Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve can be a really fun night for adults and kids alike.  There’s something special about a fresh start and finding ways to celebrate as a family has the potential to establish traditions and make memories.

Whether you already have plans or not, read on for some fun facts and ideas!

Go out or stay in?

One time-honored way to celebrate the new year is to hire a babysitter and head off to a party.  This can be a fun way for busy parents to reconnect with a partner, catch up with friends, and have a little fun.

If you plan to spend the night with your kids, you still have options: stay home for a night of celebrating or attend local festivities.  Many cities and towns have their own first night celebrations - if you have never been, you are in for a treat!  Activities and sights might include live music, ice sculptures, street performers, face painters, and of course, plenty of tasty food.  Some events even include a fireworks display.  One benefit of taking your younger children to a first night event is that they can participate in the festivities, and still get home for a reasonable bedtime.  

One last (really great) option is to stay home for the night and celebrate.  This is a great idea for all ages; little ones get the rest they need, older kids can invite friends over to join in the fun, and there’s a whole lot less pressure on the adults.  Add in a few games and snacks, and maybe watch the ball drop on the TV, and the night will surely be a success.  We share more fun ideas toward the end of this post.

Traditions around the world

People across the globe celebrate the new year in a variety of fascinating ways.  Here are just some of the many traditions:

• In some parts of Brazil, it’s customary to head to the beach and jump over seven waves for good luck in the coming year.

• Buddhist temples in Japan ring their bells to celebrate. The interesting part is they ring them 108 times, to symbolize the number of human desires - which lead to human suffering - in order to alleviate some of that suffering. Eating soba noodles is another tasty tradition!

• One of the more famous international traditions takes place in Spain, where twelve grapes are eaten during the twelve strokes of the clock at midnight. The catch is you must finish them all before the clock finishes chiming for good luck during each month of the coming year.

• The Dutch eat a donut-like dessert called olie bollen. Its ring shape is meant to symbolize coming full circle.

• Many places, like the United States and France, look to champagne as their drink of choice on New Year’s Eve. People in parts of the United Kingdom enjoy Wassail (a type of hot mulled cider) instead. Russians like champagne, but they write a wish on a piece of paper, burn it, and toss it into a glass of bubbly that they must then drink.

• In Greece, a special sweet bread is made to be eaten at midnight. A single coin is baked within, and the person who gets the piece with the coin is considered lucky. Greeks also hand an onion from the doors and wake their children in the morning by tapping them with it!

• In the Philippines, circles are important and lucky; people eat plenty of round fruits for New Year’s to bring prosperity.

• In Denmark, people save up all their old and chipped plates and dishes to throw at each other’s front doors on New Year’s Eve. The more shards on your doorstep in the morning, the better. In South Africa they throw old appliances out the window.

• Red is a lucky color in Chinese culture, and many families make sure their front door is painted red for the new year.

• The Swiss drop dollops of whipped cream on the floor - intentionally - to wish richness into the new year.

• In Estonia, eating is serious business when ringing in the new year. Seven, nine, and twelve are all lucky numbers, and you must choose one of the numbers and eat that many times.

• In Finland, tin is melted and dropped into water. The shapes the hardened tin create are meant to represent what the new year will bring.

• The Scottish call their celebration Hogmanay, which involves swinging balls of fire, enthusiastic parades, and a special tradition regarding whoever steps first over the threshold of a home in the new year.

Fun family ideas

So you’ve decided to stay in and have fun together as a family?  Looking for ideas that will help make memories?  Look no further…

Food!

Eating tasty snacks is half the fun when it comes to celebrating.  Here are a few ideas to help break away from your typical nightly routine.

• Appetizers for dinner - brainstorm everyone’s favorite snacks, make up a bunch of plates, and leave them out to munch on throughout the evening. Think cheese and crackers, veggies and hummus, cut fruit, chips and dip, or perhaps something a little more fancy.

• Cook a fancy meal together. Flip through your cookbooks and choose something that sounds good to everyone. Even the youngest children will have fun mixing and measuring. Set the table, light some candles, and feast in great company.

• Mix up some mocktails. A little juice plus a bit of seltzer, with a few pomegranate seeds tossed in, and you have something special.

Fun!

Pass the hours away enjoying each other’s company and having a few laughs.

