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early childhood development
The Good Struggle
This morning, let's talk about compassion (identifying our common struggles) and empathy (letting others know they're not alone).
Raise your hand if you want your child to show compassion and empathy for others. OK, that's pretty much everyone in the audience. Put your hands down.
Now, raise your hand if you want your child to suffer. Anyone? Anyone? *crickets*
Most of us agree that it's painful to watch our child get hurt (physically or emotionally). So painful, in fact, that it triggers the...
Raise your hand if you want your child to show compassion and empathy for others. OK, that's pretty much everyone in the audience. Put your hands down.
Now, raise your hand if you want your child to suffer. Anyone? Anyone? *crickets*
Most of us agree that it's painful to watch our child get hurt (physically or emotionally). So painful, in fact, that it triggers the...
A Deep Understanding
When I became a mom, I realized that it takes a parent to understand a parent. I have been blessed to have a worldwide community of Montessori-trained friends who are navigating the same beautiful, yet often turbulent, waters of parenthood with me.
One of my wisest friends is Junnifa Uzodike, the founder of the Nduoma Montessori blog. She contacted me through myblog someyears ago, when she was beginning her Montessori journey, and we have sharedcountless conversations about motherhood and...
One of my wisest friends is Junnifa Uzodike, the founder of the Nduoma Montessori blog. She contacted me through myblog someyears ago, when she was beginning her Montessori journey, and we have sharedcountless conversations about motherhood and...
Tricks of the Three-Period Lesson
In an earlier article we discussed the basics of using the Three-Period Lesson to introduce vocabulary. Did you try it with your child? How did it go?Veteran Montessori guides will tell you that when you give a child a lesson, things don’t always go the way you expect them to. You might have noticed this when you tried doing the Three-Period Lesson with your child. If things didn’t go exactly as you planned, don’t fret! Click here to read a helpful articleand watch the video to learn great...
Simple Is Better
Most commercial toys try to cram a lot of “bang for their buck”. Imagine, with just one toy, your child will be able to learn colors, numbers and shapes! She’ll practice sorting and stacking while listening to classical music, and each time she does it right, the toy will light up and shout out “Good job!”This sounds like a great toy, right? Wrong! The best toys are the simplest ones… Click here to find out why and watch a short video!
Food for Thought
I'm reading an excellent book called Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, published in 1978. The author is not a scientist, and never claims to be. He doesn't have answers, just observations and questions that most of us have never even thought to ponder.
There's a section that talks about how television messes with your senses.
Think about it: On your screen, you're watching a shot of two people walking on a distant hillside, yet you can clearly hear what they're...
Prepare to be Amazed
Many parents like to help feed or dress their children, even when the children become capable of doing it on their own, because they feel it’s a way of showing love. While parents who follow the Montessori philosophy understand that it’s important to support their child’s budding independence, they sometimes don’t know how to channel their affection in a way that’s helpful to their child’s development!You’ll be happy to know that in the Montessori philosophy, you – the parent – play a very...
Mealtime with Baby
Table manners… Healthy eating habits… Self-control. We all want our children to develop these abilities, but it’s hard for parents to know how and when to start! Did you know that children have the potential to develop these qualities from the time they start showing interest in solid food?While you might think it’s impossible to instill these qualities in your baby or toddler, it’s really not that hard if you have the right expectations and tools. Click here to learn more about Montessori...
The Medium is the Message
Screen time update: A couple of weeks ago, I posted on Facebook about screen time at our house. I wrote about how Zachary was frustrated when it came time to turn off the computer after his daily 15-minute screen time allotment, and how he had found a healthy outlet in crying.
I wish I could report that he had either developed the ability to turn off the screen without getting upset, or had at least continued to cry without escalating to anger. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), after a...
I wish I could report that he had either developed the ability to turn off the screen without getting upset, or had at least continued to cry without escalating to anger. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), after a...
Three Steps to Academic Success
Thirty thousand. 30,000! That’s the number of words scientists say you should be speaking to your child daily to increase his chances of academic success. Most parents reach and exceed this magic number, but how do you know if your child is really benefiting from your efforts? Do you feel you might be choosing the wrong words or confusing your child by rambling?I’m about to share with you a simple but powerful Montessori technique that will put your worries to rest. To find out what it is,...
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