Enamelware

For several years, I've felt a nagging feeling in my gut every time I served my children hot meals on melamine plates.  The FDA says it's "suitable for public safety", but I don't buy it.  I did a bit of research on the topic and found some research studies on melamine use in the US.  Here's a snapshot of what I found:

Melamine resin, a hard thermosetting polymer made from melamine and formaldehyde, is widely used in the US in the form of kitchenware, including plates, bowls, mugs and utensils. Reports in the literature indicate that some kitchenware based on melamine resin leach considerable amounts of melamine monomer. A migration of up to 2.5 mg melamine/ 100 cm2 was observed under conditions that simulate an exposure to hot acidic foods…
 

My husband and I take such care in providing our kids with the most wholesome foods we can afford, so I'm just not comfortable with melamine resin or formaldehyde leaching into their foods.  So...I cleaned out the cupboards and did some online searching.  I found a gorgeous children's enamelware set at Nova Natural.  You'll probably remember enamel bowls and plates if you went camping as a child.  Enamelware is very durable, but can chip if dropped. Santa was kind enough to get a set (plate, bowl, mug) for each of the kids this year!  Believe it or not, I think the children were most excited about their mugs than any other gift.  We enjoyed some hot cocoa in the mugs that very day.  I'd say they're the perfect size for children ages 3-10. 

Santa did not forget about our youngest (who is 18 months already!)...He brought her a few enamel mini-mugs from Montessori Services.  Keep in mind, they are very small.  Probably useful for children ages 12 months-3 years.  She's been using her mugs for her milk, cheerios, yogurt, anything you can think of.  Being a Montessori teacher, I've also set them up on a tray for her to use as a transferring work.  Thank you, Santa!



Graceful Parenting

I happened to stumble across a beautiful little book called Graceful Parenting by Eve Dreyfus. The author's 7-year-old son illustrated the book with simple, thoughtful works of art.  This little book makes a great gift for new parents, teachers, grandparents, or anyone who touches the life of your child.  The book shares 25 inspirational ideas meant to guide caregivers in a non-threatening way. 

Discussing the Events of 9/11 with Children

I decided not to discuss the events that occurred on September 11, 2001 with my class today.  First of all, I'm sure many parents do not feel their children are ready to discuss such tragic events.  Secondly, it was an emotional day for all of us and I'm really not sure I could keep it together.  One of my immediate family members was in the Pentagon that morning, and the emotions come flooding back whenever I think about it.  His life was saved, but many others were lost.

There are some parents; however, who feel their children are old enough (or mature enough) to handle this information.  For those brave souls, take a minute to read this article.  It's written by one of my favorite parent educators, Chick Moorman (author of the fantastic book Parent Talk). 

You can find it here:  9/11 Article

Our Newest Montessori Baby

My husband and I just found out we are expecting yet another little girl!  This makes three girls-- not including the two female dogs-- so I think my husband might go running for the hills pretty soon!

I've already started planning the nursery and how I can "Montessorify" it as much as possible.  For a person who runs a Montessori School, you would think it would be much easier to set up my house in a Montessori fashion.  However, two adults also share this space and we need to be sure everyone's needs are met.  Of course, if it were up to me, everything would be child-sized including the kitchen sink!

I've created a list of items you might want to consider when setting up an infant's nursery.  Many of these items you can either order from Lord Company or Michael Olaf.  Keep in mind, our ultimate goal being to aid in the growth and development of the child.  Lack of overstimulation, beauty, and simplicity are key.

Floor Bed

Now this is the most important aspect of a Montessori nursery, and also the one that I can't convince my husband to go along with!  A child should have the freedom to crawl to his bed and sleep at his own leisure.  He should be able to get into and out of his bed without assistance, and should never be "caged" in.  I've seen this work in Montessori infant classrooms and it's quite a beautiful thing.  The children will feel tired, and willingly put themselves "down for a nap".  Talk about independence.

