As parents we quickly learn that children have control over three things: eating, sleeping, and toileting. Rather than engage in power struggles, however, we can help children develop the skills they need to manage and gain mastery over these essential aspects of life.
You may already know that Montessori educators value and encourage independence in even their youngest students. Why is it so important? We believe that nurturing this valuable character trait is both empowering and necessary.
Positive discipline aligns well with Montessori philosophy and helps us shift from being reward-based or punitive to being kind and firm at the same time. Children do best when there's encouragement instead of punishment. And yet, oftentimes we get caught in a cycle.
During the holiday season, we can unintentionally become a bit edgy or stressed. Routines change. We might travel or have out-of-town guests. While our children may feel excited about the holidays, they can also feel the changes in family routines or shifts in family dynamics.
All too often the holiday season becomes about “stuff”— presents, decorations, and more presents. How do we begin to shift some of the focus— particularly for our children— away from getting gifts to the spirit of togetherness, generosity, peace, and goodwill?
Montessori classrooms depend upon a web of mutual respect. This culture of respect is established from the very beginning: from how the classroom is arranged and sized for the children, to how we greet each other at the start of the day, to how the adults refrain from interrupting children’s concentration.
Sleep provides the power behind a multitude of important aspects of our lives, especially for our children. Sleep not only enriches the ability to learn, memorize, think logically, and consider choices, but also provides emotional recalibration and allows for inspiration and creativity.
In Montessori, we put a lot of emphasis on young children learning basic self-care skills. A big part of self-care is something we do every day, at least twice a day: brushing our teeth! This is a tricky one, though, because we want to teach independence while also ensuring that our children’s teeth are clean and cavity-free.
In Montessori, we love to explore how our language shapes our thinking, so we often explore the etymology of words. The word geography comes from the Greek geo, which means earth, and graphein, which means to write. So, geography can be understood as a description of the earth and all that occurs physically upon it.
Consider this article a reminder about the amazing benefits chores can have for kids and their families. Our five tips may even give a little fresh perspective.
