of all the people in my life who never had kids of their own who helped raise me, and are continuing to do it now even while I'm an adult! There are so many ways to "parent" even if you don't have kids of your own, and each way is special and beautiful.
Happy Birthday Ru! Happy pride to moms! So proud. I know I'm a stranger but I've been watching your family for so long, with my wife, and we are so excited for every milestone the 3 of you have ever achieved. Thank you for all the smiles you've brought us. Congratulations and we love you
I would love to see more parenting content! I'm disabled and want to be a parent someday, and hearing about parenting from your perspective is really helpful to me and makes me feel like I'll be able to do it. Also, I want to thank you, because some of the parenting content you've made videos about helped me get a job working with infants! :)
I like your parenting content because it feels like it still fits with your channel. Also, I appreciate that you still create content. I watch several other youtubers that seemingly just fell off the face of the earth after they had a baby.
I'm in a huge mom's what's app group that we started at the local library were they have a weekly breastfeeding Cafe. Now 4 years later 3 other mom's have chosen the same school and are in the same class as our child. One of the other mom's lives across the street from another school but still picked our school. We all talked about our experience of taking a school tour at different schools and all really liked the same one!
As someone who is planning to become a parent in the near future (hopefully!) these videos have been wonderful. I've been doing a lot of my own work, but watching your experiences with Rupert and how you've grown and tackled different challenges has been so, so helpful and soothed my soul. Thank you and please keep making these videos! :)
As a baby I had clicky hips and didn't start walking until late but I could have full conversations. My motor skills were more delayed than everything else, turns out I have hEDS and that probably played a big part in it
yes its a pretty common thing among zebras! not sure if i walked soon or not, but i know from others its very common to either not walk for a while or walk weirdly
I was an almost entirely stationary child, and my mother thought it was great - I would sit and look at books, which she valued, and I didn't get in her way.
i'm studying to be a speech-language pathologist and it made me SO EXCITED to hear the words "specific language impairment" (it's also called "developmental language disorder") because this is a diagnosis that can be so meaningful for so many people who struggle with language and i never hear about it! i would love to hear more about what SLI is like for claudia/if she had any accommodations in school/what her experience with speech-language intervention was like!!!
This is a wonderful combination of adorable and educational, even though I am only granny to my son's dog ATM. Because working at home is challenging concentration-wise when a cute cuddly being wants to get your attention every so often.
2:35 We would call that an "army crawl". I went to college for 2 years to study early childhood education, so I have some knowledge about child development
Montessori is basically a way of creating independent secure little humans, it's doesn't have to be particularly strict as long as you have that goal in mind! So helping him a little to sit up is absolutely fine ☺️ You are doing a fantastic job! it is so nice to see this! (I am a working Montessori directress in Cambridge, 0-3 and 3-6) you have such a beautiful family
What I used to tell parents, when I was an early childhood educator was, six months on either side of the milestone is perfectly normal. Don't worry about it...they'll get there.
My son would laugh when he got on hands and knees but not crawl, he then used feet and hands and made growling sounds. Took mos to figure he was imitating a bear! He was talking by 9mos and at 18 mos could think things through enough to ask for cow milk instead of breast milk, proclaiming ALL DONE when offered breast. Told me "call Dr Kleiner, ( ENT)ear hurt" felt so stupid calling saying 18 mo wants appt. Dr was gracious and talked directly to son even though he still walked unsteadily, saw him as he was.
I used to plan on having children, but as time goes on it looks more and more like I simply won't be able to. Still, watching your family blossom and grow is relaxing and heart-warming. I love you three in a fan-watching-a-video-journal-series-about-nice-people kind of way.
The antenatal groups are incredible not just for support through the baby stage, but also potentially for so much longer. I'm 27 and one of the mothers that became friends with my mum in their antenatal group is still a good friend to my mother now. I'm not in contact with her kids but my little sister and I would play with her kids until the family moved away to Cornwall--and then when my sister and I left home my mother followed them down! Recently, we had to find a nursing home for my grandpa and we were really worried about finding one that was dignified and caring, and he's going to move into the home that my mum's friend works at. It's kind of incredible how some of these bonds built over caring and support can extend for decades.
Love the parenting content 💕 I’m not a parent and even though I want kids I’m definitely adopting as an aro/ace person, but I love kids and parenting and I want to make the world better for the next generation, so I love seeing content from such wonderful parents talking about it.
I really appreciate your content on parenting! My husband and I are neurodivergent, and we're both likely will have some physical disabilities in the future based on diagnosis of close family members, but I still would like to try to birth child in the future. I've been taking notes!
The smashcut just ending Claudia's deep dive into decorative bricklaying was just so funny to me. Because I was very invested in hearing what she had to say about bricklaying.
