World Montessori

An excellent interview with world-renowned best selling children's author, Robert Munsch. He reflects on his storytelling roots, his 40-year writing career, and his favourite Munsch stories.
He also opens up and discusses his recent dementia diagnosis and the impact his legacy will have on future generations. Have a listen!

'The stories will be the last thing to go': Robert Munsch on his legacy as one of Canada's great storytellers | CBC Radio Robert Munsch, 76, sat down for a rare interview with Shelagh Rogers to talk about his four-decade career in children's writing.

Our 'Best Kids Backpacks" list to kick off back to school!

The Best Kids' Backpacks for Every Age and Style Preference This school year may be uncertain, but these book bags are sure to please both kids and parents.

Here are some great tips to help ease the separation anxiety of your little one as they begin preschool or kindergarten.

10 Tips For Easing Separation Anxiety in Preschool and Kindergarten Kids - SavvyMom These strategies and tips, learned over the years by a preschool teacher and parent, help ease the transition when dropping kids off at preschool or school.

With the COVID pandemic still ongoing, driven by the Delta variant, some parents are nervous about sending their children back to school. Children will be returning to full time in-person learning with layered prevention strategies in place to prevent transmission. With children age twelve and under being unvaccinated, however, parents worry that this latest surge in COVID cases puts their children at greater risk of contracting the disease.

Parents are being presented with a really unpredictable situation for their children that is leading to mounting worry and anxiety with the return to school amid a 4th wave. Should parents keep their children home and continue with remote learning? Should parents send their children back to school and monitor the situation closely? Should parents have a back-up plan in place to accommodate their children should there be an outbreak at their children's school? Should parents have their children be part of an at-home learning pod? So many important and timely questions that are very difficult for parents to answers, especially amidst so much uncertainty.

Read more personal stories here:

Back-to-school anticipation has become a time of great anxiety for many families Parental worry is increased by rising case counts and lack of consistent COVID-19 safety protocols in different provinces and even different school jurisdictions

Every parent wants their children to be happy and successful. So when given the opportunity, many parents jump at the opportunity to make their child's life easier? This is instinctual behaviour, but some parents take “being supportive” to another level and hover over their children like a helicopter — hence the term 'helicopter parenting'.

The best way to describe helicopter parenting is “hyper-involvement in a child’s life.” It’s the opposite of free-range parenting where independence and thinking for oneself are encouraged, but closely related to lawnmower parenting where a parent “mows down” any problem a child might face so they never feel hurt, pain or disappointment.

Helicopter parenting has various causes, and sometimes, there are deeply-seated issues at the root of this style. Knowing this can help you understand why some parents have a strong urge to be over-involved in their child’s life. Possible causes include parents being fearful about the future, experiencing feelings of anxiety or needing a sense of purpose.

Some parents strongly believe that what their child does today has a huge impact on their future, and this approach to parenting is seen as a way to prevent struggles later in their life. A child getting a low grade, getting cut from a sports team, or not getting into the university of their choice can trigger fears and uncertainty about their future.

Although some parents see helicopter parenting as a good thing, it can often backfire and cause a child to develop low self-confidence or low self-esteem. As a child becomes older they may doubt their own abilities since they’ve never had to figure out anything on their own. They might feel that their parents don’t trust them to make their own decisions, and even start to question whether they’re equipped to manage their own life.

There’s also the risk of a child developing entitlement issues where they believe they deserve certain privileges, usually as a result of always getting what they want. Some children act out or become hostile when they feel their parents are trying to have too much control over their life. Others grow up with poor coping skills. Because they didn’t learn how to deal with failure or disappointment during their years of schooling, they may also lack conflict resolution skills.

Read more about helicopter parenting here:

Helicopter Parenting: The Consequences “How to begin to educate a child. First rule: leave him alone. Second rule: leave him alone. Third rule: leave him alone. That is the whole beginning.” -

Children have been spared the worst of the pandemic, but without access to vaccines they are now more vulnerable than ever before as the Delta variant of the virus rages. With the start of the school year approaching, parents are wondering about the risks their children are facing.

There’s little evidence so far to suggest the Delta variant is more harmful to children than adults. According to the CDC, there’s some evidence of greater severity in Delta infections across all age groups, but the agency has yet to offer a specific breakdown for children. Kids remain, as they have been throughout the pandemic, at much lower risk of getting seriously sick with the coronavirus, especially compared with unvaccinated adults.

Amid all the chaos is perhaps one tentative silver lining for children. The new variant appears to be following the long-standing trend that children are, on average, more resistant to the coronavirus’s effects. Although Delta is a more cantankerous version of the virus than its predecessors, researchers don’t yet have evidence that it is specifically worse for children, who are still getting seriously sick only a small fraction of the time.

