Sure, learning to read and tie their shoes are great accomplishments for kids, but there are others that every parent truly appreciates once their children have mastered them. Like when they learn to feed themselves or when they discover how to play by themselves. Certain crucial achievements are often overlooked, and you might not find them in the traditional lists of developmental milestones. As every parent knows, we should celebrate these milestones for the amazing accomplishments they are.

Milestone No. 1
Can make it to the toilet before throwing up.

Milestone No. 2
Can climb into the car and buckle their own seat belts.

Milestone No. 3
Learned how to work the remote/iPad/other electronic device.

Milestone No. 4
Understands what a clean room really looks like and how to get it that way.

Milestone No. 5
Expresses what they want, what hurts, what the heck they are pointing at, why they are crying.

Milestone No. 6
Have decided to limit the number of times they ask “Why?” in the same conversation to only three.

Milestone No. 7
Can pour liquid (milk, juice, etc.) from a larger container into a smaller one without soaking themselves, the counter, the floor and the dog.

Milestone No. 8
Understands that saying, “I don’t know,” will not be an acceptable reason for why they did — or didn’t — do something.

Milestone No. 9
SHOWERING! Independently! No more chaperoned bath time.

Milestone No. 10
Can wipe … effectively.