Shelf Help

By Nicole Kavanaugh

Education Kids & Family

What's Shelf Help about?

Parenting is tough these days; it can feel even harder when you're doing it alone. That's why we're here - this is Shelf Help, where Montessori and parenting meet. Join Nicole Kavanaugh, Amy Dorsch, and friends to chat about Montessori, kids, mom life, and all the joy in between.

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LAST EPISODE

Honoring the Secret of Your...

01.30.2023

Parents love their children intensely and that love often leads us to question our children's behavior, intentions, and interests. This week, Nicole and Amy discuss a Montessori quote about probing a child for their "secret." As Montessori parents, we explore ...

Shelf Help episodes:

01.30.2023 Honoring the Secret of Your Child - Season 3 Episode 9 Parents love their children intensely and that love often leads us to question our children's behavior, intentions, and interests. This week, Nicole and Amy discuss a Montessori quote about probing a child for their "secret." As Montessori parents, we explore ...
01.23.2023 When Parenting is Boring - Season 3 Episode 8 Often we think about parenting as joyful, busy, and interesting but the truth is that parenting can be just down right boring. On this week's episode, Nicole and Amy are talking about the boredom that they sometimes feel as Montessori ...
12.12.2022 Reflecting on Our Montessori Year - Season 3 Episode 7 In our last episode for 2022, Nicole and Amy reflect on 2022 and their unique relationships with using Montessori at home. We share how Montessori has supported, changed, and challenged us this year. Plus, a look at how we hope ...
12.05.2022 Preparing the Environment for a Holiday - Season 3 Episode 6 Come make a Waldorf star with us while we chat about preparing our homes for the holidays! In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy are sharing practical ways that they prepare their homes for practical life work, extra toys, new ...
11.28.2022 Learning About Bodies - Season 3 Episode 5 This episode contains the anatomical names of human bodies and a discussion about sexual education. In this week's episode we continue our conversation on body learning with our children. We discuss how we approach sex, pregnancy, and other aspects of ...
11.14.2022 Teaching Consent - Season 3 Episode 4 Teaching consent and bodily autonomy is extremely important to keep our children safe. In this episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how we, as Montessori parents, approach consent from birth and how that changes as our children grow older. Our discussions ...
10.31.2022 How We Choose Holiday Gifts - Season 3 Episode 3 It's officially the holiday season! With the upcoming holidays, Nicole and Amy are sharing their processes for thinking about gifts in their Montessori homes. We discuss how we observe our children, determine what types of materials might fit their needs ...
10.24.2022 Chores in the Second Plane - S3 Ep2 In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how chores look in their Montessori homes, particularly in the second plane of development. With a focus on connection, empathy, and consistent expectations we can invite our children to participate practically in ...
10.17.2022 We're Back! - Season 3, Episode 1 After a sudden break in our Montessori parenting podcast after a life altering summer, Amy and Nicole are back! In this week's episode we are reintroducing ourselves. Come learn about Nicole and Amy and catch up on their lives over ...
07.25.2022 Montessori Parenting when Everyone Is Sick - Season 2 Ep 24 Amy and Nicole have been dealing with sick children the last few weeks. In this week's episode, we talk about how we approach sick children as Montessori parents. This conversation includes how we relax our parenting expectations, how we prepare ...
07.18.2022 Being the Child's Advocate in Social Spaces - Season 2 Episode 23 It can be a challenge to navigate social spaces with children. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about all the ways that they advocate for this children in public. Whether the interaction is with between two children, between ...
06.20.2022 A Listener Q&A - Season 2 Episode 22 In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy answer listener's Montessori questions. This episode includes a lot of different topics including tummy time, cursive learning, phones and screens and routines. There's a little bit of something for everyone here! Show Notes: ...
06.13.2022 Following the Child in Public - Season 2 Episode 21 Children are meant to exist in the world - not just their homes. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how they prepare themselves and their environments to take their children into public. We review our mindsets, the limits ...
05.30.2022 Making Plans for Summer - Season 2 Episode 20 For many parents, summer break is here. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy break down some of their summer routines, schedules and plans for their Montessori families. We include a little insight into how we balance scheduled outings, free ...
05.23.2022 Siblings and Shared Bedroom - Season 2 Episode 19 In this week's episode we continue our mini-series on Montessori siblings by chatting about shared bedroom spaces and routines. Nicole and Amy discuss their routines around sleeping and shared bedrooms, bedtime, and what they include in their shared bedroom spaces. ...