Rupert loving hats is amazing. My son loved wigs by 4 months and he had characters for each one as a baby..it was fascinating to watch! Enjoy every moment love to you all from canadian
I'm another watcher from the "kids unlikely/not happening" camp, but it's fun and interesting to watch your parenting videos. There are many things you've covered that I never considered! Also, the joy you two share is infectious 💕
Milepebbles, I love that! And yes, pacing is important. I remember I had this panicked thought, just for a second, a couple of hours after our first child was born that "oh, we need to start to sleep in shifts now", before remembering that they do actually make sounds when they need something, so you will wake up. 😅
The tiny Rupert stories are so cute in this video! They reminded me that when I was a baby, (according to my parents) I absolutely hated laying on my stomach. I would scream and cry immediately until I was right side up. As an adult, I still wonder why baby me reacted that way...
I think it's useful to make a note of milestones because it could be relevant later. Like if the child is having actual problems that need to be diagnosed, the milestones that were later than expected might be relevant to working out what's going on and what might help them. But there's also a lot of natural variation that doesn't cause any problems, so if they do some things later than average it may not mean anything at all, and there's no need to panic.
This is precisely the kind of mum channel I'm looking for though! Do what you're interested in and passionate about, it's contagious and nice to watch.
My little love was also super behind on gross motor skills but quick to pick up fine motor skills. She didn't even roll over until she was 7 months old, but could pick up individual peas without squishing them around 4 months. I used to sit her into position too so that she could do things she was interested in. Now she is 4 and knows how to sew with needle and thread or sewing machine! Every kid has their own tallents 💖
It’s so sweet to see the two of you talking and laughing together! You are 100% couple goals! Congratulations to you both and to Rupert on a successful first year!
I still remember tuning in to the videos about the tough journey you both had to parenthood and it genuinely makes me so happy to see that everything has worked out and you're living your best life. :')
Honestly, even when kids get older, carving out time to rest and look after yourself isn't that easy. There's ALWAYS something to be done, a never-ending to-do list that is constantly added to as you cross off tasks. The trick is being able to ignore the to-do list temporarily or giving some of it to someone else for a while (be that a partner, a friend or a family member) so that you can take a little break to do the things that let you feel like you.
Solution to the glass door issue. Put up curtains! Depending on how your glass door is structured you might even be able to put up Cafe curtains. But then you can have them open when you'd like and closed when you don't.
Best advice i got when i had my 1st was when baby sleeps, mum rests too. Dishes, laundry etc can wait. Mums sanity is priority! Obviously not letting the mess get out of control to the extent your house is like a dump. But a load of laundry & a few dishes being left for a few hours won't hurt anyone. You've just had a baby, you need to heal & get used to a major difference in your life. Oh & if anyone visits you & remarks that you've not washed breakfast dishes yet & its already lunch time or whatever, tell them if its so offensive to them then they can do it for you lol!
Welcome back! 😃 It is great to see you two again. I always enjoy your videos Also I am one of those people who never will have kids but I love your parenting content. Happy Birthday to Rupert! ❤
I don't have any children in my life and do not plan on ever having children of my own but I love watching your parenting videos. I will definetely never get bored of this topic, don't worry❤ I always love to hear you speak with such passion and love for each other, your life and your child
Jessica and Claudia, I worked as a live in Nanny for 3 years, caring for 2 children, a 3 year old girl and a 3 month old boy. I found a way to be flexible using IF...THEN charts. I, and their parents found that several different if -then options gave the freedom that the children needed, as well as helping us as the parents/'caregiver a baseline for putting in some scheduled time for naps and eating. I loved using creative imagination playtime for each child. With an infant as well as a toddler to care for it was a challenge, but the most fun I have ever had at a job.
This was so cute to watch! Like you mentioned at the end of the video, I don't have plans to have kids any time soon. But, it is fun to learn about child development and what it's like to be a parent! And of course, also just a very sweet video, happy pride
I like watching your videos, because although I'm not planning on having biological kids of my own, (I would like to adopt, but they'd be older children, not babies) it's really fascinating to hear about the psychology of very young humans, and how you guys are getting on
Things are a bit rough for me right now, but considering the Shawshank Redemption is also one of my favorite movies and I watched it just two days ago, seeing this made me remember things aren't all that bad. Thanks for everything you do, it always makes me smile :)
the crawling thing - I feel that! my daughter didn't crawl at all. she sort of scooted for about a month and then out of nowhere she learned to walk a week before she turned 1 and literally never bothered with being on her tummy again!
I just found a photo of my second kid, the day she walked (13 months old.) Parenting in those first... 5-6 years is a full body sport! Mine are 17 and 15 now and it's super easy to forget how intense they were! I dropped milestones by week 8 when my first wasn't doing something he was supposed to and it was very liberating. What's most amazing about parenting is you learn THAT KID but if you have more babies, they all have brand new rule books! Plus the "OMG how do I deal with two screaming small humans with similar needs in the exact same moment?" which nobody seems to talk about or write about.
My biggest advice is and will always be, ask for help when you need it! I struggled mentally for the first 4 months and I thought it was normal. It was not. I had to get counselling. And it helped so much.
