Consent and children 0-3 years – What does it mean and what does it look like?
Consent and respect for the child has always been a part of Montessori education. When you are teaching a child to respect themselves you are also teaching them to respect others. So, what does this look like when we are talking about babies and young toddlers and children under 3? How much can they understand […]
Montessori & Fantasy
Okay this is one of those topics that get out of hand pretty quickly and I feel like there is a deep misunderstanding between fantasy and imagination. So in short Montessori ENCOURAGES imagination however it discourages fantasy in the first years of life. So what does this mean for Santa, the tooth fairy or Easter […]
Un-“childproof” Your Home
“To assist a child, we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.” – Dr. Maria Montessori Childproofing homes has become an ever-growing trend with an insatiable sales market directed towards parents. You can buy locks for your cabinets, gates for your hallways, door handle covers to prevent small hands from […]
Personal Care as a Bonding Time
“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours… the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. ” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind So often, the times that can best serve for emotional bonding and interaction between parent and child are those […]
Pre-writing skills aren’t always explicit.
‘My child only scribbles’ ‘My child is so active’ ‘My child won’t sit and complete focused activities’. Sound familiar to anyone? First off- you’re not alone. Second- there is nothing ‘wrong’ with your child Thirdly YOU HAVE GOT THIS. Most parents I chat with get more and more anxious about their child’s ‘inability’ to sit […]
Ramadan
Ramadan is the month of fasting practised by millions of Muslims around the world. It is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and occurs at the sighting of the new moon. During the entirety of the month, Muslims around the world fast from dawn to dusk. This fasting period forbids Muslims from not […]
The Floor Bed
Sometimes referred to as a ‘Montessori Bed’, the concept of a floor bed or low bed is not new. It has been a common way of sleeping for many cultures for hundreds of years. But for many parents moving their baby out of a cot onto the floor seems like a wild and crazy idea. […]
How To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children.
Many parents find themselves wondering how to help their children manage their ‘big feelings’. When children are unable to handle their emotions well, this shows up as challenging behaviours for parents. We see tantrums, meltdowns and behaviour that we find stressful. The foundation of emotional regulation in children is emotional intelligence. But what exactly is […]
Early Risers
How to stop children from waking up too early is a question that I am commonly asked, and something that I am very familiar with as my own son has always woken very early. 6am is considered a late start in our household! Although there are some benefits to an early riser, such as being […]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Christmas can be a stressful time of year, but, it can also be the most amazing time with family and loved ones! The lead up to Christmas can be busy and stressful with gifts, cooking cleaning – you name it! We have decided to give you some wonderful ideas for Christmas gifts (and links as […]
Sleep ‘Regressions’ and Sensitive Periods
You may be familiar with the term ‘sleep regression’. It is often defined as a period of worsening sleep. For parents it can mean frustration, confusion and lack of sleep. Everything seemed to be going fairly ok with your child’s sleep and then seemingly out of the blue everything has changed. You might find your […]
Basic Montessori Principles
Montessori philosophy is a reality-based educational approach that aids children in preparation for life and encompasses growth of the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. The philosophy respects that children have an intrinsic motivation to learn, an absorbent mind from birth, and sensitive periods for physical and cognitive development. In a prepared environment, guided by practicing […]