My Blog
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 say…
The Five Keys to Making Montessori Materials
Last week we talked about preparing our home to help our children be successful. This week, let’s focus on Montessori materials. How hard is it to make them? What should you keep in mind?Click here to learn more and watch a short video!
Wait and Connect
You know when your child does something - like throw his toys on the floor - to show his frustration over a perceived injustice, and you tell him to clean it up, and he refuses, and you insist, and he digs in his heels, and your ego is insulted and says "How dare he?!", so you resort to punishment because you feel powerless, and then he gets angry at you because "You're so mean!" and sees himself as the victim, and you lose the opportunity to teach a lesson about dealing with frustration?
It woul…
It woul…
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 impor…
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 meal…
Manic Brain
When I decided that screen time would no longer be a part of my 4-year-old's life, I knew I would have to deal with screen detox. The first day of Spring Break was also the first day of the "No More Screens" rule. Almost immediately after waking up, Zach asked to watch videos. I said no and reminded him of the new rule. He got very angry and cried. I acknowledged his feelings and stood my ground firmly and with love. When he calmed down, we had breakfast and played trains while the baby na…
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 few …
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 few …
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, and …
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