The Kavanaugh Report

The other day I was talking about a hard moment that happened between me and Gus with my mom. Gus had done something out of anger and I mentioned it to her. She replied, "We'll what was his consequence?" This sparked a conversation with her about Montessori, consequences, and our approach to those hard moments. 
What was his consequence? The answer, a natural one. Gus had hurt me, I had to excuse myself, we could no longer continue our activity until I was done collecting myself. This moment of time gave him the space to consider what happened, feel horrible, and then we had some connection following. Sorry, I'm being vague about the details because I don't think we need to share every 3-year-old tantrum details. 

Anyway,  this conversation got me thinking about the types of consequences that parents can impose and where they fit in a Montessori home. Here are some choices, and some thoughts: Natural Consequences Natural consequences are consequences that come natur…

Maria Montessori emphasized the importance of the hands for the development of human-kind. It is through the use of our hands that people have been able to create, explore, and grow. It is with this understanding that Maria Montessori created the materials in her classrooms. This understanding continues today and is just as important in a home as a class setting. As a Montessori parent we know that offering real and concrete experiences for a child's hands is key to their success. 
This includes babies. And there are so many great toys available that can help to get a baby's hands moving. But here I wanted to highlight four materials that are great for getting little hands moving - egg and cup, peg in cup, palmer block, and pincer block. These toys are similar to one another, but each have benefits. 

This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.  Egg and CupThis is the first of the set that I introduce to my kids. It's lovely because it is so simple. Babies can grab t…

Toddlers are so different from babies, and their environment needs to change to meet their needs. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about the transition into toddlerhood and children's changing needs as they turn 1-year-old. From gross motor needs, to practical life and toys, we explore everything you need to know for your young toddler. 
This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Show Notes...Using a Capsule WardrobePlaymatMontessori Toy IdeasOur Weaning Table3M Sticky BarIKEA drinking glassesRadio Flyer Walker WagonIKEA OttomanRocking Boat/StairsSprout Kids Pikler TriangleMagic Cabin Climbing Dome3M Command HooksVery small watering canSwifferNose Blowing AreaMusical InstrumentsHorizontal Disk ToyTracking Toys for ToddlersSingle Shape PuzzlesIn and Out WorkOpen and Close BasketRealistic Model CarsSmall Toddler ChairA Few Favorite Board Book SeriesMontessori DIY work for young toddlersWhat if My Child isn't Using Montessori Work Correctly? Thanks for join…

It can be a huge challenge to balance work and parenting. Parents can feel so much guilt being pulled between their children and their work. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss working motherhood. We address how we balance work, children, housework and relationships in our Montessori home. And, share our experiences with working both inside and outside our homes.

What does it look like to actually live in a Montessori home? My hope is to share that reality with everyone through this website and my other services. I especially share everyday moments on Instagram and Instagram stories daily. But, today, I wanted to share some pictures from the last few weeks that really just sum up normal life around here. 
Our days look like kids carrying around random kid-made snacks and lots of kids working around each other. 

My kids can frequently be found huddled together around our art area table diving into art materials together. It's one of those things that they can do both together or individually which I really love. Gus, in particular, is super into creating with our art materials lately. At 3, almost 4, he is at the verge of being able to pull together art supplies without needing them all on a tray. But, for the most part, I still organize everything together on a tray for him to easily grab from the shelf.  So, you'll notice that mostly, the trays are completed sets of materials he needs to explore the art medium. 

Some how my sweet Montessori baby Teddy is already going to be a full year old! On September 12, he will officially turn 1-year-old. I can't believe it. This year has gone by so incredibly fast and he is just blossoming into this super busy, curious, little tiny toddler. Being my fourth baby to turn 1, I know just what a bittersweet moment this is. I'm feeling the loss of my tiny baby while also feeling really excited to enter the toddler years again. One-year-olds are one of my favorite ages!
In honor of Teddy's upcoming first birthday, I thought I would share some of my top Montessori friendly birthday gifts for 1-year-olds! If you're looking for other ideas, don't miss my Ultimate Montessori Toy List or my Amazon Shop.

This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.

The Montessori language materials for 3 to 6 year olds are so amazing! They breaks down the process of learning to write and read so beautifully. And each material meets a child exactly where they are at that moment. As you may know, I've been sharing parts of Gus' journey with Montessori reading and writing and how we are support that journey at home. And, finally, we've reached the sandpaper letters! 
See other posts in this series: Pincer Grip - Preparing for Language Work Montessori Language Fundamentals to Remember What are Montessori Sound Games and Language Objects? How We Approach Montessori Sound Games + Some Tips Learning to Like Texture - 5 Ideas to Help with Sandpaper Letters Montessori Sandpaper Letters - To Buy or DIY?
This post contains affiliate links at no cost you. 

I actually introduced the sandpaper letters to Gus late last autumn right around the time he turned 3-years-old. It was my hope that we would work through them together through the school year and then…