I'm not very good at keeping up with RUclips content, but I came here to binge watch your videos and then remembered how I actually cried on Christmas eve watching your pregnancy announcement 🥺🥺 I always adored you and how much you've teach me about so many things and to see you two go on a road I hope to go through someday is so inspiring and beautiful and fills my heart with happiness
One option to help Jessica if she wants a little bit of privacy for her office would be to add a blind to the door. Privacy when you need less distractions and open when you feel part of the house
YES! Become a mom channel, please pretty please. I'm sure your thoughts on parenting will be super helpful in this increasingly stressful and competitive and pressurised world. I love your content about Montessori and would love more, for example By the way, content by you about parenting will never be boring!
I love Rupert wearing a hat and listening to jazz whilst snaking around the floor lol, milestone’s are maybe suggestions. As long as your happy and he’s happy all good and yes you learn a lot when you have a child. I love and enjoy this video and love you both so much, and you’re both so adorable thank you so much for sharing this great video
Adding to the topic of milestones and crawling - I hardly ever crawled as a baby either, I shuffled and slided around on my bum everywhere! Even went down the stairs sliding on my butt. And then just kind of went straight to walking after that, so I practically skipped crawling. As long as Rupert is gets up and around then it’s no matter how he does it. And it amazing how he’s getting on with his fine skills and his social skills! We all do things our own way at our own pace :)
I love that you two understand each other so well. My mom and I have a half-speak very similar to yours and Clauds and its great. I also really want to run in and point to the garden and say something is eating my sausages! Not to make fun of Claud, but because that is how my brain works too.
It's always nice to hear what other babies are doing or not at certain ages as it makes others feel better about their own as long as it is all looked at with common sense and parents don't get worried or feel like they are missing out if their baby isn't doing 'what is it meant to do ' at a certain age.
I like watching your content that includes listening to your life with your little one. I'll never have kids but it's nice to see that others do well with them and it's an enjoyable experience.
Love this! If you two end up with more than one kiddo, it’s even more obvious. My older kiddo didn’t hit the “24 words by 24 months” milestone, and ended up with some speech therapy (which was really therapy for us, his parents, since we weren’t doing things like FACING him when speaking so he could see our mouths). My younger child was chatting our ears off by 18 months!
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Baby Rupert with a stylish hat on listening to jazz while doing puzzles or something is an utterly hilarious and adorable image
I laughed when they were talking about him with that hat listening to jazz. 🤣
Yup. Definitely their kid.
It's honestly a vibe 😂 He's really, really loved and you can tell. His moms are amazing and he will be too❤️
I want to shout from the rooftops, MILESTONES ARE SUGGESTIONS. I’ve worked as an infant teacher for nearly six years and so many times parents have been beside themselves for not hitting each milestone exactly on time. Most of the time, your baby is fine.
Development expert here. This is so spot on!
as a nursery teacher, seconded! it's more about the order of them as well instead of pace
I didn't crawl until 18 months. I had a hip problem my mom gave no fucks for, but I can walk now so
Almost 10yrs into infant teaching, and amen to this!!
That's good to know
I love Claudia’s sage advice: “Milestones are pretty meaningless, unless they are not.”
I don't know how they can title this "Our first year as parents" when they've been my lesbian mums for over four!
Exactly! :-)
Aw so true.
As a baby who never crawled - I rolled everywhere - I am happy to hear crawling has been taken off the milestones list. Stressed my parents out a lot back in the day.
My brother took off running before he could walk - ADHD in a nutshell, ain't it...
@@Minilena Also ADHD (and ASD) and I barely crawled, I butt-scooted lol.
@@bombygriz I was apparently a butt-scooter as well! 😅 I'm told I sat early, but never crawled, and as a small baby I'd sleep like 23 hours a day and thus, I suppose, didn't bother to practice walking until a bit later than I was supposed to.
But, I mean, I did eventually walk, AND sleep normal hours. 🤷 I really agree with the milestones-as-suggestions mentality.
My bestie has 2 little ones and they both crawled for MAYBE 2 weeks before they started trying to walk by hold on the edge of furniture. They were otherwise pro butt scooters 😆
I still regularly hear the old myth that somehow if babies don't crawl before they walk, they'll never learn to read well. Which was proven wrong a long time ago but still persists, even among some professionals.
As a non-parent, you two are the only RUclipsrs whose parenting content I actually enjoy. Perhaps because you parent more consciously than most others I've come across. Btw an interesting read is "Bringing up Bébé" that talks about the differences between Anglo and French parenting. The French parents are *very* into structure, so you might relate!
So true!
Thanks for the reading suggestion! That will be an interesting read as a French person now living in Britain!
@@ayellowpapercrown6750 Ooh, I'd be quite interested to know if you think it's accurate after you read it!
Yep ❤️ as a conscious/responsive parent myself, it's lovely to see how Jessica and Claudia are parenting. It's really soothing.
