Mom-tessori moments: home teaching is HARD!!!

 I’ve been trying to do more intentional activities and exposing my kids (especially 4 year old H) to the many Montessori materials I have saved up from teaching. I taught in the classroom for 7 years before staying home.

Being in a classroom is hard. You have so many different children that you’re in charge of connecting with and helping to become the best little person they can be. No pressure. Oh and you have essentially zero control over the rest of their life and it has a HUGE influence. How much they sleep, what they eat, if they get enough cuddles, if they get a chance to run and play, etc.

So I figured it would be easier to introduce materials and practice concepts with my own children. After all, I’m the same person who pulled it off pretty well with a class of 20 and I also get to start at a younger age and work with them all day every day (not like in an overkill way but in a take advantage of opportunities way). Plus I only had 1 child to worry about really.

Yeah, totally wrong. Because you know, life happens. From one to two to three children and learning how to juggle that. From emphasizing outdoor and family time over sit down inside lessons. I had high and lofty dreams about how perfectly and deeply I would expose my children to all these lovely Montessori concepts. And I guess I still have time to get it “right” 🤣 with K but you know….

H is still learning his letters and building sound awareness, even though he’s put in way more hours (and miles!) biking in the woods.

And E adores practical life tasks and participating in all kitchen tasks even though I don’t think I’ve ever given her a direct lesson beyond peeling and juicing oranges.

I’m glad to have the knowledge and general path of learning but also I’m trying to accept that we’re going to be living our life as well.

That means some extra time watching Bluey and the magic school bus while we have a new baby at home. And maybe deciding that a nice weather window is worth throwing the whole days lesson plan out the window. Too bad H can spot a sneaky lesson outside faster then I can come up with it🤣