The Montessori Notebook

The place to learn everything about Montessori at home in easy-to-follow, simple steps for busy parents and caregivers. Whether you are new to Montessori or have been using Montessori for a while, you will come away with practical ideas you can try today and use in your daily life.

respectful parenting

Why are we still putting our children into time out?

In my parent workshops, I ask parents if they remember a time when they were punished as a kid, maybe given a detention or not allowed to go out with friends. Then I ask if this made them feel more or less connected to the person who gave them the punishment. When you are having a difficult moment, would you rather someone offer kindness or punish you? Most people say that they resented the person who gave them the punishment and it didn’t make them want to do right by them. Effectively … [Read more...] about Why are we still putting our children into time out?

I want to scream, what should I do? – The Montessori Notebook

We know we shouldn’t shout at (or smack) our kids. We don’t want them to learn that this is how you solve problems. And there are other ways to gain cooperation. But sometimes frustration and anger boil up inside of us unsuspectingly and before you know it we have lost control of ourselves. We may have said things we regretted, really frightened the kids by yelling, or even worse they laugh at us and don’t take what we say seriously. So today here are some tips to keeping calm and being a … [Read more...] about I want to scream, what should I do? – The Montessori Notebook

What I learned from a speech coach

I have recently been to some speech coaching with my softly-spoken daughter. It has been an amazing experience. It is so interesting to see how your voice tone and speed can make a big difference in the way your message is received. And it started me thinking about how we use our voice with our children. ToneWhen we are trying to engage cooperation from our children, it can be really hard to get the tone right. Sometimes we are too aggressive; sometimes too whiney; and when we are … [Read more...] about What I learned from a speech coach