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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September 2020
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