05.16.2022 Sibling Relationships from Birth - Season 2 Episode 18 Welcoming a new baby is such an exciting time for you and for your older children. There are lots of feelings - both happy and negative - when a new baby comes into your home. In this episode, Nicole and ...
05.02.2022 Navigating Sibling Relationships - Season 2 Episode 17 It can be so beautiful watching your children develop relationships with one another as they grow. However, it's not always a peaceful process. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how Montessori influences their parenting decisions when it comes ...
03.21.2022 Caregiving Routines for Babies - Season 2 Episode 16 If we let them, caregiving routines with babies can be approached as a chore for the parent. Instead as Montessori parents, we want to make caregiving routines a point of connection between us and our children. In this episode, Nicole ...
03.14.2022 Having Hard Conversations with Children - Season 2 Episode 15 There is a lot of turmoil and uncertainty around the world. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy share their experiences of having difficult conversations with their children including conversations around war. Show Notes: https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2022/03/hardconversationswithchildren.html
02.28.2022 A Montessori Child Q&A - Season 2 Episode 14 Amy and Nicole have eight children between them. In this week's episode, four of their children - Henry, Charlotte, Nora, and Gus - join the podcast to answer questions about being Montessori kids. They talk about screen time, how they ...
02.21.2022 Some Wisdom from Dr. Montessori - Season 2 Episode 13 Maria Montessori shared so much wisdom with the world through her books, articles, and lectures. Even in 2022, there are so many parenting lessons we can get from her words. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy share some quotes ...
02.14.2022 Montessori Parenting with Amy and James - Season 2 Episode 12 In this episode Amy invites her husband, and parenting partner, James to the show. They talk about their Montessori parenting journey including why they decided to use Montessori as the foundation of their parenting. They share some of the tutorials ...
02.07.2022 Acknowledging the Challenges of Parenting - Season 2 Episode 11 Parenting is difficult, especially in today's world. While Montessori provides us a lot of useful tools, it doesn't eliminate all parenting challenges. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy acknowledge some of the very real parenting challenges that they face ...
01.24.2022 Montessori Water Work and Play - Season 2 Episode 10 In Montessori environments there are so many amazing practical life opportunities when children have access to water. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how to make water accessible to young children for both work and play. We include ...
01.17.2022 Montessori Essentials for Feeding and Weaning - Season 2 Episode 9 Starting solids can be a stressful time for some parents. There is a lot of advice surrounding food available and it can be difficult to determine what will work best for each family. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy ...
01.10.2022 Must Haves for Montessori Babies and Toddlers - Season 2 Episode 8 Welcome back to Shelf Help in 2022! In this week's episode Nicole and Amy discuss some of our favorite baby and toddler products and ideas in three different categories. We include our favorite practical things, play materials, and outdoor gear. ...
12.20.2021 A Year End Q&A - Season 2 Episode 7 We've come to the end of 2021 and our last episode of Shelf Help until the new year. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy are answering listener's questions in this Q&A; style episode. We cover a variety of topics ...
12.05.2021 Development of the Hand - Season 2 Episode 6 In her books, Dr. Montessori talks so much about the importance of hand development for children. Their hands are literally their instruments as they explore the world around them. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about the development ...
11.22.2021 Supporting Your Children Through the Holidays - Season 2 Episode 5 The holidays can be a difficult time for children with a lot of uncertainty, lack of routine, and lots of relatives. In this week's episode Nicole and Amy, talk about how to emotionally support your children through the holiday season. ...
11.15.2021 Cleaning Up - Season 2 Episode 3 One of the challenges that many parents face is the clutter and mess that comes with having children. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy address the process of teaching your child to clean up and restore work in a ...
10.31.2021 Weaning from Breastfeeding - Season 2 Episode 3 Every breastfeeding journey is very individualized. At some point, this journey will come to an end. In this episode Nicole and Amy are sharing some thoughts about Montessori and weaning from breastfeeding. We share insights into our weaning journeys and ...
10.25.2021 The Journey of Independence - Season 2 Episode 2 There are many myths about what it means to raise an independent child within Montessori circles. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy dive into the journey of independence and what it truly looks like in a Montessori home. They ...
