I’m delighted to introduce you to Juli Williams and her family who I met via Instagram. She lives with her husband and two kids, a 6 year old girl and 4 year old boy. She describes herself as a minimalist, Latina, living in Florida, and simplifying Montessori education at home.
I am sure you will be inspired – the photos exude joy in learning to me! And I love reading about how they incorporate their culture into their home. Read on…
1. How did you find out about Montessori?
I found Montessori when I was looking for preschools for my daughter when she was a toddler, I visited a Montessori school and was immediately captivated and hooked to learn more about Montessori education.
2. What do you find resonates most with you about the Montessori approach?
The respect given to children. I grew up in a culture where children were talked at, not talked with, by adults, so the fact that Montessori speaks up for children was one of those life-changing, mindset-changing moments for me as a parent.
3. What is currently your favourite thing to do at home with your children?
Both my children are currently reading, so we spend a lot, a lot of time together reading, practicing reading, learning new words. I really attest Montessori education for how much my children love reading, and for giving us the tools to introduce this skill with my children.
4. How do you set up your home to help apply Montessori at home?
Our home is set up with both my husband, mine AND my children in mind for every room in our home. My kid’s clothes, dishes, food, etc. are completely at their level so they can access them and have the freedom to use just as my husband and I do.
5. How do you include your culture in your home in a Montessori way?
We are a multi-cultural family, I am Latina born in Colombia, and my husband is Bahamian and Black-American. My children are exposed to our cultures by the way we live our life at home, we speak both Spanish and English at home. We listen to music from our cultures, we eat foods that are typical from both our cultures as well. It is very important for us as parents for our children to know where we are from. Both my husband and I also make a point to talk about life in our native countries and how different life is in the country we live now, the US, but that we can always be proud of where we come from and who we are.
6. What does a “usual” day in the life of your family look like?
We are a homeschool family so a typical weekday for us:
- We wake up and we all get right into practical life activities, we all prepare and cook breakfast, we set the table, clean up afterwards, do some laundry, get dressed and ready for the day.
- After our “morning cycle” we begin our homeschool lessons. During this time we focus more on sensorial, language and math lessons.
- Once we are done we have lunch and the kids have quiet time.
- After quiet time we clean up, my son has some screen time on a tablet while my daughter and I focus on some of her deeper elementary lessons. Once we are done they can watch a show together.
- We then get ready to go out. We go to the library, the park, or go on a neighborhood walk. We stay out until it’s time to have dinner.
- We come back home to have dinner together as a family. We start our night routine and then it’s time for bed.
- I usually take my Montessori certification classes at night, and after that I spend time with my husband before going to bed.
Thank you Juli for sharing your family with us. Feeling inspired!
Be sure to follow Juli on instagram here