This is definitely in the category of, why didn’t I do this sooner? After seeing a similar diaper-changing space on a Montessori blog (I confess, I can’t remember where) I moved our changing pad to the floor when Moon started to stand on her own, though I think this would have been great to do [...]

  I don’t like it when our plans change, and I’m not good with “going with the flow.” Since I know that it is hard for me to adapt to a change of plans, I know that I need to make an effort to be more flexible. It takes time, as well as a husband [...]

  Decisions, decisions. This is as much an issue for young children as it is for adults. Will they or won’t they put on their shoes by themselves? Clear their dishes? Try a new food? Ultimately, it’s up to them to decide.   With so many choices that need to be made on a daily [...]

  At the beginning of summer, our county produced a pamphlet designed to get the public to visit all the parks, or at least some, in the area. Children are encouraged to photograph or draw something at each park and share it with the parks’ office.  I decided to use this invitation to more deeply [...]

    There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.                                     – Rachel Carson     Knowing next to nothing about gardening myself, I am so thankful for this community garden planted by our moms’ club.  The play that happens [...]

What are the best times of the day for you and your children to really take each other’s ideas in? For us, its mealtimes. First, because Greysen is there for such a good chunk of time, and secondly because we are all pretty happy getting to eat and relax together.  I think that is why [...]

Our 12 year-old cat Mia has become increasingly avoidant of Greysen. The cat hides in the dark, leaving Greysen at a disadvantage when she walks into rooms. Greysen has been surprised often enough that she has very recently started to hesitate before going into a room, at which point she shouts, “Be nice, Mia.”  These are very [...]

At 18 months, Greysen is eager to try to do many of the things that I used to do for her for herself.  To make the most of this emerging independence, I am always on the lookout for new ways in which she can assert herself constructively.  In support of her developing skills, I offer [...]

Our home is a very different place than a childcare setting. Though it is not furnished with child-sized furniture, we demonstrate our respect for our daughter’s emerging skills by encouraging her to be an active participant in the routines of her daily life to whatever extent she is capable of.   At nine months, she [...]

We all know that nutrition is of key importance to our children’s health at all stages of life, but there are several other vital things that happen at meals. From the transferring of cultural values to the development of social skills such as sharing, meals are the ideal time to support your child’s interest in [...]