10.17.2021 Welcome Back - Season 2 Episode 1 Shelf Help season 2 is here! Nicole and Amy are back with new episodes of Shelf Help to share more about their journey as Montessori parents. In this week's episode, we're reintroducing ourselves and catching up from the summer off. ...
10.04.2021 Puzzles - Episode 59 Puzzles are such fun Montessori friendly toys. While not every child will enjoy using a puzzle, there is a large variety of puzzles available that children might be interested in. In this week's mini-episode, Nicole and Amy share why they ...
09.27.2021 Transitional Positions - Episode 58 In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy are chatting about transitional positions - all the little movements that babies make between birth and starting to crawl and move. These movements are sometimes not given the time and attention they deserve. ...
09.20.2021 Stools Are the Unsung Hero of Montessori Homes - Episode 57 Every Montessori home should strive to give children as much independence as possible. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about one of the most useful ways to give children independence at home - with a stool! We talk ...
06.14.2021 Our Favorite Chapter Books for Kids - Episode 56 This week's episode is our first in our new mini summer series where we are diving into smaller topics. Today's episode is all about reading with older children, specifically reading chapter books. Nicole and Amy share some of their favorite ...
06.07.2021 Montessori Parenting Highlights - Episode 55 Montessori parenting is so full of joy and wonder. In this week's episode, Amy and Nicole are sharing some of their personal highlights and "ah-ha" moments of bringing Montessori into their homes. We hope this helps you take some time ...
06.01.2021 Safety in the Montessori Home - Episode 54 As Montessori parents we need to balance our child's freedom of movement with safety. We always want to make sure our children are safe and able to explore their environments. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy offer tips on ...
05.24.2021 An Intro to Grace and Courtesy - Episode 53 In a Montessori environment manners are approached differently than in many traditional spaces. In Montessori grace and courtesy lessons are used to give children the keys to unspoken social rules. In this week's episode we address how to give grace ...
05.17.2021 Montessori Terms You Should Know - Episode 52 In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about ten Montessori terms you should know when using Montessori at home. These Montessori fundamentals are important to understanding how children learn and develop. Nicole and Amy give examples of how to ...
05.10.2021 Is Montessori For Every Child? and other Listener Questions - Episode 51 This week, Nicole and Amy are tired from dealing with sleep regressions. So they play a quick game of Montessori true and false answering listener questions and assumptions. In this episode, they address whether Montessori is just for the rich, ...
05.03.2021 Montessori and RIE®️ for Infants and Young Toddlers - Episode 50 RIE®️ is a respectful childcare method created by Magda Gerber. With it's emphasis on intentional caregiving and predictable environments RIE®️ is beautiful. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss RIE®️ and how its principles are similar and different to ...
04.26.2021 Montessori Bedrooms! - Episode 49 Montessori bedrooms can look and feel a lot of different ways depending on a family's space. In this episode, we talk about how they have used Montessori to create their children's sleeping spaces. They explore the qualities that are important ...
04.19.2021 Screen Time Q&A - Episode 48 This week we return to the topic of screen time and answer some listener questions about how we approach certain screen time scenarios. Questions included how we approach sports, restaurants and traveling. Again, we stress that every family will make ...
04.12.2021 Montessori Baby Mobiles - Episode 47 Tiny babies can interact with their environment in so many interesting ways. The Montessori mobiles offer a variety of interesting experiences for babies to explore in developmentally appropriate ways. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about their experiences ...
03.22.2021 How We Approach Screen Time - Episode 46 Screen time can be a hot button issue for many parents. This week, Nicole and Amy approach screen time from a Montessori perspective. We discuss some Montessori principles that influence our choices to limit screen time with our families. We ...
03.15.2021 When Grandparents and Friends Aren't Into Montessori - Episode 45 As the world slowly reopens, many of us are looking forward to seeing family and friends again. In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy discuss how they approach family members and friends who may not be into or know about ...
03.08.2021 Food Struggles and Success - Episode 44 In this week's episode, Nicole and Amy talk about raising intuitive eaters and developing a healthy relationship to food. We talk about how we balance offering choice, providing structure, and trust when it comes to eating. We share some of ...
02.22.2021 A Little Shelf (Rotation) Help! - Episode 43 Themed shelves for every holiday? Weekly shelf rotations? Open ended toys? In this week's episode Nicole and Amy discuss toy rotations in their Montessori homes. We talk about how we approach toy rotations, themed work, and our rotation rhythms. From ...

