Recently, I had a conversation with a friend I attended grade school with about an epiphany of mine.
We were both in the same class from preschool up until 8th grade.
For years, we’d talk about how our favorite class was and always will be our Kindergarten class. We would reminisce about the activities we did and the exploration we took part in. There were four of us in that class. Pure bliss.
We also agreed that the ONE year of Kindergarten greatly contributed to the creativity and love for learning that we hold today. I personally feel that, because of that ONE year in K5, I am who I am today. Yes, I feel that strongly about it.
There is something that didn’t hit me until a few days ago though. It hit me that our teacher prepared somewhat of a Montessori rich environment for us.
We weren’t forced to do activities that didn’t interest us, we had art work to look at and interpret, we were given opportunities to learn from older students in the next class, we weren’t forced to sit in desks all day, our materials were child-friendly, we explored different cultures and traditions, and we ventured into nature safely but freely.
Imagine if all students were given the opportunity to be supported the Montessori way. They were believed in and trusted. They weren’t compared to the adults, but considered separate whole beings. They were given materials and activities that interested them and quenched their thirst for learning. They were supported gently and allowed to move about freely.
Just imagine.
Montessori shouldn’t be a trend. It’s not fashionable. It’s not what’s ‘in’. It’s a common sense approach to learning and teaching. It’s natural and forgiving. It’s a cure for adult ignorance and a restrictive childhood.
#montessori #montessorieducation #montessorimom
Children are WAY more capable than we give them credit for.
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Often times, babies are considered small, fragile, and distant.
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Toddlers are considered curious yet scattered.
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Older children are considered inexperienced and dependent beings.
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Wait.
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They are truly capable and they constantly teach us lessons that we, as adults, have never been given the chance to learn. Often times, they are our teachers. And there’s no shame in that.
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I hear a lot of other parents (and I hear myself as well) saying things like, “I finally found myself after having my children.” “I am more mature now, after having kids, than I was before.”
“I never realized how I capable I was until I gave birth.”
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Children come into this world with a new perspective and that perspective is worth learning from. Their experience is new and unique, untainted by negativity, so they deserve the opportunity to explore the world around them without being labeled as small, distant, and dependent.
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Let’s give our children the opportunity to spill water from their cup, so they know what a mess to clean looks like.
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Let’s let our children dig in the backyard dirt so they can connect with this Earth.
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Let’s give them space so that they believe that they are truly capable.
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“We ought not to consider the child and the adult merely as successive phases in the individual’s life. We ought rather to look upon them as two different forms of human life...exerting upon one another a reciprocal influence.”
-Maria Montessori
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#parentingadvice
New on the blog: five tips for toy rotation 🧸
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Have you noticed that sometimes when you put all of your child’s toys out, they tend to pick up certain toys, put them down and then proceed to the next toy nearby? They don’t have the opportunity to truly appreciate an activity or the purpose of a toy. Instead, they feel a bit distracted or even bored.
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Click the link in my bio to read the five tips I give for successful toy rotation. You can also print a FREE blank rotation schedule that can be found in my blog post as well.
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Do you practice toy rotation? If so, what about rotating toys works for your family? 🧸
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#montessorimom #montessoritoddler #tipsforparents #parentinglife
What does it feel like? What does it feel like to be talked about as if you don’t have feelings? What does it feel like to be made fun of and you don’t even realize what you’re being made fun of for? Does it feel good to be laughed at because you did something clumsy or because you made a mistake while learning something new?
My child is active and curious. She enjoys exploring and learning, even if that means getting into everything wherever she may be. I’d previously apologize, and often times jokingly, to friends and family, saying things like “I’m sorry, my daughter is wild” or “I don’t want her ruining your things”. To summarize what I’m talking about, it’s the act of talking negatively about your child to others, even if you are joking.
To say your child is annoying, to apologize for your child’s personality, to make your child look bad for any reason is a big NO.
