My Blog
Favorite Books
Great Books for Our Great Stories
Many of you have asked me to share my favorite books that align with the Great Stories. So, here they are! I have used every single one of these books either in my elementary classrooms or in our homeschool life. Some are child-friendly reference books, but many have activities to inspire follow-up work.
*This page contains affiliate links. I receive a small compensation when you purchase through these links, and it allows me to continue bringing high-quality Montessori content at no cost to yo…
The Entitlement Myth
A few weeks into his first-grade year, my formerly sweet and relatively cooperative son began acting sassy, cocky, and entitled. Requests for help were met with groans and eye-rolls. Limits were countered with sighs and "whatever"s.
We gave him the benefit of a doubt: Surely he was just imitating his older classmates' rude behaviors. Or maybe this was a misguided attempt at being more independent. All my friends' children were acting the same way, so it was probably a developmental phase. Re…
We gave him the benefit of a doubt: Surely he was just imitating his older classmates' rude behaviors. Or maybe this was a misguided attempt at being more independent. All my friends' children were acting the same way, so it was probably a developmental phase. Re…
BOTW: Good-Night Yoga
On a recent date night at a local bookstore (exciting, I know), my husband came across Good-Night Yoga: A Pose-By-Pose Bedtime Story. Neither of us practice yoga, but we'd been trying to find activities we can do as a family in the evenings that will engage both a three-year-old and a seven-year-old AND that will help us transition peacefully into the bedtime routine.We've been reading and yoga-ing with this book a couple of evenings a week for the past month, and it's become on of our favorite…
Moon-tessori (haha, couldn't resist)
"You're great at this homeschooling thing because you're a teacher... I don't think I could do it because I don't know much about anything."
I can't tell you how many times I've heard this phrase since we started homeschooling two months ago, coming from the most capable and well-prepared mothers in my circle of friends. So here's a little secret... I don't know everything. Heck, I don't know most things! But I don't let that hold me back from learning and sharing with my children. Here's an …
I can't tell you how many times I've heard this phrase since we started homeschooling two months ago, coming from the most capable and well-prepared mothers in my circle of friends. So here's a little secret... I don't know everything. Heck, I don't know most things! But I don't let that hold me back from learning and sharing with my children. Here's an …
BOTW: Kingdom of the Sun
The only thing I like more than discovering good children's books is sharing them with others. I'm starting these "Book of the Week" (BOTW) posts to spread the joy of quality children's literature and will try to post a new book every weekend. (This post contains an affiliate link.)
*****
"Where do the names of the planets come from?", asked 7-year-old Zachary. I knew they were first named after Greek gods and then were changed to the equivalent Roman gods, but didn't know much else. Then I f…Making Peace with Star Wars
My husband and I put a lot of effort into keeping our home free from violent media influences. It's an uphill battle that we're committed to fighting, and one that sometimes requires a little creative thinking.
Zachary's male classmates (ages 3 and 4) are fascinated by Star Wars. Yes, you read right: ages 3 and 4, not 13 and 14. They know all the characters, all the spaceships, and, of course, all the violence that goes with it. Zach would come home every day, his head a jumble of confusion: …
Zachary's male classmates (ages 3 and 4) are fascinated by Star Wars. Yes, you read right: ages 3 and 4, not 13 and 14. They know all the characters, all the spaceships, and, of course, all the violence that goes with it. Zach would come home every day, his head a jumble of confusion: …
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 say…
Communication for Peace
So many struggles with our children stem from conflicting goals: you need to go grocery shopping and they want to stay home; you need them to sit down for dinner and they want to keep playing. Imagine if there could be a way of communicating with your child that allowed you to achieve your goals while respecting their priorities. Well, there is.
The practice of Nonviolent Communication recently came into my life. NVC is a way of expressing "what we are observing, what emotions we are feeling, w…
The practice of Nonviolent Communication recently came into my life. NVC is a way of expressing "what we are observing, what emotions we are feeling, w…
Categories
- Uncategorized (111)
- Montessori Materials (30)
- development of senses (2)
- home environment (9)
- infancy (3)
- babies (60)
- birth (5)
- birthing (3)
- early childhood development (68)
- home birth (4)
- montessori (154)
- natural birth (4)
- childhood developoment (3)
- infants (24)
- newborns (7)
- parenting (96)
- Sleep (9)
- DIY (8)
- sewing (1)
- adhd (1)
- medication (1)
- psychology (2)
- interior design (3)
- crafts (7)
- education (38)
- montessori method (97)
- parents (29)
- biology (2)
- child psychology (3)
- children (61)
- michael olaf (1)
- montessori education (50)