• Break out the board games. With the whole night ahead of you, what’s the rush? Whether it’s CandyLand or Monopoly, or a silly made-up card game, your children will remember this quality time spent together.

• Have a movie marathon. Rewatch your favorites or try something new. Even better? Share one of your childhood favorites with your kids.

• Make New Year’s Eve crowns, using whatever you have on hand. It can be as simple as cut paper and markers, or you can add stickers, glitter, or whatever else you and your children come up with.

• Plan out some family fun for the coming year. Set goals, dream about vacations, or figure out what projects you want to do together around the house.

Countdown!

If you plan on staying up until midnight, figure out a fun way to ring in the new year.  Countdown from ten together, add in some noisemakers, and shout out Happy New Year!

May 2020 be a great year for us all.  

It’s Okay to Set Limits

As parents today we are bombarded with advice, ideas, suggestions, and rules on how to be the best parents we can be for our children.  Some change is good; emerging research tells us more and more about human development and how our brains work, and making progress as a society is always a good thing.  Still, it can be hard to weed through the good ideas and those with good intentions that don’t really serve us or our children.

Giving children choice is important.  Respecting children as autonomous human beings is important.  We should recognize that even though they are young, their lives are not ours to live.  Their dreams are not ours to fulfill.

So, we give our kids choice.  We let them make their own decisions.  We honor their growing independence and understand that their ideas may sometimes (often) conflict with our own.  And we try to be okay with that.

But should we let our children do whatever they want all the time?  We would argue that no, that is a very different scenario.  Giving choice is one thing, neglecting to set any boundaries is something altogether different.

What do children need?

In order for a child to strengthen their sense of independence they need to be able to make their own decisions, but they need to make these within a framework that feels safe.  As kids learn and grow, they need to be able to take risks and make mistakes; after all, making mistakes is one way we learn.  It is critical, however, that we keep give our children boundaries within which they are able to make choices.

As children grow and develop, it is critical that they form bonds with adults in their lives that are trusting and secure.  Our kids really do test us sometimes; they push against the rules we set because they are seeking a sense of how strong our limits are and whether or not we mean what we say.  Giving guidance and setting boundaries isn’t just okay, it’s critical to letting our children know we are here for them and care about their well being.

In short: kids need choice.  They also need those choices to fall within limits that keep them safe, both physically and emotionally.  When they’re younger, they need fewer choices and more limits.  As they grow, we increase the choice and decrease the limits.  This way, once they are fully mature adults, they have had plenty of time to practice making decisions prior to any expectation that they actually do so successfully on their own.  Isn’t that what childhood is all about?  Human children are able to experience a joyful period of time in which we get to practice becoming a responsible adult.

What does this look like in our classrooms?

Montessori classrooms are carefully prepared environments with built-in choices and limits.  Some examples of how we achieve this balance:

• Furniture is arranged so that children are free to move around, but most classrooms are devoid of large open areas that might encourage running in such a confined space. Those shelves are placed with intention!

• Materials on the shelves are rotated frequently. Children may only access what is available to them. Materials that we do not want the children to have access to are kept stored away in a cabinet or closet.

• The snack table might be just large enough for two chairs. We want children to eat and socialize when they choose, but we also know that if there is space for ten children to do so at once, the activity may become disruptive and lose its original intent.

• Older children may utilize work plans. This enables them to determine the pace, order, and details of their work, but requires them to be accountable for completing all desired tasks within a specified amount of time. For example, a child may be asked to complete a range of math, reading, and biology work within a given timeframe, but there is plenty of choice in how they accomplish the goal.

• Children in Montessori classrooms do not typically have to ask permission to use the restroom. Instead, we create structures so that they may do so safely whenever the need arises. Some schools have restrooms located within the classroom, others have hall passes available, or hold class meetings to discuss procedures with the children.

What might this look like in our homes?

If your family is new to Montessori, it can sometimes take a bit of time to shift ideas and expectations.  Once you do, however, it’s hard to imagine doing things any other way.  Some ideas to get you started:

• Allow your children to make decisions about what they wear. For older babies and toddlers, this may be as simple as allowing them to choose between two different color shirts. For older children, you may just set guidelines, such as their clothing must be appropriate for the weather.

• If you need your child to get a few things done, let them choose the order. For example, ask them if they would rather take a bath or make their lunch first. Be clear that your expectation is that they will do both, but that you value their opinion and want to let them help decide how to spend their time.