@@ayellowpapercrown6750 As an American living in France, nobody I know here thinks it's particularly accurate. It's kind of like the French version of the Tiger Mom book, making it sound like every parent from the culture behaves in a particular way. A school I used to work with had the author come to speak, but there wasn't a lot of interest from people who'd actually read it if they were at all familiar with French culture.
I love the mile-pebbles. My little brother "bear crawled". Which is the snake crawl. He scared my mother one day as he had learned to crawl backwards. He was right behind her she turned around for a couple seconds and he was gone. He had BACKWARD crawled under the couch. A scary moment at the time but something we laugh at now. He never crawled. He went straight from his little bear crawl to walking.
the mental image i have of the baby crawling backwards and the mum panicking is PERFECTION and HILARIOUS
My brother went straight from crawling to running - I bet my parents loved that! He also scaled a cliff at the beach when he was 2 (again scary at the time, but funny now).
my brother used to army crawl as a baby. it was hilarious. i was a very angry baby that learned to walk at an insanely early age because i was furious that my cousins were running around and i couldnt keep up. some babies just have different motivations. my brother's was just "come get me, you know where i am" 😂
I was the opposite: my brother is older and loved running and doing things, so I didn't see the point in learning to walk when I could just get him to do things for me 😆
I chuckled when Jessica said that she doesn't want to talk too much about parenting even though it inspires her because she's afraid of being boring: I don't want children and I usually stay away from baby content but (I don't know why) I watch every videos from you about Rupert and parenting because somehow it's so interesting when it comes from you! You're not boring, your experience and point of view is very much needed!
Thank you so much for watching and your lovely, kind comments 💖
Great, thanks, I had been meaning to ask.
lmao the quick cut when claudia starts rambling about brick laying! i'm not a parent either, i just like seeing how y'all are doing c:
That was what I was thinking! I enjoy Claudia's ramblings sometimes :P
I love Claudia's offshoots. I'd love more Claudia's hobby videos - mainly as we seem to share some!
@@TitchyRed same!! I love hearing about the diy and gardening shenanigans c:
I really like when Claudia joins the videos.
Yes! It is so fun to see how they react to each other. You can see that they enjoy being together.
yes she's amazing and their interactions are so much fun to watch :D
There's NO way he's already a year old, how has a year passed this quickly 😭❤️
Exactlyyyy I remember the ‘we have a secret!!’ video like it’s yesterday
The mental image of a cheery baby boy wearing a fancy hat while listening to jazz is easing my anxiety & restoring my hope for life, which is exactly what i was hoping this video would do 😊
i really like seeing these child-raising focused videos just bc its really nice seeing a perspective of just like full respect for your child and their privacy and the pace at which they develop and make their way through life and its just a way of parenting that feels really positive and kind to your children which is not the perspective im used to seeing and it makes me feel a lot more positively about parenting as a whole concept
Yes!!! This!!
Frankly, if you want to be a “mom” channel BE A MOM CHANNEL. You two are amazing, I do not have any kids yet but I love the information and lived in experience I hear from others, especially information from you two, it’s quite light, fun, informative and transparent. We need more lgbtq parenting channels ❤️
“We’re fine now, aren’t we?”
“No!”
I love you two 😂
I definitely belong to the "I don't have kids myself but love seeing the content of two wholesome individuals talking about their everyday life raising their child" group. You bring a sense of calm and normality to my otherwise chaotic life. It makes me happy hearing things are going well for others and learning from their example makes us grow us people as well.
I'm in the "never having a baby" folks but I like to see/hear about Rupert's progress! 😁😁😁
Will there be some videos about Pride Month? 🌈🌈🌈
Also a happily childfree type who enjoys Rupert updates! *waves*
I had to smile when Claudia said, ''It'll be easier when he's walking...'' Good luck with that! In my experience, the toddler stage was even harder. At least when the baby is crawling their ability to get around is limited somewhat. That changes pretty rapidly once they start walking, as climbing swiftly follows and common sense/safely awareness and the instinct for self-preservation is a long way off still. At least there's only one of him and two of you (I was a single mum of twins. It was exhausting!)
Child development is like filling up a thousand ability cups from ten paces away with a garden hose. No matter if you spray or pour, no two attempts fill the same cups at the same rate, and there's no way to make all those cups fill up evenly. At no point does any child really represent, individually, the "average" of all those different ways to fill up the cups. Some kids, sure, a few of those cups take more water to fill, or are on an angle, or have leaks, or even have funnels and are easier to fill (like being all over the place with my autism), but no child hits the averages for every milestone. You two are doing great!
The way Jessica laughs starting from 0:52 is so cute and hilarious. Claudia being unintentionally funny is one of my favourite things about this channel. I’m still cracking up at the whole situation 🤣🤣
I agree! They are
both so funny, but in different ways. I Love watching them.
also in the "never having a baby club", just utterly adore watching you both be such loving caring mothers - with all the nonsense and hardships in life and the world right now, the queer joy and unconditional love that pours out of this channel is wonderfully soothing and a much needed reminder of the kindness and goodness of others that is out there 💕
I love that Claudia disappears just as her brick laying lecture gets started 😂
So hilarious 😅😅
Hahahaha poor Claudia :( i wanted to listen
Aaah so glad someone else noticed!!
a portion of the reason Rupert is "not on par with milestones" could actually be due to his excelling in the fine motor skills! his brain is too busy learning complex tasks, the gross motor skills aren't prioritized and honestly not that important to his little brain at the moment!
