Musings on the absorbent mind

Today I’m planning something a little different for this blog post. Usually I offer advice and practical suggestions on ways to get cooperation from your children, or how to understand your child better.

Today I’d just like to muse a bit. Ok with you? I’m curious if this will resonate with you in any way.

We often find ourselves saying children are just like sponges.

Dr Montessori had exactly the same idea. And coined the term “absorbent mind” for children from 0 to 6 years.

You didn’t learn your native tongue by your mother sitting you down and giving you grammar lessons while she was changing your diaper. You absorb these through daily communication with those around you.

You took in everything in your environment – the good and the bad. Just as a sponge takes in water whether clear or dirty.

We are conscious of not swearing in front of kids because they’ll pick it up from us.

But are we conscious of how we are in the world?

* Do we express gratitude? Or do we complain a lot?
* Do we forgive others? Or do we hold a grudge?
* Do we offer help without being asked? Or do we expect others to help us?
* Do we take responsibility? Or blame others?

We are busy thinking “how can I get my child to cooperate”?

But maybe we should be thinking “how can I be in the world in a way that will be absorbed by my child?”

It’s hard to see your children not accept parts of themselves. And then realise that you have exactly the same insecurities. I tell you, they really are absorbing everything.

I could write, “be warned”.

But rather, I’d like to encourage us to see it as an opportunity.

* Use rich language for our children to absorb
* Expose them to a bilingual or multilingual environment for them to absorb language
* Have beautiful things in our homes so our children absorb beauty around them
* Give order to things in our homes so our children will absorb the order and know where things can be found
* Set intentions for our day every morning to help us live more consciously
* And, where needed, change things so our children do as we say AND as we do

The absorbent mind is a beautiful thing. Let’s enjoy it.

And when we get it wrong, our children can always learn to absorb how we make amends.