Parenting Young Children – The Priorities

Parenting is hard. As much as we see and can support with evidence the effectiveness of our methods when it comes to both educating and working with the behavior of children in the age groups we support, we also know that adopting these methods consistently is difficult for parents. We are all passionate about our children and we also come to the table with biases, influences, and a lifetime of experiences that may have us convinced that trying different things is either unnecessary or doomed to fail.

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The Value of Free Choice

Making choices starts early in Montessori. As soon as an infant begins rolling on the floor in a Montessori classroom they are able to start making choices that direct what they will do next. While these choices may not be as conscious as the choices adults make, much of the circuitry used gets exercised in a similar fashion. As a child progresses both within and across the classrooms they make more complex choices every day. This self-directed learning is the beginning of a self-directed life. We consistently argue that a self-directed life is one the owner of that life will value more than if it is directed for them. So how is it that you as parents can ensure your children are building a life they value and developing the critical wiring they need to make the choices that will facilitate that life?

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