Tips for parents who are new to Montessori

 

Today I am sharing some tips for parents or caregivers who are new to the Montessori philosophy...

The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Toddler are great introductions! I would also recommend reading some books both by Maria Montessori and also on the philosophy itself, or listening to books in Audio format (then you can be doing something else like going for a walk, at the same time - this is ideal for parents who may not have time or energy to read a book in the evenings!). 

There are also some great podcasts covering many aspects of Montessori and they are so nice and easy to listen to, and often approach Montessori from a practical and real life viewpoint. As well as this there are some lovely Montessori families on Youtube and Instagram, where again it’s so good to see Montessori ‘in real life’ in video form.

I think that an introduction to the main philosophy at the beginning is important (as mentioned before, this 3 minute Youtube video is one of my favourite simple summaries) and then building up your knowledge. I wish I had read more about Montessori before my son was born, but also at the same time, a lot of things only made more sense to me once he had arrived and once I was able to put everything into practice. 

So continuing my learning as he grows has been so important for me.

Finding a way to learn about it that works best for you; whether that is reading books, listening to them on audio, listening to podcasts, reading Montessori blogs, or watching Youtube videos (or a mix of all of these). Also finding a community of other like-minded Montessorians has been so crucial for me; through Montessori Parenting Facebook groups, meeting people ‘in real life’ and also connecting through social Instagram which is full of ideas.

My biggest tip here is to be kind to yourself! You can make small changes each week and see how they work with your child and family.

I find that I am learning new things alongside my son most days, even things that I have read or listened to before - they tend to resonate on a whole different level each time I read them again because he is that little bit older and has developed new interests and skills.

One other thing I wanted to mention - that has really made a difference for us is to intentionally use positive language (not something that comes naturally to be at all times!). Knowing that he is absorbing everything that we are saying, I have put a lot of effort into the way I say things, For example ‘don’t forget your apron, or your clothes will get dirty’ becomes ‘lets keep your clothes clean with your apron’ or ‘don’t bring your bike into the house’ becomes ‘Ah, your bike lives here in the garden!’ Focusing on what to do, rather than what not to do, has taken a while to get used to but it’s really worth it, developing a more positive outlook on life and the world around us for both my son and myself.  I think so much of Montessori is about the mindset and you can learn lots as you go. Accepting that it is and always will be an ongoing process and not putting any pressure on yourself - enjoying it as much as possible.  

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