Montessori from the Start

This post is really for me, some things I am pondering or want to remember from the book Montessori from the Start by Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen.

"We can further help with preparation for language development and the development of order by categorizing objects within the baskets.  Doing so helps the child to understand that certain things go together in our world...."

"...repetition is the key to the learning process at all ages.  Rotation (of toys or objects in the baskets), not substitution, is the answer to the process of habituation to objects. " (In other words, buying new stuff all the time is highly unnecessary.)

"We need to be constantly aware of the infant's capacities at each age and to think through the purpose for every object that we give to him.  We want to give him only those items that are helping him and remove from the environment those objects that are not serving a purpose." (For example, infant rattles that don't take into consideration the limitations of the infant's hands.)

"As parents and grandparents, we think that we are showing children we love them by giving them things.  In fact such practice, in and out of itself, may send them the wrong message.  Children may conclude that if people give you things, they love you.  If receiving things tells you that you are loved, the next logical step is to measure self-worth by what you have, not by what you are.  The reality is that very young children can only truly love one doll, one stuffed animal, and a few toys at a time. This experience provides a basis for adult life where one must learn to cherish one spouse, one family, one life, instead of fantasizing that it is possible to 'have it all'." (Mom, I hope you are reading this post!)

"We want any object that we give to the child under the age of three for independent play to enhance our ultimate goal: connection with others and an understanding of his world. .... Look for toys that help him to distinguish the real from the unreal, look for order in the world, and understand categories and process.  ....A dollhouse....realistic models of animals that live today...."


The authors also had interesting points about redirecting a child.  Things like not swooping in from behind to pick up a child (when redirecting especially), using language (describing an object in detail) to focus their attention away from something else (this has been working brilliantly to redirect Bear).  


This was a good read.  I wish I had read it while I was pregnant with Bear, though a lot of it still applies to J-jo.