• Define boundaries when your child is struggling with emotions. It’s great to let your child feel whatever they are feeling, but that doesn’t mean they should mistreat those around them when they are frustrated or angry. “I see that you are frustrated. It’s normal to feel that way but you may not scream in our house. Here are some other ways to express that feeling…”

• Have frank and open discussions with your older children. Have you been feeling like they’re overdoing it with video games or staying out too late? Tell them what your concerns are, what your limits are, and solicit their ideas with solutions. Rather than implementing sudden new rules, engage your older children in problem solving talks until you come to a conclusion you can both live with.

We hope this post has been helpful and inspiring.  In a world of permissive parenting and misunderstandings about what Montessori really means, it can be easy to get caught up in giving in to our children’s every desire.  The good news is, you don’t have to.  Our children look to us to be the adults in their lives.  Each and every child deserves adults who love and respect them for who they are.

How to Guide Your Child Through Their Emotions

Human emotion.  We are so very lucky to each experience such a wide-ranging set of feelings, but that experience can be quite the roller coaster!

As adults, our own emotions can sometimes get the best of us.  How might we help our children find healthy ways to navigate through their own?

Choosing a title for this post was tricky.  Do we want to teach our children how to control their emotions?  Is manage the right word?  Should we encourage some emotions and discourage others?

Let us begin by stating that infants and young toddlers naturally rely on trusted adults to help them with their emotions.  They will look to you for physical comfort and solutions to their problems.  As they get a bit older, however, we can gradually guide them to begin tackling their emotions on a more independent level.

Our emotional experience is such a nuanced journey.  There’s no wrong way to feel, and suppression of emotion is never a long-term solution.  When it comes to emotion, we like to think a three-step approach is helpful.

1. Accept

2. Observe

3. React

Accepting our emotions can often be the hardest part!  Especially hard for adults, we often deny the presence of certain emotions because we have been taught that some are better than others.  We can make sure our children don’t feel the same pressure by reminding them - often - that there is no wrong way to feel.  Our emotions are simply emotions.  They don’t define who we are and are simply normal responses to events that happen in our lives.  They serve many purposes and can teach us plenty about ourselves, other people, and even the world around us.

Let your child know that it’s okay to feel frustrated.  Let them know that sadness and anger are normal.  The same goes for intense joy and love. 

One way to accept an emotion is to name it.  Keep it simple; one word is plenty.  If your child is feeling too deeply or hasn’t had enough experience to name the emotion themselves, supply the word you think they might be searching for.  “You seem angry.”  State it as a fact, without judgement or solution.

Once we have accepted the emotions we are feeling, it’s time to observe them.  To guide your child through this step, it’s best to talk about the process when emotions are not high.  Have a conversation over dinner or during a relaxing cuddle session.

How do we observe our emotions?  We step back and look at the emotion as if it is something separate from ourselves.  We know - this concept is hard enough for many adults to attempt in the heat of the moment.  How can we guide children to do this?

Ask them where in their body they feel the emotion the strongest.  Some of us feel queasiness in our stomachs, pounding in our hearts, lightness in our heads, tightness in our shoulders, or a myriad of other possibilities.  Ask your child to think about where they physically feel the emotion in their body, then encourage them to focus on that feeling.  Does a pounding heart feel pleasant?  Of course not!  At least not in the presence of uncomfortable emotions.  

How might we react to what we have noticed?  Leaning into those feelings and allowing our emotions to run their course is truly the healthiest approach, and it’s more likely to help negative feelings pass more quickly than if we were to resist them.  Tell your child that it is normal to feel how they are feeling, and to let their body feel the way it needs to.  Ask if you can help (sometimes children like to be held, have their back rubbed, etc.), but know that we won’t always be able to.  

Leaning into our feelings is one way to react, but there are other equally helpful and supportive methods that vary from person to person.  Again, during a time of calm, talk with your child about specific emotions.  Ask them what might help them while they are in the midst of an experience.  If a child is inclined to scream, how might they find a healthy way to fulfill or counteract that impulse?  Could they sing instead?  Could they learn to identify clues that come before a strong emotion and react to those instead?