Hahaha the jump cut from Claudia diving in on a tangent on the delights of brick-laying videos 🧱
I for one would watch Claudia talk about diy anytime, even if only theoretical diy 😂
Milestones aren't important in the sense that they don't tell you the value of your child. Your kid isn't better than others if they learn things earlier, and also not worse if they learn things later.
However, it's still important to watch for milestones because they can be a sign for learning disabilities, high abilities or autism. All these things are also not bad or good (although, as an autistic person, I'd say autism is p cool), but are worth noting and the earlier they are found out the earlier your child will receive the care they need to develop (in their own way) and better understand themselves.
The message that "every child has their time", although seemingly harmless, is what keeps parents from searching for help when their kid is struggling. "Waiting and seeing" can be very frustrating for a child, who will struggle for longer than necessary without any help. The fear of a diagnosis and the prejudice against children who develop differently is also a factor that can lead to denial. So, unlike what people think, saying that "milestones don't matter", actually harms children who develop in a different time and contributes to prejudice.
Also, since this is the internet, I'd like to say that I love your channel and I'm inspired by the two of you. This is a very common misinformation and I'm not trying to say you're being pRobLeMaTic or anything, I just wish more people understood that.
Yes! I was hypotonic baby and had to have intense PT since few months old and then started walking slowly around 18 months. I had motor delays in pretty much every way, but on the other hand I was more skilled with language skills and spoke in sentences and sometimes used "unusual words" for my age. There was more to it but this is just a few things on the top of my mind.
But because of all of this "every child is different, everyone has their own time, it doesn't mean anything, they'll grow out of it"... the system failed me. They failed to "connect the dots", my other issues that worsened with age were blamed onto different factors and of course I was misdiagnosed multiple times through my life and as a result, recieved no or inaccurate support, wrong meds and mistreatment.
So I was diagnosed with autism at 19 (+ I have few other comorbidities to it). If people had different mindset and knowledge, I could be diagnosed way sooner and I definitely wouldn't be in such an unfortunate position that I ended up in.
Not saying that this is Rupert's case! Just agreeing with you - it's still important to watch for milestones. I wish parents wouldn't so easily fall into this "everything in development normal and unrelated, they'll catch up one day" mindset. Because at the end, it only hurts the children who need to be diagnosed and properly supported to thrive.
@@ek7652 Thank you for sharing ♡ I feel the same way. And I'm glad you mentioned how they didn't connect the dots, that's smth that can happen too. Maybe the development itself won't say much, but paying attention to it can help with the big picture.
I'm also late diagnosed so I feel really sad when I see that even well intended kind people still hold on to this mindset :/
@@comettripper Exactly, people need to watch out for the full picture. I think the problem with autism and other similar conditions often is that it's many little issues from different areas combined and sometimes also accompanied by strong skills (and people don't tend to connect issues from different areas together + they don't tend to think someone can be disabled when they have some strong abilities) - so it's "here she's a bit delayed, here she's so mature for her age" and people sadly just... don't try to see the full picture. And then they're like "Wow, why she has anxiety? Doesn't make sense to me"... of course it doesn't make sense when people don't look at the full picture and of course that misdiagnoses happen then.
@@ek7652 Yes, that's part of why their pediatrician's advice made me uncomfortable. Autism is usually not going to be "all skills delayed", and I'm assuming other disabilities will also be more complex than that too. Besides, being ahead can also be a sign to watch out for because kids with high abilities will also need assistance. Of course, the consequences of that will only show when they're a teenager or in college and have +3 comorbidities, so that might be why pediatricians are so casual about it.
But I'm happy to see there are more doctors aware of this now, and quite a few are here on the internet spreading information and helping other doctors get up to date too.
@@comettripper Indeed! I felt uncomfortable with their pediatricians advice too. But unfortunately, most pediatricians don't have enough education about these things so it's not surprising. My pediatricians were the same. Exactly, "gifted" or "highly intelligent" kids often need a lot of help too... Yup, it's so sad and common that the consequences pop up in teenage years and early 20's with comorbidities. :(
Congratulations on the one-year (ahem) milestone. I’ve got a couple of practical suggestions, though you may already have thought of them yourself:
1. Attach a roller blind or honeycomb shade to the glass door between your office and kitchen/family room area. Put it on the office side, of course! It won’t help much w/ the noise, but it can reduce the visual temptation that you - and Rupert - experience from seeing each other.
