As a Montessori teacher and mother (David 9, Victoria 5), I know how difficult it can be to give attention to your children, go ahead with what the work requires, stress, home and earrings, to set up your spaces at home so they are clutter-free and engaging for your children.
By applying Montessori principles at home, I feel like it has enabled me to things simpler, have less stuff, and focus on activities the children enjoy. And at the same time, we have learned to live together in a calmer way.
My own adventure with Montessori began when we went looking for a preschool for our kids and I fell in love with the local Montessori preschool. The teachers spoke to the children with respect, interested to understand them. The materials were all beautifully laid out to touch and explore. And it felt like a little house, with plants for the kids to look after, cozy corners to read in, and a snack area where the kids could make their own snack if they were hungry.
I went on to re-train as a Montessori teacher and work with parents and their children to bring these principles into your lives.
WHY AND HOW MONTESSORI CAN HELP US LIVE BETTER OUR LIFES?
- Simplify our homes
These days there are just so many toys to choose from and we want to make sure our children have the best we can manage. But it gets overwhelming so quickly.
So, the first reason is to simplify our homes. Keeping things simpler means less toys to pack away, less toys to trip over, easier for kids to choose, and often kids who are able to concentrate better.
Have you ever been in the supermarket and been overwhelmed by the choice? You look at all the types of muesli for example. There are ones with fruit, fruit and nut, toasted, clusters, low fat options. You read the health information and it has taken you 10 minutes to choose.
I see the same with children. If you give them too much choice, too many toys or clothes, it can be hard for them to focus on any one thing for more than a few minutes.
- Help kids to take part in daily life
Young children want to be part of, and participate in, family life. A toddler loves to help alongside their parent. When you include your child in daily activities about the home, it becomes part of your routine, part of your being together. You no longer have to give them an iPad or turn on a DVD to keep them busy while we cook or do other jobs around the house. They like to help out and take part.
And a toddler becomes a 6-year old, and then a teenager. I like to give the example of my children – one of the small things that they do without thinking about it is to bring their dirty clothes to the laundry basket. When they were small we did this together, “You carry the pajamas and I’ll carry the towel”. And now – cross fingers – they continue these small things that are very helpful around the house.
We will look at designing our spaces so your child can be included in these daily tasks.
- Help kids to be independent
Giving your child skills to be independent, to do things themselves, is a great asset. Particularly for strong-willed children who don’t like to be told what to do. When they have the opportunity, and are capable of doing things for themselves, their self-esteem grows and you may find you have less battles too.
Using the Montessori way of life and setting up our spaces so the children can have more independence is very valuable.
- Create calmer spaces
Less clutter. Less choice. More light. More space. These things can really affect your wellbeing in your home in a positive way. Your spaces will feel calmer. And hopefully your child will feel it to.
Take a look at the following spaces for children. I love the light, everything has its place, and all the activities look appealing. And so, calm.
- Teach kids to be responsible for their things
When we set up our spaces with our children in mind, the child is able to take more responsibility for their things. For example, if their shoes always go by the front door in a basket, they will be able to fetch them when it’s time to leave the house. They will know where their dirty dishes go. They will begin to learn responsibility, building capability and self-confidence.
- Enjoy themselves in the home
When we have spaces in our home that are child-friendly, really thought out so the child can use the space freely, you can see that your child will also enjoy themselves too. As beautiful as museums are, not many children want to hear, “Don’t touch that”, “Be careful of this”, “Not in here” in their own homes.
- Appreciate beauty
If you are familiar with Montessori you would have heard about the child’s “absorbent mind”. It is a Montessori way of saying that children are like sponges. If their homes are beautiful, they will also absorb the beauty of the space and appreciate the beauty it holds. They may take joy to display objects of beauty they find on a walk, appreciate some art work that is hung at their height for them to enjoy too, or pick some flowers to put on the table for lunch.
I’ll be back soon with more Montessori inspiration for you very soon. Till then…
Warmest wishes,
Joanna