Consider what healthy reaction options would work for your family and talk about them together.  Establishing what is okay (asking for a moment alone) and what is not (hitting a sibling) helps to set your child up for success.

Looking for more information on this topic?  Here’s a great article.  We really loved the part about how we, as adults, can use our own mistakes as teaching points for our kids.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/201201/tips-helping-kids-handle-their-emotions

This great piece includes lots of activities for practice, and even suggests using picture books as models for identifying emotions and reactions.

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/familytools/teaching_emotions.pdf

We would love to hear if you have any success with these steps, or if you have any further questions/ideas!

Fall Family Fun

Today marks the fall equinox, one of two days during the year in which both the northern and southern hemispheres of our planet receive the same amount of sunlight (the other day is the vernal, or spring equinox.)  The rest of the year the tilt of Earth’s axis makes for an uneven distribution of the sun’s rays, therefore giving us the seasons of summer and winter. Just a note: our seasons do not actually come from Earth being closer or farther away from the sun, which is a common misconception.)

Now that we have gotten the fun science bit out of the way, what does this have to do with our children?  We believe fall is a great time to tune into the changing seasons and just enjoy time together.  Here are five ideas to get you started:

1. Get that yard work done.

Children - especially young children - love to help their parents.  They want to be like their parents, so they take every possible opportunity to copy what you do.  Take advantage of this developmental characteristic and teach them how to do basic yard work!

Will your 4-year-old be able to efficiently assist you in raking the leaves?  That’s doubtful, but they can stay occupied, get some fresh air and exercise, and have a blast while you’re busy taking care of a necessary job.  They certainly won’t mind helping you jump in a raked pile, either!  Any last-minute weeding or harvesting that needs to be done in the garden?  Invite your child along to learn and try it for themselves.

A note regarding tools: it is preferable to provide children with real, child-sized tools for all sorts of tasks, including yard work.  The link below includes yard and garden tools from For Small Hands, but it is also possible to find similar items at local garden stores. (We typically have a fundraiser from this catalog in the fall. Stay tuned!)

https://www.montessoriservices.com/practical-life/yard-garden/yard-garden-tools

2. Head to the kitchen.

There are so many great flavors to savor throughout the fall.  Why not cook and bake together why you try them all?  Here are a few fun recipes:

Super simple acorn treats 

https://likemotherslikedaughters.com/2018/09/03/fall-acorn-treats-super-simple/

Healthy baked spaghetti squash

http://cookingwithmykid.com/2010/11/01/baked-spaghetti-squash/

Trail mix bites to take on that fall hike

https://www.delish.com/cooking/videos/a57691/monster-trail-mix-bites-video/

Baked apple cider donut holes

https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/baked-apple-cider-donut-holes/

Tasty pumpkin bread

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/6820/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/

Basic applesauce recipe

https://thestayathomechef.com/how-to-make-applesauce/

3. Be creative.

Art is a great idea any time of the year.  Try these fun activities to enjoy being creative, fall-style.

• Lanterns - Collect several glass jars, some fall-colored tissue paper, wire, and either white glue or liquid starch. Cut the paper into small pieces. The pieces can be irregular shapes, but they should be roughly between 1” and 2” square. Water down the white glue or use the liquid starch as is. Paint a layer on the glass, sticking small pieces of paper to it as you go. Another layer of glue on top is a good idea. Once dry, use the wire to wrap around the lip of the jar and create a candle. Either a small tea light or battery-powered light can go inside for a fun evening walk.

• Nature art - Using found objects, create environmental art outside. Before you begin, discuss with you child that the nature of environmental art is not permanent so that they don’t feel disappointed if it blows or washes away. Consider arranging items like sticks, fallen leaves, dead flower petals, seeds, rocks, and whatever else you come across!

• Whip up a batch of this pumpkin pie playdough: https://www.yourmodernfamily.com/pumpkin-pie-play-dough-diy/

4. Make a scarecrow.

Whether you choose to display your scarecrow in the garden or use it as a seasonal decoration, your children will surely have a blast helping create it!  Gather some old clothes, a bit of hay, and check out this video for ideas to get started.

5. Enjoy local produce.

Finding ways to purchase and eat local produce is a positive experience for you and your children in so many ways.  A few of the perks:

• Produce grown closer to home is fresher and contains more nutrients.

• You help support small businesses in your community.

• Pick-your-own options are a fun activity to do on a nice day.