2. Consider blurring Rupert’s face in your online video and photo content. It’s not as aesthetically pleasing as a full view, but it is better than omitting lots of visuals that you would otherwise like to share. And the older he gets, the less able you will be to stop him from whipping his head around to face the camera lens. (Thwarting your efforts to protect his privacy could strike a child in the “terrible two’s phase as a really fun game!)
It's funny you mention about the photos. I think I have way more photos from behind than I do of my kids faces because they never sit still long enough 🤣
I mean, for the second one, they have just used like hearts and stuff to put over his face
When Claudia mentioned watching videos she'll never do, I immediately thought about me falling into RUclips rabbit holes of rug cleaning and dogs being shaved 😂
I also don't have/won't be having children but love hearing about your adventures raising Rupert! It's so interesting! Though, I do find early childhood development really interesting anyway.
I'm not sure if I want to have kids, but I think of all the people in my life who never had kids of their own who helped raise me, and are continuing to do it now even while I'm an adult! There are so many ways to "parent" even if you don't have kids of your own, and each way is special and beautiful.
I love how Claudia makes Jessica laugh so much! 🤣🏳️🌈💗🤣
Happy Birthday Ru! Happy pride to moms! So proud. I know I'm a stranger but I've been watching your family for so long, with my wife, and we are so excited for every milestone the 3 of you have ever achieved. Thank you for all the smiles you've brought us. Congratulations and we love you
I would love to see more parenting content! I'm disabled and want to be a parent someday, and hearing about parenting from your perspective is really helpful to me and makes me feel like I'll be able to do it. Also, I want to thank you, because some of the parenting content you've made videos about helped me get a job working with infants! :)
I like your parenting content because it feels like it still fits with your channel. Also, I appreciate that you still create content. I watch several other youtubers that seemingly just fell off the face of the earth after they had a baby.
I too love when Claudia is on, tbh she feels like she would make an excellent stand-up comedian...
I'm in a huge mom's what's app group that we started at the local library were they have a weekly breastfeeding Cafe. Now 4 years later 3 other mom's have chosen the same school and are in the same class as our child. One of the other mom's lives across the street from another school but still picked our school. We all talked about our experience of taking a school tour at different schools and all really liked the same one!
As someone who is planning to become a parent in the near future (hopefully!) these videos have been wonderful. I've been doing a lot of my own work, but watching your experiences with Rupert and how you've grown and tackled different challenges has been so, so helpful and soothed my soul. Thank you and please keep making these videos! :)
As a baby I had clicky hips and didn't start walking until late but I could have full conversations. My motor skills were more delayed than everything else, turns out I have hEDS and that probably played a big part in it
yes its a pretty common thing among zebras! not sure if i walked soon or not, but i know from others its very common to either not walk for a while or walk weirdly
I was an almost entirely stationary child, and my mother thought it was great - I would sit and look at books, which she valued, and I didn't get in her way.
i'm studying to be a speech-language pathologist and it made me SO EXCITED to hear the words "specific language impairment" (it's also called "developmental language disorder") because this is a diagnosis that can be so meaningful for so many people who struggle with language and i never hear about it! i would love to hear more about what SLI is like for claudia/if she had any accommodations in school/what her experience with speech-language intervention was like!!!
This is a wonderful combination of adorable and educational, even though I am only granny to my son's dog ATM. Because working at home is challenging concentration-wise when a cute cuddly being wants to get your attention every so often.
2:35 We would call that an "army crawl". I went to college for 2 years to study early childhood education, so I have some knowledge about child development
They always look so good, but in this video Claudia is STUNNING.
I love the new blonde highlights
Montessori is basically a way of creating independent secure little humans, it's doesn't have to be particularly strict as long as you have that goal in mind! So helping him a little to sit up is absolutely fine ☺️ You are doing a fantastic job! it is so nice to see this! (I am a working Montessori directress in Cambridge, 0-3 and 3-6) you have such a beautiful family
What I used to tell parents, when I was an early childhood educator was, six months on either side of the milestone is perfectly normal. Don't worry about it...they'll get there.
My son would laugh when he got on hands and knees but not crawl, he then used feet and hands and made growling sounds. Took mos to figure he was imitating a bear! He was talking by 9mos and at 18 mos could think things through enough to ask for cow milk instead of breast milk, proclaiming ALL DONE when offered breast. Told me "call Dr Kleiner, ( ENT)ear hurt" felt so stupid calling saying 18 mo wants appt. Dr was gracious and talked directly to son even though he still walked unsteadily, saw him as he was.
Jessica's "let me feel my feelings!" Resonates so much 💕
Please make a parenting page! I would totally watch it. I already have 3 kids, oldest is 11 and youngest is 7 months. It's chaos but love it.
I used to plan on having children, but as time goes on it looks more and more like I simply won't be able to. Still, watching your family blossom and grow is relaxing and heart-warming. I love you three in a fan-watching-a-video-journal-series-about-nice-people kind of way.
