Montessori School of Oakton

Our days can be pretty fast-paced. But when a child's world moves too quickly, they can miss out on some important growth. Here are eight ways we can support our young children by slowing down.

The Importance of Slowing Down with Young Children There is so much in the world to discover! And young children are trying to learn everything they can. Maria Montessori described an inner drive that every child has to explore and be independent. If a child’s world moves too quickly and to many things are done for them they can become passive an...

As our children get older, they need us to trust them more. This post reminds us about the power of being curious and that low trust can have a high cost.

The High Cost of Low Trust - Maren Schmidt ''My parents don't trust me anymore,'' said thirteen-year-old Steve.''Oh,'' I said, but thought to myself, RED ALERT. This wasn't going to be a regular sit-at-the-table-and-eat-pizza party conversation

Motherly shares 10 questions to ask to get your children to cooperate. These gems are worth printing and posting until they become habitual!

Montessori at home: Help kids cooperate - Motherly Montessori at home: 10 questions to help kids cooperate. Montessori is child-directed. Asking children questions helps them make decisions Category : Parenting, Child, Child Learn & Play

A Montessori early childhood teacher shares ideas for how to talk with your preschooler about their day.

My Montessori Journey A blog devoted to Montessori education with a little bit of this and that thrown in.

Just in time to celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday(September 26)
APPLE PICKING!🍎🍏
Hope to see you at the orchard!

Does your child need a boost of self-confidence? Here are 41 confidence quotes to inspire children, plus tips on how to use them.

41 Confidence Quotes to Inspire Children We've collected a list of inspiring quotes about self-confidence for your children or students.

Our Upper Elementary Students at the Columnar Jointing at Compton Gap on Skyline Drive. It was an excellent day!😊

Packing lunch doesn't have to be just one more parent chore. Taking the time to build routines that enlist our children's cooperation in the process really helps in the long run. And it's not that hard! Take a look!

Pack a Child's Lunch Montessori Style - Ideas & Insights Articles - For Small Hands There's something about lunch in a Montessori classroom...

On this day of remembrance, it's good to think about how to talk with children about September 11. Although this post is a couple of years old, it still resonates and is worth a read.

How To Talk About 9/11 With A New Generation Of Kids Students today have no memory of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, so this year's anniversary poses unique challenges for educators and caregivers trying to explain what happened and why.

Thank you to Woody’s Ice Cream Shop for helping to make our “Ice Cream Social” so delicious!🍦

An “Ice Cream Social”- A perfect start to a new school year!😊 It was wonderful to see so many AYM Families making new friends and having fun!!

We all know we need to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first, but it can be hard to remember in the busy rush of each day. Three mental health experts share how they prioritize self-care and the benefits they've seen with their families. With small steps, we can make it happen!

Self-care for parents How mental health experts with kids look after their own well-being

This Montessori mom offers practical advice and tools for how to get out the door on time (even with kids). She gives great examples and strategies to use, even when we experience challenges. https://themontessorinotebook.com/how-to-get-out-the-door-on-time

Even when our children get older, sleep is important! This post looks at how to create a healthy sleep environment for our school-aged children.

Creating a Healthy Sleep Environment for Your School Age Child School age kids function best when they get adequate rest. Creating a healthy sleep environment can help your child fall asleep more quickly and better avoid those too-late nights and early morning grumps.

Finding it tough to get to school on time? Here are 12 tips for mastering the morning routine (and experience less stress)!

A better morning routine for kids and parents Nail the right bedtime and morning routine and everyone will have a better day.

Today is more than just a day off! This helpful guide offers ways to explore the historical importance of Labor Day with our children.

How to explain Labor Day to kids: A script for parents - ParentsTogether Follow this script to explain to your kids the significance of Labor Day, and how people through history worked for the rights we have today.

Starting school after the summer (or for the first time) is always a big transition. Realistic expectations and good preparation make all the difference. Here are tips (for infants and toddlers through elementary ages) to help get started on the right foot.

Starting School Tips for a smooth transition when starting school from early childhood to Elementary

On this 153rd anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori's birth, we celebrate her legacy and offer thanks for her contributions to the world!

Happy Birthday, Maria Montessori. | Montessori Foundation | MFA | IMC Happy Birthday, Maria Montessori. by Tim Seldin | Free Reads, Maria Montessori, MFA ‹ Previous Montessori Town Hall Meeting: Our Role in Ending Systemic and Internal Racism Friday August 28th, 2020 Next › Adjusting to Life 2020-2021: Social Connections Outside the Home Related Posts Book Review:...

Happy Birthday to Maria Montessori!

As the school year begins, we often want to offer support to our children's Montessori teachers. Here are some ideas for how!

How can Parents Best Support Montessori Teachers? How can parents best support Montessori teachers? A resource for parents -- real Montessori teachers give their thoughts on how parents can support their work.