Another upside is that although the coronavirus may be changing, the tools that thwart it haven’t. Delta is a definitive enemy, but not an undefeatable one. To protect children, the same layered approach that protects adults needs to be adopted: combining high rates of community vaccination, mask wearing, good ventilation, hygiene, physical distancing, and access to testing.

With so many children still unable to access vaccines and their health contingent upon those around them, parents must now navigate the reality that Delta represents a more serious danger to everyone—which means it’s a more serious danger to children as well.

Read more about the Delta variant here:

How will the delta variant affect kids? Experts explain what we know and what we don't | CBC News As Manitoba parents get ready to send their kids back to school next month, a critical question remains unanswered: What effect will the more infectious coronavirus strain known as delta have on kids too young to be vaccinated?

"The climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do now is wake up and change."
-Greta Thunberg

As global climate change accelerates it is crucial for children to learn about how the planet is being affected and what they can do to help. Teaching kids about such a complex and unsettling issue can be daunting for any parent. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert to talk to your children about the climate crisis.

As a global issue, climate change can be extremely difficult to talk about at an individual level. The key to explaining the climate crisis to children is finding ways to relate it to their daily lives. To help avoid the stress and fear that comes along with talking about the climate emergency focus on what actions you and your child can take on a personal level to help end it.

It is important for parents to focus on action and hope. There are so many lessons to learn from the global response to the pandemic that are applicable to climate change. Crises demonstrate the incredible capacity of societies to come together in the face of unprecedented, insurmountable challenges and adapt. This is exactly what we need to do in order to tackle climate change, and this is just the message we need to be relaying to children around the world.

Here are some ways you can talk to your kids about climate change.

How to talk to your kids about their climate anxiety Some kids are scared about global warming. A psychologist, a pediatrician and a school counselor give advice on how to talk about kids' climate anxiety.

"As a parent you have to look at how much time you're spending with your kids. There is nothing you will regret more in your life - nothing - than not being present for your children"
-Jamie Lee Curtis

Do you find yourself 'too' busy or tired to be in the present moment with your children? Are you more invested in the responsibilities of your job and household duties than spending time with your kids? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone.

Sometimes as parents we might forget the meaning of being a 'present' parent. We are there with them but not really there. We need to fight the urge to go on social media or rush our kids when they are telling us something because we need to attend to other matters.

Every caring parent knows that ‘being present’ and in the moment with your child, setting aside devices and distractions, is what’s needed for children to thrive – and what’s needed for a happy and harmonious home. However, the reality is that it’s much easier said than done and there are more obstacles to being present than just phones, technology and obligations.

Being present with your children is one of the most important and valuable gifts you can give them. Be sure to savour these moments that you have with them. Be sure to create fun-loving memories that are meaningful to them and to you. Your time, your heart and your full attention are all precious gifts that will empower your children to live lives of abundance.

Top 5 Ways to Be More Present with Your Child "Put away the screens."

“The best way to raise positive children in a negative world is to have positive parents who love them unconditionally and serve as excellent role models.”
-Zig Ziglar

Children hear about what is happening in the world through social media and television. The reality is that children as young as four will hear about major global crisis events. From natural disasters like earthquakes, forest fires, floods, and drought to political unrest and war, children are constantly being exposed to unsettling news. Therefore, having an open dialogue with your child about what they see on the news is critical to their growth and understanding of the world.

Having these difficult conversations about current events shows children that these topics are not off limits and are important to discuss. Although it may feel daunting to have these conversations with your children, avoidance often leaves kids on their own to figure things out and they become vulnerable to misinformation, misconceptions, and confusion. The first step in discussing world events is to start the conversation by finding out what they already know. It is important to correct any inaccuracies or misinformation and ensure that they are obtaining the facts and details from a reliable news source.

Children can have many emotional reactions to dealing with the uncomfortable or unsettling topics on the news. Be sure to validate their feelings which will give children security and comfort and will help achieve better conversational outcomes. Additionally, you can give your child time to process the new information by utilizing relevant tactics to help them comprehend the situation better. Drawing, painting, writing or acting out stories with toys can all be helpful tools for children in the expression of their thoughts and feelings related to events in the news.

Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events ​VIDEO - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about the crisis and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to, and cope with.

"Feeling heard and understood allows children to release the feelings, let go and move on".
-Janet Lansbury

The first day of preschool will soon be here, and it's time for your child to begin an educational journey that will last nearly two decades. How can you make this monumental first day a great one? Being optimistic about your child’s first day of school is essential as children will pick up on any negative emotions that parents may be experiencing. Adopting a positive mindset which includes remaining calm and confident are key to preparing your child for transitioning to his new environment.