As parents, it’s our job to support our children, to guide them in whatever way they need. They are an amana (trust) to us. If they can’t trust that we will take care of them in every way possible, then who can they fully trust?
When I was in college studying elementary education, my professors would even often advise to never pass on negative information about a child to the future teachers of that child, to not dampen the reputation of a child before a teacher has the opportunity to learn about the child on his or her own.
We all make mistakes, but we also have the opportunity to change our ways if need be. I love my daughter with all of my heart and soul, and I’d give anything just to see her happy and safe, BUT I’ve fallen into the spiral of negative talk that many parents fall into. And I can’t do that any longer. Instead of apologizing for my daughter’s curiosity, I’ll teach her proper manners and allow her to explore in her own space. I’ll give her as many excuses as I can find before I complain about her behavior.
This is something that I’d like to continue to work on.
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“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.” -Maria Montessori .
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#momcommunity #muslimmom
New on the blog: 🍽 3 investments to make toddler meal time a success. 🍽
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It took me a while to find what works for our family in regards to getting my toddler to sit at our family table for every meal instead of running around during each meal, but we figured it out!
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On this post, I explain what 3 investments helped us make toddler meal time successful (finally!)
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What is one investment that you would recommend to other parents to help make meal times with your child go smoothly? Let me know down below! ⬇️
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Click the link in my bio to read my post 💕
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#toddlermealtime #toddlerlife #toddlerlifestyle
🌹Teaching your child to be genuinely sweet.🌹
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I know that we live in a world where growing a thick skin is almost a necessity, but there’s beauty in teaching your child what being genuinely sweet looks like. .
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A few days ago, I took my 15 month old to our local park’s playground. She is naturally active and also curious about what bigger kids around her are up to (and many kiddos are this way). She noticed an older child watching Little Baby Bum (if you know then you know) on her mama’s phone. My daughter is obsessed with Little Baby Bum, so of course she has to be a part of this moment by walking up to the little girl, with a big grin on her face.
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What happened next upset me to the point where I immediately left the park. .
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The mother walks passed us, scoops her daughter up, and takes her to another part of the playground.
No “Hi”, “Hello”, “Excuse me”...nothing. .
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How am I supposed to teach my daughter to smile and greet others when her greetings are not reciprocated? Just like us adults, when we say salaam (peace) to one another, sometimes being left without a reply.
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How is our world supposed to come together if we refuse to model and then teach our children about kindness, generosity, and love?
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The two ways that I teach my daughter to be genuinely sweet are by modeling what that looks like as much as I can and by teaching her to properly greet other children she sees.
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Do you think it’s important to teach your child how to be genuinely sweet? If so, how do you get them to learn this trait from you?
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#muslimmom #momlife #momlifeisthebest #momlifeisthebestlife #motherhoodunplugged #parenting #parentingtruths #momblogger #muslimblogger #atlantamoms #toddlerlife #toddlermom #toddlerproblems #toddlersofinstagram
Thanks to two friends of mine, I’m reliving the excitement of having and utilizing a planner. @simplyincontrol and @mommymuslimah5 .
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Way back when I was in school and then soon after (when I worked), my planner kept me focused and organized. After becoming a stay at home mom, I didn’t think having a planner was necessary (don’t think this way!). Boy, was I wrong. .
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Now that my daughter is over a year old, there’s so much to do and the possibilities are endless with our days. A day could either go wasted or successfully planned. .
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I’ve chosen to invest in the @passionplanner this year. I’m totally loving the way days, weeks, and months are laid out. And there’s much more to it than just writing down an appointment. I already feel a sense of focus and my goals are MUCH more clear. I’m going to be showing the awesomeness of this planner tomorrow in my stories. Stay tuned to learn about why I chose this one over others. .
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Do you have a favorite planner? What do you love the most about your planner? .
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#planner #passionplanner #passionplanneraddict #plannermom #organizingmylife #momlife #goalsgoalsgoals