The antenatal groups are incredible not just for support through the baby stage, but also potentially for so much longer. I'm 27 and one of the mothers that became friends with my mum in their antenatal group is still a good friend to my mother now. I'm not in contact with her kids but my little sister and I would play with her kids until the family moved away to Cornwall--and then when my sister and I left home my mother followed them down! Recently, we had to find a nursing home for my grandpa and we were really worried about finding one that was dignified and caring, and he's going to move into the home that my mum's friend works at. It's kind of incredible how some of these bonds built over caring and support can extend for decades.
Love the parenting content 💕 I’m not a parent and even though I want kids I’m definitely adopting as an aro/ace person, but I love kids and parenting and I want to make the world better for the next generation, so I love seeing content from such wonderful parents talking about it.
Apparently some kids completely skip crawling- I rolled myself around, and then I walked, and then I figured out crawling.
I really appreciate your content on parenting! My husband and I are neurodivergent, and we're both likely will have some physical disabilities in the future based on diagnosis of close family members, but I still would like to try to birth child in the future. I've been taking notes!
The smashcut just ending Claudia's deep dive into decorative bricklaying was just so funny to me. Because I was very invested in hearing what she had to say about bricklaying.
lmaooo when Claudia got cut off at the end when she was talking about the bricklaying
Rupert loving hats is amazing. My son loved wigs by 4 months and he had characters for each one as a baby..it was fascinating to watch! Enjoy every moment love to you all from canadian
I'm another watcher from the "kids unlikely/not happening" camp, but it's fun and interesting to watch your parenting videos. There are many things you've covered that I never considered! Also, the joy you two share is infectious 💕
I just adore how different you both are but how you compliment each other so well.
Milepebbles, I love that! And yes, pacing is important. I remember I had this panicked thought, just for a second, a couple of hours after our first child was born that "oh, we need to start to sleep in shifts now", before remembering that they do actually make sounds when they need something, so you will wake up. 😅
I hope you've had a lovely month of, you've been missed!
The tiny Rupert stories are so cute in this video! They reminded me that when I was a baby, (according to my parents) I absolutely hated laying on my stomach. I would scream and cry immediately until I was right side up. As an adult, I still wonder why baby me reacted that way...
Personally your parenting videos are some of my favorite rn, theyre really great and soothing
I think it's useful to make a note of milestones because it could be relevant later. Like if the child is having actual problems that need to be diagnosed, the milestones that were later than expected might be relevant to working out what's going on and what might help them. But there's also a lot of natural variation that doesn't cause any problems, so if they do some things later than average it may not mean anything at all, and there's no need to panic.
The way you two talk about Rupert is the most adorable thing! I hope to one day find a partner with whom I can build a life like you have
This is precisely the kind of mum channel I'm looking for though! Do what you're interested in and passionate about, it's contagious and nice to watch.
My little love was also super behind on gross motor skills but quick to pick up fine motor skills. She didn't even roll over until she was 7 months old, but could pick up individual peas without squishing them around 4 months. I used to sit her into position too so that she could do things she was interested in. Now she is 4 and knows how to sew with needle and thread or sewing machine! Every kid has their own tallents 💖
It’s so sweet to see the two of you talking and laughing together! You are 100% couple goals! Congratulations to you both and to Rupert on a successful first year!
I still remember tuning in to the videos about the tough journey you both had to parenthood and it genuinely makes me so happy to see that everything has worked out and you're living your best life. :')
Honestly, even when kids get older, carving out time to rest and look after yourself isn't that easy. There's ALWAYS something to be done, a never-ending to-do list that is constantly added to as you cross off tasks. The trick is being able to ignore the to-do list temporarily or giving some of it to someone else for a while (be that a partner, a friend or a family member) so that you can take a little break to do the things that let you feel like you.
My question is. How long did Claudia keep talking about brick laying after the video cut off? 😂
Solution to the glass door issue. Put up curtains! Depending on how your glass door is structured you might even be able to put up Cafe curtains. But then you can have them open when you'd like and closed when you don't.
Best advice i got when i had my 1st was when baby sleeps, mum rests too. Dishes, laundry etc can wait. Mums sanity is priority!
Obviously not letting the mess get out of control to the extent your house is like a dump. But a load of laundry & a few dishes being left for a few hours won't hurt anyone. You've just had a baby, you need to heal & get used to a major difference in your life.
Oh & if anyone visits you & remarks that you've not washed breakfast dishes yet & its already lunch time or whatever, tell them if its so offensive to them then they can do it for you lol!
Rupert can high five! Yay! That’s so great! 🥳❤️
when Claudia said Rupert likes put on hats look at himself at the mirror and apparently listen to jazz you know who he got it from😌🥺
You seem really happy so I'm very glad for you!