- Science (12)
- sensitive periods (2)
- teachers (8)
- teaching (18)
- eating (10)
- food (11)
- independence (27)
- nursing (2)
- self-esteem (8)
- weaning (8)
- alternative education (7)
- early childhood education (23)
- observation (3)
- pre-school (7)
- school (5)
- culture (2)
- society (1)
- elementary education (22)
- grades (2)
- learning (6)
- public education (1)
- testing (1)
- traditional education (3)
- bedtime (2)
- kindergarten (1)
- maria montessori (29)
- finances (1)
- financial education (1)
- money (2)
- positive discipline (9)
- brain development (3)
- breastfeeding (2)
- diet (2)
- formula (3)
- Jaramillo soup (1)
- malnutrition (2)
- nutrition (5)
- pharmaceutical companies (1)
- third world countries (1)
- bottle-feeding (1)
- cooking (7)
- jaramiilo soup (1)
- sopa jaramillo (1)
- freedom (2)
- praise (1)
- responsibility (3)
- rewards (1)
- success (2)
- trust (1)
- playroom (1)
- toys (9)
- books (3)
- child development (5)
- parent education (4)
- reading (5)
- concentration (5)
- floor bed (5)
- sleeping (1)
- feeding (2)
- meals (2)
- c-section (3)
- critical thinking skills (2)
- fear (1)
- feeding solids (1)
- helicopter parents (1)
- vaccinating (1)
- vaccination (1)
- crafting (3)
- gobbi (3)
- handiwork (1)
- mobiles (3)
- sensorial (3)
- tutorial (1)
- midwifery (3)
- midwives (2)
- motherhood (8)
- embroidery (1)
- gobbi mobile (1)
- baby einstein (1)
- baby gear (1)
- educational DVD (1)
- enrichment classes (1)
- Mozart effect (1)
- Pamela Paul (1)
- parenting experts (1)
- Parenting Inc. (1)
- problem-solving (3)
- television (4)
- toy industry (1)
- silverware (1)
- spoon (1)
- beanbags (1)
- kids (6)
- birth education (2)
- infant mortality rates (1)
- labor (1)
- maternal mortality rates (1)
- pregnancy (1)
- vbac (1)
- montessori blogs (20)
- writing (6)
- movement (7)
- will power (1)
- repurposing (1)
- crawling (3)
- development (3)
- executive functions (3)
- strollers (1)
- toddlers (41)
- walking (1)
- adolescents (1)
- play (5)
- teenagers (1)
- work (4)
- google (1)
- Practical Life (25)
- home life (2)
- kitchen (1)
- pre-schoolers (13)
- sharing (1)
- waldorf (1)
- language (3)
- doctors (1)
- gynecology (1)
- medical school (1)
- ob-gyn (1)
- obstetrics (1)
- women (2)
- genius (1)
- cloth diapers (1)
- diapers (1)
- disposable diapers (1)
- potty training (6)
- toileting (4)
- Language Development (13)
- montessori activities (13)
- coordination (2)
- developmental milestone (1)
- RIE (6)
- stroller toys (1)
- alfie kohn (1)
- mistakes (1)
- schools (2)
- cultural diversity (1)
- toilet training (2)
- control (1)
- halloween (1)
- care takers (1)
- grandparents (1)
- nannies (1)
- childhood nutrition (1)
- dairy alternatives (1)
- health (1)
- seed mik (1)
- sesame milk (1)
- veganism (1)
- vegetarian (1)
- vegetarian food (1)
- communication (2)
- magda gerber (1)
- change (2)
- impulse control (1)
- limits (2)
- mealtimes (1)
- growing up (1)
- terrible twos (2)
- absorbent mind (1)
- sequences (1)
- wonder weeks (1)
- creativity (1)
- fantasy (1)
- imagination (3)
- reality (1)
- prepared environment (2)
- Technology (1)
- bathrooms (1)
- EC (1)
- elimination communication (2)
- routine (1)
- socialization (1)
- ego (1)
- montessori approach (18)
- students (1)
- free-range parenting (2)
- human tendencies (1)
- elementary school (4)
- history (5)
- discipline (3)
- self-control (2)
- nursery (1)
- cooking with kids (7)
- development of the senses (1)
- senses (2)
- time (2)
- consequences (1)
- baking (2)
- awareness (1)
- buddhism (2)
- mothering (1)
- now (1)
- parenthood (7)
- personal growth (2)
- rat race (1)
- spiritual growth (1)
- working mom (1)
- travel (1)
- travell with toddlers (1)
- throwing (1)
- holidays (2)
- art (2)
- artwork (1)
- food preparation (2)
- picky eater (2)
- toddler (1)
- cursive (1)
- Montessori Theory (27)
- On Parenting (31)
- Social and Emotional Learning (19)
- dopamine (1)
- Dr. Steven Hughes (1)
- motivation (1)
- banana bread (1)
- recipes (1)
- pi day (1)
- chores (2)
- entitlement (3)
- homeschool (14)
- preschool (3)
- summer (1)
- unschooling (5)
- botany (2)
- Favorite Books (8)
- compassionate parenting (4)
- education for peace (2)
- nonviolent communication (1)
- peace (2)
- emotional intelligence (3)
- manners (1)
- sensory processing disorder (1)
- mainstream media (1)
- star wars (1)
- violence (1)
- crochet (1)
- brene brown (2)
- depression (1)
- empathy (2)
- postpartum depression (1)
- self-regulation (2)
- fractions (1)
- math (3)
- astronomy (2)
- literature (1)
- 6 - 12 (15)
- Cosmic Education (9)
- Theory and Practice (9)
- Nature (3)
- flow (1)
- life (1)
- ocean (1)
- philosophy (1)
- self-care (1)
- walking meditation (1)
- 3 - 6 (5)
- Siblings (2)
- literacy (1)
- mindfulness (1)
- yoga (1)
- childhood development (4)
- compassion (1)
- accountability (1)
- organization (1)
- homeschooling (12)
- SAHM (1)
- self-growth (1)
- vulnerability (1)
- attachment (1)
- behavioral challenges (1)
- anxiety (1)
- museums (1)
- bubbles (1)
- fluid dynamics (1)
- STEM (1)
- Math and Geometry (2)
- geometry (1)
- democracy (1)
- equality (1)
- fatherhood (1)
- feminism (1)
- gender roles (1)
- gloria steinem (1)
- marriage (1)
- men (1)
- grit (1)
- growth mindset (1)
- hiking (1)
- natureschool (1)
- resilience (1)
- chemistry (1)
- elementary (4)
- montessori elementary (3)
- storytelling (2)
- brainstorming (1)
- rivalry (1)
- grammar (1)