Home is the main environment for your children and, therefore, must be a "continuation" of the school's structured environment. Consistency and continuity are vital for every child.

I would like to share with you some tips on how we can increase cooperation from our toddlers, I know a challenge that many parents face it’s getting their children to listen to us. As a parent including myself, sometimes we can feel ignored, frustrated, or powerless with our children, the problem arises because adults and children are very different in many ways. 

Breakfast is a very important meal in the day, and we ask that your child get some form of protein during breakfast as they are expending a lot of energy during our 3-hour work period. Fruit is also important as it is a complex carbohydrate and will last longer than the quick fix of pop-tarts or other like items. We suggest eggs, whole grain bread or muffins, fruits, hot cereals, and yogurt as a good start to the day.

I’d like to share a few tips on helping our little toddlers be more independent with dressing and undressing at home. Our cold days are mostly gone, and we need to plan accordingly before we head out of our house, right? This is the perfect time to teach a child how to get dressed.

“I can do it myself.”

How can you determine if an independent learning environment, such as Montessori, is the right move for your gifted child? To assess, here are five characteristics of a gifted child:

• Shows Higher Than Normal Ability

Academic strength in subjects like math, language or science is significantly above the norm relative to their age. Their creative, artistic or musical talent is easy to spot when playing an instrument, dancing, drawing or solving puzzles.

Parents can guide children towards mastery by developing a ‘practice makes perfect’ mantra. Building persistence overcomes resistance…when you focus on these tools to build your child’s motivation. 

The Value of Giving Children Choices 

When children are given choices, they will ‘buy into’ tasks more easily. 
Here’s why:

One tool Montessori teachers use to develop students' social skills is 'noticing.' By using verbal cues, teachers can use their skill of noticing to encourage students to make intelligent choices due to noting a behavior they want to repeat.

"This skill is part of the foundation to the successful implementation of conscious discipline," writes Jenny Spencer, Author and Certified Instructor of Conscious Discipline®. "It helps us…build relationships as we encourage helpfulness in our students." 

Montessori said that the sensitive period for order begins at birth, peaks during early toddlerhood, and generally lasts until around age five. Characterized by an inner need for consistency and repetition, the child in this sensitive period craves routines and predictability. Included in this is the child's physical environment where everything has its place.

This month, we have been learning about self-care and taking care of others. Some of the things we are working toward are dressing, covering our coughs and sneezes, wiping our noses, cleaning our own space, putting our work away, and grace and courtesy. They are also learning to identify their physical needs and how to take care of themselves. Now is the time to offer the opportunity to learn self-care.