Parents also need to be prepared for separation anxiety, which is a common occurrence in children when they become fearful and nervous when away from home or separated from a loved one -- usually a parent or other caregiver -- to whom the child is attached. Some children also develop physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach aches, at the thought of being separated. The fear of separation causes great distress to the child and may interfere with their normal daily activities, such as going to school or playing with other children.

With the end of summer approaching, parents are beginning to think about how they can best support their child's first day of school. There are a few simple things parents can do in advance of the first day to help make their child's transition to the school year that much smoother.

1. Visit the school or classroom before the first day. Many schools have orientation days or open houses that allow children to see their classroom, meet their teacher and visit the playground before they start school.
2. Read good books about starting school. Literature is a great way to prompt a discussion about going off to school.
3. Talk to your child about his feelings about school, friends, teachers, and new activities.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice! Learning how to get ready each morning for the trip to school takes time and practice. It's helpful to practice this before the actual first day. Pretend it's a school day, and go through the steps of getting up, dressed, fed, and out the door in time.
5. Rehearse self-help skills such as dressing, un******ng, and hand-washing. Your child will feel more confident when she's asked to do these things at school.
6. Go shopping. Back-to-school clothes and items are popular with little kids. It's not too early to start the ritual of shopping for special school clothes, supplies, lunch boxes and backpacks.

Parents must also be prepared that if their child does well on the first day it's no guarantee that their child is completely settled in at school. Some children will walk right into preschool as happy as can be on their first day. But then, out of nowhere, a few weeks into the school year, your child may start to cry when you leave. This is a normal response and very common, especially among preschoolers. The novelty of school has worn off, and your child realizes that she isn’t with you. Keep bringing her to school and dropping her off as per the teacher’s instructions. Parents need to be acknowledged and reassured by teachers that with time, this too will pass.

18 Tips for Overcoming Separation Anxiety on the First Day of Preschool Entering a new environment can be scary for preschoolers. Find out how to overcome separation anxiety for a happier first day of school.

“I do think that some of the credit for the willingness to go on your own interests, you can tie that back to Montessori education".
-Sergey Brin, Co-founder of Google

“Montessori taught me the joy of discovery".
-Will Wright, creator of ‘The Sims’ video game

Many teachers, administrators and parents in the world of Montessori are often asked the question "What is Montessori?". Many find it a difficult question to answer in detail as the true nature of Montessori is better understood and more apparent through observing children interacting in their Montessori environment.

So what is Montessori education in a nutshell......

Montessori is child-centred education designed to help all children reach their fullest potential – at their own pace. Its real-world approach inspires a love of learning and promotes the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation for future academics.

The curriculum allows children to experience the joy of learning and gives children time to enjoy the process. This joy of learning enhances the development of self-esteem, and provides the experiences from which students create their knowledge through self-guided learning. For self-directed learning to take place, the whole learning environment – classroom, materials, social setting and atmosphere – must support the child.

Montessori supports the development of skills that are part of the learning process. Unlike conventional education, it doesn’t rely on the memorization of facts, but mastering the learning process for use in all areas of study and in life. Children learn “at their own pace" in a prepared Montessori environment that supports the development of concentration, self-regulation and confidence in children, all of which benefit them later in life

Teacher Talk: Misconceptions and the Elevator Speech It's an old game in Montessori teacher education programs: can you give your "elevator speech about Montessori," that brief explanation of what we do that could fit into the length of time it takes for your elevator to reach its floor? Most of us have the basics down: Montessori is a child-centered,...

"It's hard to remember when our kids are bored that we don't need to rescue them, rather we can just let them be bored. And see what a beautiful place their boredom will take them."
-Unknown

Boredom in children is common and something that every parent, teacher and adult tries to avoid. We’ve all heard the old saying "an idle mind is the devil's workshop". So we expend time, energy and money trying to ensure that our child’s mind doesn’t become the devil’s place of business. But many adults fail to realize that it is actually good for kids to experience boredom.

Research shows that constructive boredom in children is essential to their mental and emotional development. Children do, however, need the guidance of parents or other adults if their boredom is to be constructive and lead to creativity. Boredom encourages imagination and helps develop a child's problem-solving skills and sense of identity. When children are left to their own devices, they're forced to be more creative and imaginative in finding ways to amuse themselves. Children need to learn to take initiative and think of ways to occupy themselves that are not dictated by someone else.

How adults respond to a child’s complaint of boredom is key to determining a positive outcome and proper management of feelings of boredom going forward. By helping your child view boredom as an opportunity to be creative and do something that will benefit them, you are aiding them in the development of essential life skills.

Read more on the benefits of children experiencing boredom:

The Benefits of Boredom With summer activities cancelled, kids are complaining that they're bored. But dealing with more free time can teach them important skills.