Dr. Montessori emphasized that the adult should help the child learn how to do it for himself. Parents who do things that their children are capable of doing for themselves, delay their children’s independence and can negatively impact their self-esteem. Parents can include their children in family life by letting them help around the house and by organizing their belongings at the child’s level. Parents can establish a climate of love through positive discipline, consistency and supporting their child’s interests.
Developing Your Child’s Social and Emotional Adjustment
“Every useless help to a child is an obstacle to development.” –Dr. Maria Montessori
Allow your child freedom within limits to satisfy their inner needs. Giving your child choices will help her feel in control of themselves and reduce tantrums. For example, he can have a choice of grapes or bananas for lunch but he does have to eat lunch. It is important to give your child time to complete activities. Be sure to set limits appropriate to your child’s level of understanding. Your child will learn what is expected of him when parents have a positive and encouraging attitude and establish consistent routines and expectations. Discipline is not about getting your child to do as he is told. Instead, it is about helping him develop independence, respect for others and self-control. Your child will imitate you, so modeling respectful behavior is important. Including your child in family life will help him learn how to function within a group. Even young children can set the table, make beds and help cook and clean up a meal. Children are better able to participate if they have some furniture that is their size and if they are able to reach their clothes hook, towel rack and dishes.
Developing Your Child’s Intellectual Capacity
“If we watch a child of this age, we shall see that he is trying to do something definite. What he tries to do may seem absurd to us, but this does not matter. He has to finish it. It is the urge of life within him that commands this. If his cycle of activity be interrupted, the results are a deviation of personality, aimlessness and loss of interest.” -Dr. Maria Montessori
All children are different and need the opportunity to develop their own abilities at their own pace without parental pressure. Children want to learn. If your child is given time to explore using all of his senses, his natural curiosity will be satisfied and he will be motivated to learn. Children go through sensitive periods when they need to repeat an activity over and over to satisfy a particular developmental need. Give your child some "wait time" to complete a task independently. Often he will discover on his own how to get it right and he will feel such pride from this successful experience that he will be more apt to try more challenging tasks. Making sure your child has time to select her own activities and be able to complete them is imperative for developing her concentration. When the child is engaged in something safe and purposeful (involving mind and body-not watching TV!), this is considered important ‘work’. It needs to be respected and cherished, not interrupted. Sometimes just saying, “good job”, can interrupt her concentration. Language activities and memory games are important for intellectual growth. Simply talking with your child, listening to your child, reading to her daily and playing games (quiet and active) will help your child form an intimate relationship with you.
|
 |
- Read to your child every day.
- Allow your child to set the table or help with cooking or clean-up.
- Give your child a place he can reach to hang their belongings.
- Provide limited amounts of toys organized on low shelves (you can rotate toys for more interest).
- Teach your child how to wash their hands, fold clothes and put his coat on.
- Pouring or transferring with a spoon: water, beads, beans, sand, rice, etc.
- Use tongs or clothespins to pick up pom poms.
- Opening and closing bottles.
- Compare textures, smells and shapes of food and household objects.
- Sort and count foods and household objects.
- Sing songs, make up silly stories and rhymes.
- Use pots/pans and utensils for musical instruments.
- Collect treasures in your yard or on a nature walk. Make a collage.
- Painting, cutting, drawing and playdough.
- Plant flowers.
- Give your child lots of time outside to climb, balance, run and hop.
|
|
