The Kavanaugh Report

Young children, particularly those under the age of 6, are intensely interested in the world around them. They like to learn about all of the intricate and beautiful realities of the world. They like little details, understanding truth, and seeing the real. Therefore, as Montessori parents (and in Montessori classrooms) we tend to limit the use of fantasy and stick to reality.  However, this can become difficult when trying to pick materials for young children. Realistic books, puzzles, and art after often made "cute" for children. Cars have eyes, elephants are bright blue, animals talk, and the people are often commercialized characters. While there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these things, it can be nice to offer our children some beautiful and real images as well - and puzzles are a great way to do that.  Realistic Puzzle Options for Montessori Toddlers to use at Home While it takes a little bit of a hunt, there are many realistic puzzle options available for p...

There are so many incredible practical life opportunities available for toddlers. And one of the most interesting parts about having so many children has been seeing what each of my children gravitate towards. Some of been interested in cleaning tasks, some building tasks, and other's kitchen work. They really all have been quite unique. One fun practical work that Penelope has really gravitated towards lately has been making and drinking tea.  Now, I do not come from a culture of tea drinking. Tea is just a fun occasional treat for me and for my family. My thoughts here come from that perspective.  Tea for Toddlers in Our Montessori Home  There are a few reasons that I really enjoy offering tea for toddlers. One, it is a great lesson in patience. We don't use super hot water so it takes a bit longer for the tea to steep. It's good to use work that helps us all slow down, that requires some advanced planning and some waiting. The reward is always worth it. Two it's grea...

As Montessori parents, it's important to understand that we are the prepared adult within our homes. The prepared adult has a lot of responsibility in preparing the environment, setting limits, modeling for the children, and so much more. It's a role that felt pretty daunting to me at first. How was I supposed to be all of these extra things and also the primary caregiver for my children? And it took me a long time to really feel like I could own the role and feel comfortable in it.  I've been a Montessori parent now for 13-years (and a parent for almost 14.) And, while there is a lot of nuance to Montessori parenting, I wanted to share three considerations for anyone using Montessori in their parenting. While there are so many things a Montessori prepared adult can be doing, if you keep just these three things in mind, you'll be in a good position!  3 Daily Essentials for Montessori Parents to Consider  These three things really are essential to your role as a Montesso...