As you said, I definitely don’t think I’ll ever have a kid, but I am fascinated by parenting as a concept and love these videos
Welcome back! 😃 It is great to see you two again. I always enjoy your videos Also I am one of those people who never will have kids but I love your parenting content. Happy Birthday to Rupert! ❤
I don't have any children in my life and do not plan on ever having children of my own but I love watching your parenting videos. I will definetely never get bored of this topic, don't worry❤ I always love to hear you speak with such passion and love for each other, your life and your child
this video just made my whole month 😭 i’ve been rewatching old videos the entire time
Jessica and Claudia, I worked as a live in Nanny for 3 years, caring for 2 children, a 3 year old girl and a 3 month old boy. I found a way to be flexible using IF...THEN charts. I, and their parents found that several different if -then options gave the freedom that the children needed, as well as helping us as the parents/'caregiver a baseline for putting in some scheduled time for naps and eating. I loved using creative imagination playtime for each child. With an infant as well as a toddler to care for it was a challenge, but the most fun I have ever had at a job.
This was so cute to watch! Like you mentioned at the end of the video, I don't have plans to have kids any time soon. But, it is fun to learn about child development and what it's like to be a parent! And of course, also just a very sweet video, happy pride
I like watching your videos, because although I'm not planning on having biological kids of my own, (I would like to adopt, but they'd be older children, not babies) it's really fascinating to hear about the psychology of very young humans, and how you guys are getting on
Things are a bit rough for me right now, but considering the Shawshank Redemption is also one of my favorite movies and I watched it just two days ago, seeing this made me remember things aren't all that bad. Thanks for everything you do, it always makes me smile :)
May I say Claudia’s hair is STUNNING? And now back to Rupert. ❤️
the crawling thing - I feel that! my daughter didn't crawl at all. she sort of scooted for about a month and then out of nowhere she learned to walk a week before she turned 1 and literally never bothered with being on her tummy again!
I just found a photo of my second kid, the day she walked (13 months old.) Parenting in those first... 5-6 years is a full body sport! Mine are 17 and 15 now and it's super easy to forget how intense they were! I dropped milestones by week 8 when my first wasn't doing something he was supposed to and it was very liberating. What's most amazing about parenting is you learn THAT KID but if you have more babies, they all have brand new rule books! Plus the "OMG how do I deal with two screaming small humans with similar needs in the exact same moment?" which nobody seems to talk about or write about.
My biggest advice is and will always be, ask for help when you need it! I struggled mentally for the first 4 months and I thought it was normal. It was not. I had to get counselling. And it helped so much.
I'm not very good at keeping up with RUclips content, but I came here to binge watch your videos and then remembered how I actually cried on Christmas eve watching your pregnancy announcement 🥺🥺 I always adored you and how much you've teach me about so many things and to see you two go on a road I hope to go through someday is so inspiring and beautiful and fills my heart with happiness
The part at the end where you cut Claudia while she’s talking about how much she likes the brick-laying videos just cracked me up lol
One option to help Jessica if she wants a little bit of privacy for her office would be to add a blind to the door. Privacy when you need less distractions and open when you feel part of the house
YES! Become a mom channel, please pretty please. I'm sure your thoughts on parenting will be super helpful in this increasingly stressful and competitive and pressurised world. I love your content about Montessori and would love more, for example
By the way, content by you about parenting will never be boring!
Tried not to cry when you said ‘you need baby free time’ I have an 8 month old and it’s so full on!
I love Rupert wearing a hat and listening to jazz whilst snaking around the floor lol, milestone’s are maybe suggestions. As long as your happy and he’s happy all good and yes you learn a lot when you have a child. I love and enjoy this video and love you both so much, and you’re both so adorable thank you so much for sharing this great video
So good to see you again, Jessica! I hope you had a wonderful break. The video is absolutely lovely!
Adding to the topic of milestones and crawling - I hardly ever crawled as a baby either, I shuffled and slided around on my bum everywhere! Even went down the stairs sliding on my butt. And then just kind of went straight to walking after that, so I practically skipped crawling. As long as Rupert is gets up and around then it’s no matter how he does it. And it amazing how he’s getting on with his fine skills and his social skills! We all do things our own way at our own pace :)
Any video with both Jessica and Claudia where they're just talking about anything and everything is 👌👌👌
i’m not a parent but i love these videos, i don’t have any parents in my life so i’m learning a lot. very heart warming and fun.
I love that you two understand each other so well. My mom and I have a half-speak very similar to yours and Clauds and its great. I also really want to run in and point to the garden and say something is eating my sausages! Not to make fun of Claud, but because that is how my brain works too.
It's always nice to hear what other babies are doing or not at certain ages as it makes others feel better about their own as long as it is all looked at with common sense and parents don't get worried or feel like they are missing out if their baby isn't doing 'what is it meant to do ' at a certain age.
I like watching your content that includes listening to your life with your little one. I'll never have kids but it's nice to see that others do well with them and it's an enjoyable experience.
Love this! If you two end up with more than one kiddo, it’s even more obvious. My older kiddo didn’t hit the “24 words by 24 months” milestone, and ended up with some speech therapy (which was really therapy for us, his parents, since we weren’t doing things like FACING him when speaking so he could see our mouths). My younger child was chatting our ears off by 18 months!