Sonoma Parenting 101

A story about problem solving.

A story about...a mess!

A story about changing one's mind.

A story about friendship and team work.

A story about kindness and innocence.

In Sonoma County we celebrate the holidays when it is dark and cold outside. The season is filled with time to reflect and go inward. For young children we build traditions centered around the home life: Cooking, baking, decorating, singing, and crafts. It is a time to confirm our values and communicate to our children what is at the core of our celebrations:
All of us are meant to be happy!

The 3 year primary Montessori curriculum is a preparation for life.
The child develops a love for learning.
The prepared environment fosters independence and self motivation in the child.
The role of the teacher is to step back, assess and adjust.
This curriculum provides for concrete experiences (not for memorization of facts).
We allow the children to grow strong roots and we make time for exposure, practice and repetition for concepts in Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Cultural Subjects.
Mastery comes after the many processes.

Children need to be with children.
These skills are naturally being learned at this age: Saying good bye to mom and dad for a few hours, entering a new environment with unknown people (school), taking turns, sharing, entering play with peers, following instructions and directions, cooperative and dramatic play, gaining coping skills, waiting for short periods of time, initiating play and activities, walking in line, sitting and singing in circle time, talking and listening, applying oneself to challenging activities. 

Asking questions as a habit.
Asking questions to defer power.
Asking questions out of insecurity.
Asking questions to interfere.

Young children are probably the last in the group of humans who need a lot of stuff.
Be aware of the tendency to put a 'thing' in between me and the child.
To BE or the HAVE?

For seven days eliminate screen time for your young child. Observe how much better your child sleeps, behaves, eats and simply is happier.
Check out Victoria Dunckley's work.
Evaluate the food in a grocery store around the perimeter. Eat fresh whole foods.