In first part we saw how Montessori Method is out of the box education method for our little ones. We were happy that our daughter would be in an environment which would foster freedom and independence. And we wanted her to continue to experience the same in our home environment. So what do we do? Make a Montessori room with all her materials/activities for her? NO! We make our entire home ’Montessori Home’! 🙂 Yes. Montessori is not just those activities or materials our children do at school. Montessori is a philosophy/mindset/a way of living and it embraces you like a soft cuddle. It is so joyful, beautiful and pure, you don’t want to let it go. It bundles up respect, freedom, independence, self discipline, responsibility, joy, peace and warmth at its core.
Respect the child
Each child is unique and will do his own things at his own pace.
I always wanted to be a doctor, now I will make my daughter a doctor. Such thoughts are long gone now 🙂 I can’t decide for her. She is her own person and I respect that. I respect her. If she is crying, earlier it was “Arey baccha hai royega hi”(She is a child she will cry). No. Children are happy beings. They won’t cry without a reason, there has to be one. While eating when she refuses I stop and don’t do “last bite, one more” because she knows that she is full now.
Freedom of choice
One day my daughter decided to wear two different pair of sandals in each feet.I didn’t bat an eyelid, though internally I was laughing and saying no. But I knew I had to let her choose
Fostering Independence
Maria Montessori said “Never help a child with a task which he feels he can succeed”. Task which he thinks he can succeed, it doesn’t matter what we think. Very difficult to hold ourselves back from offering to do it or helping. But yes I have learned to hold myself back and offer help only when asked for it. It becomes too much especially when we are in a hurry. And if I am really in a hurry, I better ask her permission to do it else face her wailing wrath!
Providing her with right tools to make her independent in her tasks
We have tried to incorporate as many changes as possible in our home to facilitate her independence-step stools to reach basins, reachable and easy to open snack containers, water dispenser, cloth racks. Even extended the door handle so she can be the first one to welcome our guests.
No corrections
Another difficult thing for an adult to do, hold your expert opinions to yourself. I can see she is doing it the wrong way and if I show her a tiny tip she can do it. But where will be the joy of doing it by herself. Oh I love it when she comes screaming to me “Mumma maine khud hi se kiya”(Mumma, I did it myself).
Lead by example
Woah…..being on your best behaviour all the time. Difficult, very difficult. Children learn not what they are told but what they see. Now my husband can’t throw his shoes elsewhere but keep in the shoe rack, because she is watching 🙂 In fact now our 3.5 year daughter specifically ask him to keep his shoes in the rack if he forgets to do it and at times if she is feeling generous she will do it herself but will make sure to tell her Papa that she did it.
My daughter is making a crocodile with her magnetic puzzle with the help of the instruction manual on her lap.
Observe
Just observing and accepting. No judging. At times coming up different indirect ways to help her, Just that. And no comparison of course.
We sit and chat. Share our day’s story. This is easy 🙂 and very relaxing. And at times very revealing! The things my daughter tell me. It amazes me how much children observe, understand and perceive. Simply Marvellous!
We will continue this Marvel called Montessori in our next part where we will see how not only our thoughts, action turned Montessori but also things around us!
Authored by: Priya Chaudhary, Montessori Parent
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