Low Shelf

Here's an item you could possibly make yourself, or ask someone's father in-law to make it for you.  The shelf should be low with rounded corners.  Some people put carpeting on the shelf to avoid frustration from toys slipping and sliding.  This shelf is for age appropriate and well-organized toys.  A book or two can also be displayed on top.  Groups of similar items can be organized in baskets.  This beautiful baby shelf is from Community Playthings:

Toys

Toys should be placed on the low shelf in a neat and organized fashion.  Rolling toys can be placed in natural baskets or bowls.  Keep most toys organized out of the baby's room and rotate often to maintain interest.  Some great beginner toys are available from Michael Olaf (see link above).  The first few months of life, you should have out grasping and teething toys:

And later...

Wall Hangings

Keep wall hangings interesting and attractive.  It's very easy to find simple and attractive photographs or paintings to frame and hang low.  You can also change these pictures often to keep the interest of the child.  Think about using photographs from other cultures as a conversation starter during diaper changing.

Work Table

A low, functional table and chair should be available to the child as soon as he can pull up to standing.  The child will eventually bring his activities to the table to work.  An excellent table is available from Community Playthings- the legs expand to grow with the child.  The table should be approximately 12-15 inches high, the chair should be 8-12 inches.

When you have a chance, take a look at this Montessorian's nursery that she created for her first child.  I can only dream of a nursery this beautiful!  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to post them.  Other people just might be wondering the same thing.

Productive Parenting

I stumbled across this fantastic website tonight.  It's called Productive Parenting.  I went through the free membership process to be sure there weren't any hidden fees or charges.  A group of moms created this website as a way to provide simple, age-appropriate activities for children ages infant to five years.  Simply give them some basic info (your name, city/state, child's name & age) and choose the days that you would like to receive your activity ideas through email.  I know that there are some days when I am just too busy to even read an email about an activity, so I chose the days that I would most likely put these activities into action.  After reading through some of their sample ideas, I was pleasantly surprised that many of these games are Montessori-inspired!  I think the goal of this website is simply to encourage parents to reconnect with their kids for a few minutes a day.  Most of the time, any materials needed are found objects around the home.  Take a look at this video and then visit their website to sign up for some free activity ideas.


Productive Parenting Web 158p Video from Emily with Productive Parenting on Vimeo.

An Independent Breakfast

Looking for a way to get your children involved in (the sometimes hectic) breakfast time?  Certainly, a parent can get their children involved in cooking eggs or pancakes, but most times, we're looking for helpful ways to get our kids fed and on the school bus in time.  It does take a day or two of adjustment, accidental spills, and a few dollars but it's worth it in the long run.  Start simple. A cereal breakfast. 
Here's what to order:

Dry Cereal Dispenser

2 Glass pitchers with lids

Durable Juice Glasses

Bowls and silverware of your choice

Serving tray (these work great)

Preparation:

• Set up your bowls and the cereal dispenser on a low pantry shelf.  Place the juice glasses on a serving tray on the same shelf.
• Fill one pitcher with milk and one with orange juice and place on a low shelf in the refrigerator.

Day One:
Tell your child you are going to pour yourself a glass of juice.  He or she is welcome to try it too as soon as you're finished presenting.  Using limited words, show your child how to choose a juice glass and place it on the kitchen table.  Walk to the refrigerator and choose the juice pitcher.  Carry it properly with two hands- one on the handle and one supporting the spout.  Slowly and deliberately, pour the juice into the glass.  Put the pitcher back into the refrigerator, holding it properly.  Then, sit down and enjoy your glass of juice.  Stand up, push in your chair, and place in the dishwasher.  (Maybe on the weekends, you can show your child how to wash the dish in the sink.)

Day Two:
Tell your child you are going to pour a bowl of cereal.  He or she is welcome to eat the cereal as soon as you have prepared it.  Using limited vocabulary (it's simply too distracting for the child to watch AND listen to you at the same time) show your child how to fetch a spoon and a napkin.  Set your place (introduce place setting with this puzzle if you like).  Walk to the pantry and choose a bowl.  Put your bowl under the dispenser and turn the knob.  Put your bowl on the table and clean up any pieces that may have fallen.  Walk to the refrigerator and choose the milk pitcher.  Carry it to the table properly and pour the desired amount of milk onto the cereal.  Return the pitcher and invite your child to eat the bowl of cereal.  Again, encourage pushing in the chair and placing items in the dishwasher. 

