From nagging in the morning to the Montessori method
Whether it was putting on a jacket, washing hands, or brushing little teeth - the daily situations in which my child vehemently rejected me at the age of 1.5 to 2 years, and I heard the ticking of the clock getting louder, became more frequent. Soon it became clear to me: This can't go on. In my desperation, I turned to the internet for advice and repeatedly came across the same answer in articles, blog posts, and forums. M-o-n-t-e-s-s-o-r-i. What I read sounded plausible...
"Help me to do it myself!" – this is the often quoted phrase of the Italian physician Maria Montessori. At the beginning of the 20th century, she made it her mission to strengthen the independence and freedom of children in the learning process. Because she was convinced that children...
1. ...want to learn from intrinsic motivation.
2. ...are ready and open to specific learning content in so-called "sensitive periods."
Whether it's putting on a jacket or adding fractions: According to Montessori, it is the task of parents, educators, and teachers to give children the freedom to learn independently in a prepared environment, using special materials, what interests them in the respective phase – and that without unwanted and excessive interference from adults.
And while I was still reading (or rather, listening) more and more deeply into the subject, I began to integrate the first tips and tricks from the Montessori world into our everyday life. I was soon overjoyed to realise that a wardrobe at child height, a bathroom step stool and toothpaste that my child squeezed onto her toothbrush herself brought about major changes. As soon as I enabled my daughter to actively participate - within the limits of her mental and physical abilities - during the "sensitive phase" she was obviously in, she was ready to co-operate. I helped her to do things herself. Suddenly we left the house in a good mood, with brushed teeth and our jackets on and made our way to nursery on time(!) - a situation that had been impossible for me just a few days before.
And today? Over three years later – Penélope is now 4.5 years old – the answer in stressful times at our home is not "Oh, it's just a phase!" but rather: "Ah, this is a sensitive period!" Whenever we find ourselves repeatedly clashing in similar situations, I take a close look and try to figure out where the issue lies. I often come across a cause that can be eliminated with Montessori in mind.
However, Maria Montessori's pedagogy is not only useful to me as a "saviour in times of need". I also love using Pinterest-inspired Montessori tips to involve my kindergarten child in everyday life and come up with activity ideas. Through attentive observation, I quickly notice the current theme that occupies her mind, and I can then offer various options and suggestions in that area. Often, the colorful play materials from GRIMM’S are part of the mix. If you think this is due to my years of work for the woodworking company, you are mistaken. Instead, it was during my research on Montessori-inspired play ideas that I became aware of the traditional brand in my region and knew immediately: I want to work there. And so, the circle closes for me: starting with my (rightfully) nagging daughter, who motivated me to embrace Montessori pedagogy from intrinsic motivation, to the marketing department of GRIMM’S Spiel und Holz Design, where I get to incorporate all my personal experiences into daily work. Cheers to the not-so-terrible Terrible Twos!
