succeeded for a few minutes at a time, he still is far from being able
to sit alone, unsupported. This he does not accomplish until the fifth
or the month.

[Sidenote: Danger of Forcing]

There is nothing to be gained by trying to make him sit alone sooner;
indeed, there is danger in it--danger in forcing young bones and
muscles to do work beyond their strength, and danger also to the
nerves. It is safe to say that _a normal child always exercises all
its faculties to the utmost without need of urging, and any exercise
beyond the point of natural fatigue, if persisted in, is sure to bring
about abnormal results_.

[Sidenote: Creeping]

The first efforts toward creeping often appear in the bath when the
child turns over and raise, himself upon his hands and knees. This is
sign that he might creep sooner, if he were not impeded by clothing.
He should be allowed to spread himself upon a blanket every day for
an hour or two, and to get on his knees as frequently as he pleases.
Often he needs a little help to make him creep forward, for most
babies creep backward at first, their arms being stronger than their
legs. Here the mother may safely interfere, pushing the legs as they
ought to go and showing the child how to manage himself; for very
often he becomes much excited over his inability to creep forward.

The climbing instinct begins to appear by this time--the seventh
month--and here the stair-case has its great advantages. It ought not
to be shut from him by a gate, but he should be taught how to climb