Day Three:
Ask your child to pour himself a glass of juice.  Then, ask him to serve himself a bowl of cereal.  Watch carefully and note any difficulties.  Go back later when your child is not present and find solutions to the problems. 


Breaking the lesson into days ensures that your child has mastered one skill at a time, without getting overwhelmed.  It may seem like extra work, but before you know it, your children will be downstairs serving themselves breakfast while you're catching a few extra zzzs!

Quick and Easy Breakfast

Looking for a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast?  Here's the breakfast my 2 year old likes to eat 6 out of 7 days/week.  Also, keeps kids working while you're making lunches for the day.

Here's what you need:

• blueberries
• Cheerios
• yogurt of your choice
• mortar and pestle
• paintbrush

Pour the desired amout of yogurt in a bowl or cup.  Rinse off blueberries and pour on top of the yogurt.  Place the Cheerios in the mortar and demonstrate grinding with the pestle. 

As soon as your child finishes grinding the Cheerios, use the paintbrush to  carefully brush the crushed cereal into the yogurt.  Older children can make a parfait by creating repeating layers.  Kid tested, mother approved.

Word Search

We just returned from vacation last night.  We had a fantastic time, and had much better experiences with the children there.  See some of my posts from this time last year if you weren't a reader back then and you'll understand!

Wanted to pass along this link to you.  It's a free online wordsearch maker.  I don't often use "worksheets" with my children or my students, but G loves little games like this.  You're able to customize the topic and the words in the puzzle.  I like the fact that you can simplify it by getting rid of the diagonal option, and creating words that are read forward only.  They also provide the customized answer key.

You can access the link here:  Lakeshore Learning

Have fun!

Montessori In the Home: It Works!

In one of my previous posts, I gave some suggestions on how to "Montessorify" your home.  It gave me inspiration to work on my daughters' rooms.  I spent the afternoon working in their rooms today:  organizing, getting rid of clutter, collecting a bag for donations, and cleaning out closets.  My older daughter, G, walked into her room and said "Wow, I love this room!".  That was an hour and a half ago.  I was going to ask her to help make dinner tonight, but I think I'll just let her enjoy the cleanliness of her room. 

My younger daughter, g, walked into her room and went straight to one of her favorite toys, her wooden ark.  For her second birthday, we purchased an heirloom quality wooden Noah's Ark set.  I searched for a VERY long time to find just the right one and was so pleased when I found it on ebay here.  It's handcrafted by the Amish. Yes, it's very expensive, but I'm hoping we can pass it down for years to come.  And it's one of the only toys in her room.  We have it neatly displayed on this unit, which fits directly under her window.  Her books are stored in the milk crate baskets beneath.  Now, she has not really entered her Sensitive Period for order, she's still working out the Language phase.  Therefore, she was not quite as affected by the "new" room.

Keep in mind, their rooms were not disasters.  But there were certainly small things scattered about that were no longer played with and a desk that was starting to get cluttered. When organizing your children's bedrooms, less is definitely more.  They will enjoy spending more time looking at books or playing with their quiet toys when their rooms are clutter-free.

Montessori at Home...Where to Begin?

A parent recently spoke to me about incorporating Montessori into her home.  She noticed that her child seems so calm and fulfilled in school, but at home he is wild and frustrated.  She believes her parenting beliefs are in line with the school's, so it must be something else.  Immediately, the answer to her question popped into my head, but I was fearful to tell her the truth.  I've visited her home and the children's spaces are disastrous.  Again, I was hesitant to say something to her because God knows my home is not spotless.  Ahead of her time as always, Montessori discovered that too much clutter distracted a child's mind, decreased focus, which therefore increased negative behaviors.  She deduced that children between the ages of 3 and 6 are in a Sensitive Period for order.  Simply put, children at this age enjoy orderly rooms and play areas.  You may see children at this age lining up their cars or blocks in perfectly straight rows- again, this is a way to create that sense of order.  Read more about Sensitive Periods here.

