Montessori Moms: Planting the Seeds of Growth

Many of us remember family meals growing up.  Dinner at my house was, for the most part, the same time every night and you were expected to be home.  (sporting events and work were the exceptions as we got older)  When I had my children I swore we would eat together every night.  And we did, for a while.  When my oldest was born we put his seat at the table with us.  We talked to him and included him throughout the meal as he grew older.  When our second came along, it was pretty much the same. Then came #3. By that time the oldest was playing recreational sports and practices started at 5/5:30.  We needed to eat and get out the door with a baby and toddler in tow, during some of the crankiest times of the day.  I was not thinking we should be eating together.  I was thinking that I didn't know how I was going to survive the day, the week, the season. We still made time for family dinner on non-practice nights and weekends though.  I still look back on those days and smile. They we

Montessori Moms: Planting the Seeds of Growth: Managing Undesirable Behaviors : We have all been there.  The moment where you realize you've pushed your child a bit too far trying to get that one last errand in, or w...

We have all been there.  The moment where you realize you've pushed your child a bit too far trying to get that one last errand in, or when the temper tantrum that could shatter glass starts.  You saw it coming but could not stop it.  Or could you? Often times we fail to look at ourselves and take accountability for the actions or lack there of that we took to contribute to the undesirable behavior.  I am not making excuses for you child's behavior, however as the parent sometimes we need to look to ourselves to see how we could have managed a situation better. Lets take the grocery store for example.  Your child is tired but you need a few things for dinner.  While in the store your child sees a toy they want in one of the aisles.  You say no.  They cry.  You say no again, They cry harder.  You get frustrated (and maybe embarrassed).  Your child realizes this.  The last time you were in a store and they cried for the candy at checkout you eventually gave in.  They then mak