“Make new friends and keep the old…..”
So nice to see MSO parents connecting over coffee on the first day of school.😊
A special thanks to Kim Chin and Arpana Narain for providing the coffee and donuts!👏👏

Many of us grew up knowing the golden rule. A 2023 survey, though, finds that only 14% of parents teach their children the golden rule and over a quarter don't know what it is. Why is the golden rule withering?

Why Don’t Most Parents Teach the Golden Rule? A new survey finds that only 14% of parents teach their kids the Golden Rule, and over a quarter don't even know what it is. Why?

Tomorrow is the first day of school for many children. This is a very good reminder!😊

Separation anxiety can be hard on children, parents, and teachers. This post shares some helpful strategies for coping with the feelings that accompany the start-of-school separation.

Separation Anxiety and the New Montessori Preschool Student: Tips for Parents and Teachers We have a comprehensive number of tips and strategies to help Montessori parents and teachers with new preschool student separation anxiety.

You often hear us talk about freedom and responsibility. Discover three Montessori freedoms and how you can try them at home.

Discover the Montessori Freedoms and Try Them at Home Use the three core freedoms of a Montessori classroom to bring Montessori into your home. The freedoms include movement, choice and repetition.

It is okay to say "no" to our children. Read this post to learn why (and learn six alternatives you can use).

Why It's OK to Say "No" To Your Child (And What Alternatives You Can Use As They Grow Up) Saying ‘no’ to our kids isn’t easy. But boundaries are really important. Find out why you shouldn’t feel guilty about saying ‘no’ to your child.

It can be easy to incorporate Montessori practical life activities at home. Take a look at this post for ideas on how to include your child around the house, how to set up activities to make them attractive to your child, and how to simplify activities for your child's success. https://themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-activities

Caring for oneself, others, and one's surroundings is the heart of Montessori practical life. Take a look at this post to learn how these activities come to life for infants and toddlers.

Montessori Practical Life, Age One to Three - Care of Self, Others, the Environment - text The following is the text from this section of the 2009-2010 edition of The Joyful Child, Montessori from Birth to Three To see other sections of this publication return to: http://www.michaelolaf.com/JCcontents.html

Our little ones starting school is a big and important step in their lives. Although the transition can be hard (usually more so on us as parents!), a few simple approaches can set everyone up for success.

Starting preschool: How to handle saying goodbyes? Before the age of two, the child undergoes a series of developmental changes making them ready for a new social environment. Although the parents are still the most important people in their world, children now need an expansion of their social horizons: the experience of a peer group, of being soci...

We all know how addictive our phones are. But we don't often think about how our own phone use impacts our children. Take a look to learn more. Spoiler alert: there is an impact!

What Happens When You Use Your Phone Around Your Kids The more often parents are on their smartphones in front of their kids, the lower the children's emotional intelligence.

Struggling with naptime? This post shares the science behind naps, what might be causing struggles at nap time, and practical tips for dealing with nap resistance.

Why Naps are So Hard: How to Get Your Infant or Toddler to Take a Good Nap - Tender Transitions Naps are super important for children. Click to learn more about the importance of naps and get tips on how to get your baby to nap well.

Getting our young ones to sleep can lead us into some sticky situations. A Montessori mom who learned from her mistakes the first time around shares how she has approached sleep differently with her second child. https://themontessorinotebook.com/how-i-got-sleep-wrong-first-time

Sometimes parenting can feel so risky. How do we support our children without being helicopter parents? How do we keep them safe yet allow them to learn from their mistakes? This honest and helpful post is for all of us who are doing our best to be brave.

When parenting is risky I started writing this before my city was wrecked by a tragic school shooting last week. It feels strange to discuss risky parenting right now because parenting itself feels risky. For the past seven days, I have watched my children closer than usual and held them tighter. May this work of peaceful....

What?! Free toys!?! This post shares five free "toys" readily available, no assembly required, and no batteries needed. The author of Playful Parenting shares some great reminders.

5 Free Toys For Your Kids Unleash creativity on a shoestring (literally).

What do you do when you are at the park and your child gets hit? These three steps will help you (and your child) handle the situation with grace.

How to Respond if Your Baby Gets Hit: 3 Steps to Follow Discover Montessori parenting tips for toddlers: Learn how to respond if your baby gets hit and how to help them cope with the aftermath.

We are going to miss “Water Wednesdays”.😎

Success!😊

When we make a mistake with our children, we can model how to recognize and reconcile. Take a look at this post for the 3 R's of Recovery.

THE THREE Rs OF RECOVERY A Positive Discipline Tool Card It is much easier to take responsibility for a mistake when it is seen as a learning opportunity rather than something to be ashamed of. If we see mistakes as bad we tend to feel inadequate and discouraged and may become defensive, evasive, judgmental, or critical of....

Look what pulled into the Main Street Station- “The MSO Express”!!😊👏👏

As parents and caregivers, we make mistakes, too! Here is a guide for how to make amends with our children when we realize we've done wrong.

Making Amends The power of our example when we offer amends.