Back to the inquiring parent...I did finally mention to her that one of the key aspects of the Montessori classroom is a clean, orderly environment.  She immediately understood what I was getting at, so I was able to give her some organizational tips.  Here are some tips on how to get started:

• Put 75% of your child's toys in organized storage.  Store toys based on age groups (0-3, 3-6, 6-9) or by theme (building materials in one labeled bin, art supplies in another).
• Place the remaining toys neatly on low shelves.  IKEA has some reasonably priced shelving.  Puzzles should not be stacked, they should be displayed nicely.
• Organize the playroom into little "centers" based on your child's interests.  This particular little boy was very interested in pirates and dressing up at the time.  I showed her how she could put a full length mirror on the wall, next to a "tree" coat rack, and some pegs hung low on the wall.  She could display 6 dress-up items at a time on the pegs and all of his pirate hats on the coat rack.  Any additional dress-up items should be stored away in a bin or chest.
• Rotate toys and dress-up clothes every 2-3 weeks or when interest wanes.
• The playroom should include a reading area.  Invest in a bookshelf that displays books rather than a typical bookshelf where only spines are showing, such as this library panel.  Place a small lamp and child-sized chair to add a warm touch.  Again, rotate books often. 
• Keep the area tidy with your child's help.  Reinforce putting toys away immediately after use, but be sure to clean up any remaining items at night so your child can have a fresh start in the morning.

Bathrooms and bedrooms are just as important to your child's behavior because these rooms help to start and end each day.  Keep the rooms as clutter-free as possible.  Books and soft toys should be arranged nicely in the bedroom.  Keep loud or musical toys in the playroom. 

Check out how this Montessori mom organized her home for her now mobile toddler:  Sew Liberated.

I think this post has inspired me to get upstairs and re-organize my kids' rooms!

Snowed In!

We're anticipating a major snowstorm in our area tonight, continuing until Friday.  I am not a fan of driving in that kind of weather, so we'll be stuck in the house for several days.  I compiled a list of some of my favorite activities to do with my kids, in case you find yourself in the same predicament.  Most of the materials needed can be found in your own home.

Waxed Paper Designs
Materials Needed: Iron, grater, newspaper, waxed paper, crayons

Place a few sheets of newspaper on your table.  Place a sheet of waxed paper on top of the newspaper with the wax side up.  Grate the crayons onto the waxed paper.  Place a second sheet of waxed paper, wax side down, on top of the first sheet with the crayon pieces in-between.  Cover with a few layers of newspaper and iron with a hot iron until the crayons are melted.  Hang up to dry.

Crayon Shapes
Materials Needed: Oven, crayons pieces, mini-muffin pan

Another crayon activity...Peel and break apart shorter, unused crayons that are laying around the house.  Place them in a mini-muffin pan.  I found one like this at the dollar store:

After filling the shapes with broken crayons, place them in the oven on 200 degrees.  Keep your eye on them and remove them once they've melted.  Let them cool and have fun!

Silhouettes
Materials Needed: Black construction paper, white paper, white colored pencil, tape, glue, flashlight, another set of hands

Ask your child to stand sideways in a dark room.  Give your second set of hands the flashlight and ask her to shine it on your child's profile.  Tape the black paper to the wall and use the colored pencil to trace your child's profile.  Ask your child to cut out the shape and glue it to the white paper.  The silhouette looks beautiful framed in your child's room.

Silly Faces
Materials Needed: Magazines, scissors, paper, glue

Sort through old magazines and cut out some eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and heads of hair.  Mix them up and show your child how to make some new funny faces.  As soon as your child is happy with her creation, show her how to glue it to the paper.  Lots of giggles guaranteed.

Family Puzzle
Materials Needed:  Cardboard, family photograph, scissors, glue

Glue the picture to a piece of cardboard the same size.  Allow the picture to dry completely and cut the picture into puzzle pieces.  Watch your child enjoy putting together the family puzzle.  Try making a puzzle of each family member.