• Physically going to the farms gives children a concrete sense of where their food comes from.

• You’re likely to run into other families you know and/or meet other families with children.

Perhaps you already have a CSA share that you pick up weekly.  Maybe you love to go apple picking.  Local farm stands are likely to have plenty of fresh greens available this time of year, and a variety of squash are either already abundant or will be soon.  Options are plentiful!

We hope this list has given you some ideas to get started, although we would love to hear any more you might have.  Enjoy your week!

7 Ways to Encourage Independence

You probably know that encouraging independence is a hallmark of Montessori education and parenting.  The best way to teach our children to do things for themselves is to create supportive structures in which they can gradually depend on us less and less.  You may be wondering exactly how to do this, and we are here to help!  Try these ten handy tips to get started:

1. Allow your child to dress themselves.

As soon as they are ready, young children should physically dress themselves, even if it means allowing extra time for them to do so.  Even toddlers can begin making choices in regards to their clothing.  Start simple with your littlest ones.  For example, you might ask if they would rather wear their yellow shirt or their pink shirt.  Another option might be setting out five outfits for the school week and letting them pick which one they will wear on any particular morning.  As children get older, it’s okay to give them general guidelines before stepping back and admiring their unique self expression.  You may let them know that pants are a must on a cold day, but be sure to respect their desire to pair zebra-print leggings with a plaid dress.  Enjoy those adorable moments while allowing them to feel empowered by their own decision-making.

2. Teach your child skills they show interest in.

Does your child like to watch as you fix the fence and build shelves?  Figure out a simple woodworking project you could do together, and let them learn how to measure, saw, and hammer nails.  The same idea goes for crafts like knitting and sewing, outdoor activities like hiking and geocaching, electronics repair and computer programming, sports, and just about any other activity you can imagine.  Their first interests will likely be based on what they observe at home, but eventually they will branch out and want to try learning more skills.  As adults all we need to do is shed our preconceived notions of what young children are capable of; we are often surprised when they achieve much more than we expected!

3. Let them care for a living thing.

The simplest way to do this is to purchase a small, low-maintenance plant.  Keep it on a sunny windowsill and teach your child how to water it.  Some Montessori teachers use a clothespin method; whenever the plant needs watering, the adult places a clothespin on the rim of the pot as a signal to the child that they should water it.  As kids get older, we can teach them to feel the soil itself for dryness.

Already have a pet at home?  Find age-appropriate ways for your child to help out.  They might assist with brushing, feeding, watering, or walking, depending on their age and the particular pet.

4. Include them in household chores.

All children, even toddlers, should help out around the house.  This may actually make our jobs a little more challenging in the beginning, but they payoff will be well worth it.  Start with something simple, like teaching your two-year-old to fold washcloths.  Before you know it, your eight-year-old will be loading the dishwasher and your twelve-year-old will be mowing the lawn.  Participating in family chores gives children a sense of purpose in their (home) community.  If they start young, the concept of chores is boring or tedious, it’s a meaningful way to contribute “like a grownup”.

5. Give them opportunities in the kitchen.

Making dinner?  Baking for a holiday?  Packing lunches for tomorrow?  Get your kids involved.  If they have already been attending a Montessori school, they may surprise you with their spreading, cutting, and mixing skills, as these are taught and practiced regularly in primary classrooms.  

The act of preparing food for our families is an act of love.  Teaching children how to do this not only gives them skills they will need to be self-sufficient one day, but allows them to help give to their family members.  The benefits are endless:

• Kids who cook learn a variety of math skills.

• A child is more likely to try new foods if they have helped prepare them.

• Cooking something challenging will impart a sense of pride and self-confidence.

• Cooking together is quality time spent together.

• Regular time in the kitchen may create happy memories.

6. Encourage bodily autonomy.

One critical and powerful mantra to repeat to your child early and often: “You are in charge of your body.”  This means we don’t force them to hug their grandparents or accept kisses from a pushy aunt.  This even means if they don’t feel like cuddling with us, their parents, they don’t have to.

Having power of decision over one’s own body is an important lesson to teach, and extends to others as well.  We teach our children that while they get to make their own bodily choices, everyone else does as well.  A good time to bring this up is when they are perhaps playing too rough and you need a break.  You can say, “I don’t want you to wrestle me right now, and it’s my body so I get to choose.”

