let the child walk

Firstly, I just want to apologize for the replies that have not been written, and the emails that I have not answered back to.  E started to be sick during the weekend, and all my focus went from everything to him.  We are finally out of the hot water, and we are finally on the right track again.  So thank you for your patience!

I remember reading, a while ago, in a book written by Dr Montessori, how little children could walk a lot more then what we give them credit for.  They walk for walking, just to improve this newly acquired skill, to perfect it, like any other movement they do.  It might seem pointless to us, just like any other repetitive activity they do at that age, but it serves a very important purpose: to construct the child.  It helps their self confidence, it helps their body to become stronger, and it helps them to love walking.  She was saying how little children don't seem capable of walking long distance, because we don't give them the chance to, and eventually, because being confined every time they could, they are not interested in it, nor have the ability to do it.
I am not able to find in which book I have read this, nor the exact complete quote.  (and if somebody knows, I'd love to know!)

We have been very in tune with our 3 children during this walking stage.  But I have to admit that I am amazed by E's willingness and ability to walk at this point.  He walks, at his pace, without any disturbance with precision and with will.  He does not get distracted by much, he is not exploring, he is walking, and he is doing this with all of his senses and concentration. He is perfecting walking.

And he walks in hard conditions:  snow, ice, slush, conditions that would make many people turn around and go back home.  But when we hit the trail, he wiggles his feet to be put on the ground ASAP, and ready of not, he starts walking forward.  He has not idea where we are going,  now how long we'll be walking, but he just walks straight ahead.

And when it is time to come back, he just turns, without looking ahead, and starts walking back in the other direction, no questions asked.

This morning, when we got out, our driveway was like a ice skating ring.  It was hard to get the the car without falling down.  And even though he has only been walking for a few months, he managed to make it to the car by himself not falling, not even once.