It doesn't matter how these crafts turn out, children focus on the process rather than the product.  Enjoy the memories you're creating!

Valentine's Day for Kids

Many of us have started feeling jaded about Valentine's Day and the endless stream of other "Hallmark Holidays".  I know I start to feel frustrated by the end of January and there are pink, fluffy hearts and red boxes of chocolate everywhere.  After all, shouldn't we love our friends and family every day, not just once a year?  And how do we explain this holiday to our children, when we really don't even know how it originated for sure?  With a little bit of creativity, we can include our children in this mystery of a holiday.  Put aside the commercialism and help your children embrace the concept of expressing love to family and friends.  Here are some ways to get your kids involved:

• Start by teaching your children how to cut out a basic heart.  Take several pieces of paper in different colors and sizes.  Fold them in half and draw half of a heart shape.  Show them how to cut on the line and voila- you've got the start to hundreds of Valenentine's ideas.  Make a large heart for a placemat, use the negative cut-out for a picture frame.  Glue the heart onto a folded piece of paper for a homemade valentine.  The possibilities are endless.
• Make your own red playdough.  Put it in a sealed container on a tray, with a small rolling pin and a rubber heart-shaped cookie cutter.  I like to add red glitter and vanilla extract.  Here's a great recipe.
• Take a trip to the post office.  Show your children how to address an envelope and how letters are mailed.  Introduce your children to the postal workers and maybe they'll even get mini-tour!
• Remember all of those hearts you cut out?  Ask your children to add a brief sentiment or draw a picture and bring them over to a local nursing home.  Your children could truly brighten someone's day.
• And don't forget about the classic warm fuzzy...

I know that Valentine's Day is celebrated differently all over the globe.  We've got readers from just about everywhere on the planet and we'd love to hear about how you celebrate this holiday.  Feel free to comment so we can learn more about your culture!

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy being with those you love.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Parent Lending Library

Half of my job is to educate children, the other half is to educate families on the Montessori Method.  Each year, I send out a list of resources available to parents from our lending library.  These books and DVDs are from my own personal collection of Montessori and parenting-related items.  Many parents do make good use of this program, and I hope they continue to feel comfortable borrowing these informative books.  As soon as we are operating in our new location, I will set up the small lending library in the foyer so families are able to view available books more readily.  The DVDs are especially valuable because they give a quick snapshot of the Montessori classroom in action.  Parents are welcome to borrow books for up to two months at a time, unless requested by another family.  DVDs should come back within a few weeks.  Here are some of our school's available resources:

Publications about the Montessori Philosophy
The Montessori Controversy by: John Chattin-McNichols
The Montessori Method by: Maria Montessori
Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years by: Elizabeth G. Hainstock and Lee Davis
Montessori Today by: Paula Polk Lillard
Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook by: Maria Montessori and Nancy McCormick
Rambusch
Montessori: A Modern Approach by: Paula Polk Lillard
Montessori in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Account of How Children Really Learn by: Paula Polk Lillard
Secret of Childhood by: Maria Montessori
The Discovery of the Child by: Maria Montessori
Theories of Childhood by: Carol Garhart Mooney
At Home with Montessori by: Patricia Oriti
To Educate the Human Potential by: Maria Montessori
Look at the Child: An Expression of Maria Montessori’s Insights by: Aline D. Wolf
A Parents’ Guide to the Montessori Classroom by: Aline D. Wolf

Books on Parenting
The Hurried Child by: David Elkind
Parent Talk by: Chick Moorman
Andy and his Daddy by: Aline D. Wolf
Redirecting Children's Behavior by: Kathryn Kvols

DVDs
Nurture the Love of Learning: Montessori for the Preschool Years by: American Montessori Society
Montessori for the Kindergarten Year? by: The Montessori Foundation
Following Your Child: A Montessori Philosophy of Parenting by: American
Montessori Society

Any parents who would like to contribute related resources to our lending library are encouraged to contact me. 

