Home Life
Parents, Take Charge! August 7, 2022
“Jerry, it’s time to get out of the pool. Time to go now, please.” A father stands at the edge of a hotel pool in summer, clearly exhausted, as his wife walks past him carrying a crying baby girl, a floaty, a diaper bag, and two huge towels. “NO!” The boy in the pool, who…
Read MoreReturning to Our Montessori Values After Two Years of Screens
We are more grateful than ever for the technology in our lives! During the pandemic, being physically separated from one another was painful, especially for our children who crave social interaction. Out of necessity, we learned inventive ways that computers, iPhones and iPads could connect us–to one another and to information about the world.
Read MoreLet’s Play! Montessori’s Playful Nature
As a parent, you may hear Montessori teachers describe your children’s activities as “work.” Your child may use the word, too, saying, “I love my work,” or, “I did a lot of work today!” But then you may wonder, “Why does my child go skipping in there every day?” and, “Why is my child dying…
Read MoreReturning to School with Resilience, Creativity, and Courage!
Montessori Classroom Principles Work at Home, Too!
May 2020 by Paula Lillard Preschlack Children need time, choice, grace and courtesy as part of their daily lives to develop inner calm. Here Paula shares ideas to cultivate these themes at home.
Read MoreTalking to Children About the Uncertainties of Life: Updated for Coronavirus (March 2020)
March 2020 by Paula Lillard Preschlack By respecting children’s feelings and experiences by asking questions and listening, adults can prepare to talk to children about the inevitable, but unfortunate, events that occur in their lives.
Read MoreTalking to Children About Money
August 2019 by Paula Lillard Preschlack Talking about money can be uncomfortable for some families. Maria Montessori believed that this topic should be studied like all others. Here, Paula offers suggestions for talking to children of all ages about money.
Read MoreThe First Months: Developing an Outlook for Life
March 2019 by Paula Lillard Preschlack New parents can find practical considerations to give newborn children the freedom to move and explore, including suggestions for the arrangement of the nursery, mobiles, and other developmentally appropriate toys for infants.
Read MoreScreen Time and Your Child’s Development: A Montessori Perspective
January 2019 by Paula Lillard Preschlack How much screen time is too much? Paula discusses the Montessori approach to screen time and addresses concerns that parents might have in a technology-driven society.
Read MoreFostering Your Child’s Imagination: Fantasy vs. Reality
December 2018 by Paula Lillard Preschlack Dr. Montessori observed that when young children move their bodies, explore, and interact with the real world, these sensory experiences foster imagination. Fantasy, on the other hand, can be overemphasized and confusing for very young children. Maria Montessori articulates the distinctions between reality, the imagination, and fantasy.
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