7. Offer desirable choices.

This is where the all-important concept of freedom within limits comes in.  Montessori, and giving children choice, doesn’t mean that children get to make all the decisions.  It just means that we provide our children with a range of desirable options they get to pick from.  Some examples:

• You need to get dressed and brush your teeth. Which would you like to do first?

• Would you like strawberry or grape jelly on your sandwich?

• Your room needs to be cleaned today. What time will you start?

• Do you want to walk or skip to the car?

By giving choices within parameters, you can increase the chances of success for both you and your child.  This gives kids safe boundaries within which they can practice doing things for themselves.

We hope this post has been helpful!  If you have any questions or would like to observe how independence is encouraged in our classrooms, please give us a call today.

How to Support the Work of Your Child’s Montessori School

A fresh new school year comes with lots of excitement, and often lots of questions from new and returning families alike.  One of the most frequent questions we receive is, “How can we support Montessori education at home?”

First of all, we love this question!  We know that even busy families want to do what they can to support the hard work of their children and their children’s teachers.  We are here to tell you that your support means everything, and it honestly doesn’t take much to make a huge difference.

What you definitely do NOT need to do:

• Purchase Montessori materials for use at home - in fact, we recommend strongly against doing so. Montessori materials were developed to be used in a very specific manner and using them with children requires intensive training. While there is certainly an allure to the beautiful wooden learning materials, we believe it’s best to allow trained and credentialed Montessori educators guide children in using them in the way they were intended to be used.

• Buy any fancy organization systems (or really, buy anything at all) - Montessori at home need not cost a cent. Supporting the philosophy at home is more about a shift in approaches and perspective and less about buying more stuff to enrich the environment.

• Push for academic achievement - we believe that with the right support and guidance, children make great strides in academic areas all on their own and in their own time. Learning is not linear and each individual requires the time and space to arrive at milestones when they are ready. Your child’s teacher will certainly let you know if there are academic skills that can be supported, but generally speaking, children work so hard at school it’s okay to let them take a break at home.

What is really helpful:

1. Learn about Montessori philosophy. There are lots of ways to do this! We hold regular parent education sessions at the school. These events can be great ways to connect with other families, spend time getting to know our staff, and also one of the best ways to learn more about what Montessori means and how it’s an excellent approach for teaching children.

In addition to attending parent education sessions there are other great resources out there.  One of the best books we recommend is Montessori: the Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard.  This book is available in our lending library.

Great resource articles for parents from the Association Montessori Internationale/USA can be found here: https://amiusa.org/parent-resources/

2. Volunteer at the school. There are opportunities for all talents and schedules! Some ideas:

• Chaperone on field trips/”going outs”

• Help with school fundraising efforts

• Serve as a parent coordinator committee member that supports the classrooms

• Ask your child’s teacher what support would be helpful to them

• Help out with special events

• Give a presentation to children about your job

• Pitch in with school gardening projects
  

3. “Follow the child.” What the Montessori approach really boils down to is honoring the child as a whole human being that is deserving of the same respect as any adult. Learning to shed our preconceived notions of what parenting and teaching means and considering new ways of doing things can be challenging at first, but the long-term benefits are substantial for everyone involved.

We want to inspire you to encourage your child to be more independent.  The more they can do for themselves (including making their own choices), the better.  Nurturing a sense of independence is empowering for the child and, believe it or not, less work for you!  Allowing children independence and freedom does not, however, mean they get to make all the decisions; there has to be a balance!  We will illustrate this concept further in an upcoming post. 

4. If you are happy with the education your child is receiving, spread the word! We believe that Montessori has the power to bring great change to the world, one child at a time. Our approach to education isn’t about memorizing facts and scoring well on tests; we aim to nurture kind, creative, and empowered members of society. The best way to expand our work is to reach more children.

If you’ve been happy with your child’s education at our school, reach out and let us know.  There are plenty of ways to leave reviews for potential families to read.  Spreading the word can also be as simple as talking openly with friends at your neighborhood birthday parties or weekend soccer games.  There are plenty of families out there looking for the solutions that Montessori provides.

We hope this post has been helpful, but if you have any questions or ideas, please let us know.  As parents, you are your child’s first and most important teachers.  Together, we can work to create a more beautiful world.