Montessori and Kindergarten

This time of year, there are thousands of Montessori parents all over the globe trying to make that difficult decision- Do I invest one more year into my child's Montessori education, or save the money and send him to public school? 
There's no easy way to answer that question for parents.  Deep down, I think many of them know what's best.  However, saving an entire year of tuition sounds so enticing. 
I've heard back from many of the parents who chose public school this year, instead of our program.  Here's what I heard:

• "She had so much more enthusiasm for learning in Montessori."
• "His teacher just doesn't seem to have the time to see what he's capable of."
• "Do you have any available spaces left so we can switch her back??"
• "I wish I had thought it through completely, I would've loved to hold on to one more year of innocence for my child."

Certainly, there is a lot to be said for the public schools in our area.  The teachers do the best they can with the resources they have.  Mostly, it just comes down to completion of the three year cycle.  Everything the child does in his first two years of Montessori comes to fruition in that third year.  An example is the early introduction of addition with large numbers through the bank game.  When children leave Montessori at five, many of the still-forming concepts evaporate.  When children complete that third year, they are now the oldest in the room, capable of so much more.  The feeling is amazing when they are now the leaders- big kids that the younger students look up to.  I've got a million reasons why Montessori kindergarten is so special, but I thought I'd summarize into a top ten list:

Top Ten Reasons to Keep Your Child in Montessori Through Kindergarten

1. Does your Montessori child love school and can't wait to go?  Don't take the chance... be sure your child loves to learn at least for one more year.
2. In Montessori, your child has been treated with a deep respect as a unique individual.  The school has been equally concerned for his intellectual, social, and emotional development.
3. Having spent two years together, your child's teacher knows her very, very well.  She knows her strengths and areas that are presenting challenges.
4. Your child already knows most of her classmates.  She has grown up in a safe, supportive classroom setting.
5. Montessori math is based on the European tradition of unified mathematics.  Montessori introduces young children to basic geometry and other sophisticated concepts as early as kindergarten.
6. In many Montessori schools, five year olds are beginning to read; kindergarteners in other schools may be learning to recognize letters and numbers.
7. In Montessori, your child can continue to progress at her own pace. In traditional kindergarten, she will have to wait while the other children begin to catch up.
8. Montessori children are studying cultural geography and beginning to grow into global citizens.
9. Montessori consciously teaches children to be kind and peaceful.
10. Montessori students learn through hands-on experiences, investigation, and research.  They become actively engaged in their studies.

These are just a few of the benefits of that third year.  If you are still unable to decide, make an appointment to observe in your child's current classroom and the one you're considering.  Watch closely and make mental notes.  Use this experience to help you make that important decision.  Good luck!

Gratitude

You won't believe this. I was reading my favorite magazine Montessori Life (I know, I know...obsessed) and there was an article all about the concept of teaching gratitude to children. They did mention that unbridled materialism in adults causes depression, hypercompetitiveness, and anxiety, to name a few. Researchers are now finding the same ills in children. Companies are now spending $17 billion dollars in programming and advertising to influence the minds of young children. Check out the book Buy, Buy, Baby: How Consumer Culture Manipulates Parents and Harms Young Minds for more information.

One simple way to get started is to simply change your language to sound more grateful. For example:

Child: Mommy! Look at the new shoes Grandma bought me!
Mom (typical answer): Wow, aren't they lovely.

Our goal is to take the focus off of the material object and on to the kind act of giving. An opportunity to teach gratitude might look like this...

Child: Mommy! Look at the new shoes Grandma bought me!
Mom: That was very generous of her. How do you think we could thank her?
Child: I don't know, I guess I could say 'thank you'.
Mom: Sure, we could do that. We could also write her a thank you note or draw a picture to say we're thankful!

Another important skill is differentiating wants and needs. Cut out pictures of items from a magazine and glue them on index cards. First, discuss with your child the difference between the two, then help your child sort the pile of cards. Use a control of error, so the child can self-check, such as a red circle on the back of all of the want cards and a green sticker on the back of the needs. Some suggestions might be photos of: a TV, a banana, jewelry, medical care (a photo of a doctor or hospital), a toy, a home...