Older episodes

Shelf Help

What's Shelf Help about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Shelf Help episodes:

Honoring the Secret of Your Child - Season 3 Episode 9

When Parenting is Boring - Season 3 Episode 8

Reflecting on Our Montessori Year - Season 3 Episode 7

Preparing the Environment for a Holiday - Season 3 Episode 6

Learning About Bodies - Season 3 Episode 5

Teaching Consent - Season 3 Episode 4

How We Choose Holiday Gifts - Season 3 Episode 3

Chores in the Second Plane - S3 Ep2

We're Back! - Season 3, Episode 1

Montessori Parenting when Everyone Is Sick - Season 2 Ep 24

Being the Child's Advocate in Social Spaces - Season 2 Episode 23

A Listener Q&A - Season 2 Episode 22

Following the Child in Public - Season 2 Episode 21

Making Plans for Summer - Season 2 Episode 20

Siblings and Shared Bedroom - Season 2 Episode 19

Sibling Relationships from Birth - Season 2 Episode 18

Navigating Sibling Relationships - Season 2 Episode 17

Caregiving Routines for Babies - Season 2 Episode 16

Having Hard Conversations with Children - Season 2 Episode 15

A Montessori Child Q&A - Season 2 Episode 14

Some Wisdom from Dr. Montessori - Season 2 Episode 13

Montessori Parenting with Amy and James - Season 2 Episode 12

Acknowledging the Challenges of Parenting - Season 2 Episode 11

Montessori Water Work and Play - Season 2 Episode 10

Montessori Essentials for Feeding and Weaning - Season 2 Episode 9

Must Haves for Montessori Babies and Toddlers - Season 2 Episode 8

A Year End Q&A - Season 2 Episode 7

Development of the Hand - Season 2 Episode 6

Supporting Your Children Through the Holidays - Season 2 Episode 5

Cleaning Up - Season 2 Episode 3

Weaning from Breastfeeding - Season 2 Episode 3

The Journey of Independence - Season 2 Episode 2

Welcome Back - Season 2 Episode 1

Puzzles - Episode 59

Transitional Positions - Episode 58

Stools Are the Unsung Hero of Montessori Homes - Episode 57

Our Favorite Chapter Books for Kids - Episode 56

Montessori Parenting Highlights - Episode 55

Safety in the Montessori Home - Episode 54

An Intro to Grace and Courtesy - Episode 53

Montessori Terms You Should Know - Episode 52

Is Montessori For Every Child? and other Listener Questions - Episode 51

Montessori and RIE®️ for Infants and Young Toddlers - Episode 50

Montessori Bedrooms! - Episode 49

Screen Time Q&A - Episode 48

Montessori Baby Mobiles - Episode 47

How We Approach Screen Time - Episode 46

When Grandparents and Friends Aren't Into Montessori - Episode 45

Food Struggles and Success - Episode 44

A Little Shelf (Rotation) Help! - Episode 43