The Kavanaugh Report

As 2018 winds down, I wanted to take some time to thank all of you who have stopped by The Kavanaugh Report this year. I feel so incredibly lucky to have this wonderful community of people that share in the joy of Montessori with me here and on social media. I feel like every time any of us chooses Montessori for our children we are moving the world toward a better future. In the words of Maria Montessori, "it is hoped that when the sentiment of love for all subjects can be aroused in children, people in general will become more human." I always love to end the year with a look at the top posts. So, without further ado, here were the top 10 posts on The Kavanaugh Report for 2018... 10.  PLAY KITCHENS AND MONTESSORI HOMES 9.  THE NEED TO THROW -- MONTESSORI YOUNG TODDLER WEEK 8 8.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "FOLLOW THE CHILD?" 7.  5 THINGS I DO EVERYDAY AS A MONTESSORI PARENT 6. DIY {IKEA HACK} WASH BASIN 5.  MONTESSORI TODDLER WARDROBE - IKEA BESTA HACK

Today, I’m continuing my Montessori friendly play visual timeline project with months 3 to 6.  SEE PART 1: BIRTH TO 3 MONTHS HERE In this timeline, you can see there is a slight shift away from visual development to the development of the hand. It’s during their period that most babies will start to grasp, mouth, move, and explore more in their environment. 

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how we approach bedtime with babies and toddlers . Basically our approach can be summed up with the words "flexible routine." We follow the child and give space to allow our kids to follow their natural rhythm. And, we follow much the same routine as our children get older. We want to give them the space to follow their own sleep needs while respecting the fact that young children crave order and routine.  Again, I want to say, I'm not a sleep expert. I am simply sharing what works for our family. This doesn't mean my kids are amazing sleepers. This means that I feel good about the amount of respect we are showing them and the amount of rest they are getting each day.  Preschool (3ish to 6ish) Much like when they were toddlers, I feel like my kids have always settled into a sleep routine throughout their preschool years. This routine is supported by our own simple evening schedule. Post dinner includes baths , then pjs, then a fa

There are so many amazing Montessori baby toys and play ideas out there. With so many choices, and a brand new baby, it can be difficult to decide when to introduce what. So, I thought I would create a visual timeline for Montessori friendly play for the first year of life! This is the first post in a series of posts, broken up in 3 month sections. Below the timeline are some resources to learn more about each of these materials. 

Believe it or not, Augustus just turned 2-years-old a couple weeks ago! I don't know how time is flying so fast, but somehow it is. With his birthday, Gus seems to have a new sudden interest in gross motor skills. Gus has always been on the slower end of things when it comes to developing these skills - especially if you compare him to Nora/Henry who were both walking well before their first birthdays. Part of it is Gus's personality and own developmental path, part of it is his low muscle tone. All that is to say, that Gus is just now starting to become interested in ride on toys. It all seems to click all of a sudden and he takes pleasure riding around the house on his little scooter bike. Nora was doing the same thing by 12/13 months. And, Henry, I think even earlier. So, it's been a great reminder about how all children are on their own path to skills. Whether fast or slow, it doesn't matter. This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.  1  |  2

With Advent here, our family is focusing our attention as much as possible on preparing for Christmas. For us, this means preparing for Christmas in the religious sense. Maria Montessori recognized the great connection that children had to God and their great capacity for a religious life. Even from a very young age (our formal religious instruction begins at 3), children have an immense capacity to know and understand God. 

In this place in my life, as a mom of 3 kids, I find that often self-care is at the bottom of my list of priorities. I find that I often place myself last on my own list of priorities. And, you know what I can always tell when that happens. I start feeling like I'm dragging, I get snippy with my kids and I have a harder time seeing the bigger picture in a lot of issues. Basically, without self-care, I find myself unprepared for the realities of parenting three small children.  Obviously, being unprepared is a problem. It's not fair to myself or to my children. Maria Montessori too talked about the importance of a prepared adult. She recognized that adults had a vital and important role in the life of a child. But not just any adult - a prepared adult. Maria stressed the importance of shaping ourselves for this work. For turning our focus not to the child but to ourselves and to the environment. As Montessori said, "the adult himself is part of the child's enviro

'Tis the season for thinking about gifts for your children. But, it can be completely overwhelming to think about getting a whole bunch of new toys for your home. Gift giving season can also be a great time to add to the practical materials your child has access to. These often make great stocking stuffers because of their child-friendly size! So, don't be afraid to skip toys in your child's stocking in favor of something a bit more practical. 

Curious little toddlers seem to always be pulling something apart, don't they? Not only are they in the sensitive period for small objects - which makes them extra aware of all those little details around us - they are also seeking to develop their fine motor skills. That's not to mention the sensitive period for order which creates in the child a desire to have everything just in its place. So, it's no wonder that little toddlers find tiny pieces of fuzzy on the carpet and sit and pick it apart. Or the stickers off of clothes in a shop. Or any little thing that is out of place.