Feel free to comment if you have any ideas to share about teaching children how to be more grateful.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity...It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~Melody Beattie

Gifts

I'm sitting amidst a pile of toys so big I could get lost in them. My head was spinning all day as I tried to get all of our Christmas gifts organized and put away. Both of my girls are in the process of switching to the next size up in clothes, so I put all of their old clothes in bins and put the new clothes neatly in the drawers. At least one thing is organized! That brings me to the toys. We have a large shelving unit from Home Depot set up in our storage area in the basement.

Every few months, I go through the playroom and donate some toys, throw away toys that are broken or otherwise non-functioning, or sort the rest on this shelving unit. On the bottom shelf, I've placed toys for children ages 0-18 months, the next shelf up is for 18 mo- 36 mos, next is 3-4, then 5-6. The top shelf is where I store blankets/pillows. From time to time I take some of the toys on the shelf and bring them back into the playroom. As every parent knows, the children treat those toys like they're brand new! We rotate in this way every few months, in an effort to make the best use of our space.

Now, I've known Montessori couples who have children and I find it fascinating how they organize their home. The playroom typically consists of an easel, a small table with two chairs, a very uncluttered bookcase, and a single shelving unit with a few beautiful, handcrafted toys displayed. I don't know, they must have an enormous storage area. Believe me, if it were only me, my entire house would probably be miniature, I'd have only a few toys out in the playroom that would be rotated weekly, and I'd be eating dinner in a tiny child's chair. However, my husband also lives here and has a say in how we furnish and decorate our home. I respect that he is not obsessed with the Montessori philosophy, like I am, but I do wish I could go back to basics with my children.

Don't you feel like our children today are so overwhelmed with *stuff* that their little heads are just spinning, like mine? My oldest daughter was just tearing through her gifts and at one point, I noticed she wasn't even registering what each one was. My youngest opened a gift and played with it for some time before moving on. Of course, she was still opening gifts at 8pm last night!

So, next year, I've decided to implement my Rule of Ten. Each child will receive ten presents and each parent will receive ten presents. There are families all over the world that would do anything for ten presents at Christmastime. My goal for this new year is to teach my girls about the gifts of simplicity and gratitude. In such a materialistic culture, how do you teach your children to be grateful?

Thoughtful Tree

A friend of mine, who also happens to be a mom in my school, shared with me her great idea for a "Thoughtful Tree". Her family creates the tree ahead of time and uses it as their Thanksgiving table centerpiece. This would be a great idea for teachers in a classroom. Each child can write one thing that they're thankful for on a leaf, and add it to a branch. This idea was just too beautiful to keep to myself:

My question is, how did she take a picture into a mirror without her reflection showing up? She's a photographer, so I'm sure she's got lots of tricks up her sleeve (or she uses photoshop!). I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

101 Great Ideas

I stumbled across a fantastic article by a Montessori writer, Barbara Hacker. Take a few moments to look over this list of 101 Things Parents Can Do To Help Children. I'm sure many of you already incorporate some of these ideas into your daily life naturally. However, there are also several very creative suggestions listed. Most importantly, just spend time with your child and enjoy every minute of it!

Montessori in the Home

At my most recent parent workshop Discipline Toolkit, I stressed the point that a child actively engaged in purposeful work is not going to need discipline or redirection. We discussed several aspects of positive discipline, but the most important concept is prevention. Just like when you're at the dentist and they keep telling you to floss, floss, floss. They stress that with a little extra time each day, flossing can prevent cavities and tooth decay. It's the same concept (I know, it's a stretch) with children. Take a little extra time each day to provide purposeful activities for your child and you will prevent the little cavity called misbehavior. The easiest way to get your child engaged is in the kitchen. Washing dishes, shredding lettuce, chopping carrots, setting the table...your children love to be near you and work alongside you. This nifty invention, called the Learning Tower, allows for safe exploration at the kitchen counter:

Look What I Found!

I stumbled across this great article by the author of Punished by Rewards, Alfie Kohn. Please take a moment to read it, hopefully it will open your eyes the way it has mine.
http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/gj.htm