We only walked a 1/4 of a mile. That wasn’t the intention, but S had other plans in mind. With that said, our family walk served more purpose than originally intended.
Montessori philosophy is rooted in the idea of “following the child.” Following the child means observing your child and learning their needs as a means of living out your day-to-day life. Maria Montessori stressed the importance of taking time to observe your child, in their natural state, uninterrupted {within reason, safety first!} so that you could take note of the child's interests, disinterests, phases of development, learning style, and quirks. This can be so hard as an adult, but especially as a parent. We want to protect them, control them, and hurry them along. It’s just the way our society is. I want different for my children. The busy lifestyle, go-go-go mentality, is exhausting. As adults it leaves us feeling stressed, drained, and over-stimulated. Imagine the child... I would be lying if I said I don’t sometimes feel like I fall into that trap. Today was a perfect example. Being 4 weeks away from delivering, a walk seems arduous. Add a toddler who wants to stop and look and touch and climb everything- even harder. I had to remind myself that her goal isn’t to walk a mile, lose a pound, or make it to the end of the trail. Her “job” is to explore, learn, and enjoy! There were several times I told her, “let’s go, keep moving” and I wish I hadn’t. I wish I hadn't stunted her exploration and discovery of nature in the moments I hurried her along. Thankfully, I caught myself and let her be. I followed her lead. So today we walked a 1/4 of a mile, but in that time we found different species of flowers, we climbed rocks of various sizes, we learned about pine trees and how their needles fall, we practiced throwing, we learned how to balance, and we learned that daddy will always be there to carry us when we need it. Today, we learned to take it slow. This is your daily reminder to TAKE IT SLOW. Enjoy the walk. Enjoy the ride. Read the book. Put the phone down. Enjoy the rest. Life is not comprised nor measured by achieving everything on a list. It’s in the small moments, the seemingly meaningless activities, that happiness and joy are bred.
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EXPLORATION
Montessori focuses on the use of senses for development, especially focusing on nature as an ideal environment for sensory exploration. So we encourage outdoor play and exploration, as much as we can. When it it comes to exploring nature S has no fear, which is a great thing in theory, but this mama has to bite her tongue sometimes. She loves to observe, pick up, and touch any creature she sees. She definitely didn't get that from me, but I would never want to discourage her interest or love of something because of my own reservations or fears. When she does embark upon picking up small creatures I encourage her, ask her questions about what she’s noticing, or even offer her some information when I can. The Seek app by iNaturalist has been a great tool for us when we aren’t sure what something is. Check it out! #seekbyinat Look at the joy on her face as she explores the gentle crawl of the ladybug. We even found a yellow version in our flower pot later that day! 🐞 With just 4 days until our move, I have been working to find things to keep S occupied but still getting those wheels turning. Our #kiwico_inc box could not have come at a better time.
Kellan and his friend Peter go through different parts their neighborhood to get items to help their friend Ella feel better. S has LOVED the books that come with the boxes, but this one was topped them all. No joke, I’ve probably read it 15 times since we opened it yesterday. The box comes at the right time because with a move coming, we will be going to a new part of our city meaning we will have a new neighborhood for us to explore. This box allowed me to explain to S how we will get to explore our new neighborhood just like Kellan, major elements of a neighborhood, and the term map. I’m hoping to make an on-going map of our new neighborhood as we discover new parts of it. Along with the hands-on activities that come in the box, KiwiCo offers a discovery booklet with more things to explore and try that relate to the theme of the box, a dynamic I really enjoy. Check out that smile when we unpacked her box, such a ham! Laundry
This girl loves doing laundry, doesn’t matter who’s it is! Since about 1.5 she’s been collecting laundry, putting it in the wash, adding detergent, starting the machine, transferring to the dryer and placing it in the basket to be folded. I want to reiterate that none of this is forced. She showed interest in helping one day and I honored that request. Now, on laundry day she runs to the laundry room to help. Children are capable of so much if we provide them the right environment and tools to the do the job with their small hands. We are currently working on folding. She’s mastered her undergarments and shorts. Next up, shirts! Deadheading flowers🌸
We added a new word to our gardening vocabulary. S learned a new element of care of plants, deadheading. She has always helped watering our plants, but now she knows plants need to have their flowers and leaves removed when they are dead to help new flowers bloom. I hope her love of plants continues as she gets older. I can see it now, her garden full of flowers and vegetation, buzzing with the sound of bees and ladybugs fluttering from plant to plant. Maybe that’s a bit of my dream too, but as I know her now, I can imagine it being hers too. 🌱 Follow Through
It’s often referenced to disciplining children, but for me it is the basis upon which to lead a Montessori lifestyle for my daughter. It is so easy to just take over and do for children what they can do for themselves. I have to constantly remind myself {and my husband} of our daughters capabilities and need for independence. So yesterday I followed through and we made homemade apple sauce with the help of Scarlett (2). Super simple and easy to involve children! 🍎 Recipe: •4 apples (cored, peeled, and cubed) •3/4 cup water •1/4 cup of water •1/2 tbsp of cinnamon •Put all ingredient in a pot over medium heat for 15-20 minutes then mash! * Hello! Thank you for stopping by our blog! We would like to take a minute {or two} to introduce ourselves and our reason for creating this lovely space.
My name is Dee, a former public school teacher for 6 years, until June 2018. Once our first babe, S, was born we made the decision for me to become a stay-at-home-mom. While the choice to dramatically change our lifestyle was daunting and terrifying, it was the best decision we could have made for our family. I will soon be celebrating 3 years of marriage to my love, Justin. We actually met at the public school we worked at. We spent a night walking at Relay for Life in support of our co-workers and my mom, and the rest is history. He is my biggest fan and greatest supporter, and I am blessed to call him mine. We are currently expecting babe #2 at the end of June. Alongside the change to our family, we recently made the choice to sell our home and simplify life in order to continue my adventure as a Montessori stay-at-home-mom. Our Montessori journey started about a year ago when I began the journey of researching pre-school options for our daughter. She was only 14 months at the time, but what can I say? I am a planner. In my search, I stumbled upon Charlotte Mason philosophy and felt that the ideals helped to develop the whole child, which intrigued me. As I delved deeper into my research, Montessori was mentioned continuously as a closely related philosophy to Charlotte Mason. Once I discovered Montessori, I was hooked and knew that this was how I wanted us to live our lives. Please re-read the previous statement... I did not say I wanted to teach this philosophy, I wanted to LIVE it, breathe it, day-in and day-out. It truly changed my perspective on life, children, and my ideals. You may wonder, she was a teacher... why wouldn't she send her children to pubic school? If I am being honest, my experiences as a public school teacher taught me that I wanted something different for my children. I am by no means discrediting public education. The teachers are amazing and my heart with always with them. It's intentions mean well and it provides many opportunities, but being on the inside gave me a perspective that I could not shake. Education is a cornerstone, so we must all make informed decisions based on the needs of our family. Montessori was that, for us. So this blog is the journey of our family learning about Montessori, implementing the ideals to our lives, and sharing its benefits with the people around us. More often than not, you will find many of our posts involve pajamas and messy hair because... well, life. Our intention is to keep this blog real and honest. I hope you enjoy our content and follow along as we learn more about life and homeschooling with our two babes! Welcome aboard! |
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September 2020
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