Awake Parent

March 14, 2012

Why Family Rituals Create Confident Kids

Have you ever noticed how young children like to do things the same way day after day? Let’s say you just happened to make a joke at the beginning of lunch one day, so they remind you of the joke every day for the next two weeks. Sound familiar? Or, you cut the crust off of their bread once, so now they MUST have their crust cut off every time.

It can be maddening, but it is also deeply linked to how a young child learns. Repetition is absolutely crucial to learning. So the desire to re-enact daily and weekly rituals is one way that children make sure they’re really “getting it.” read more

March 7, 2012March 7, 2012

What To Do When Toddlers Throw

Toddlers love to throw things, and why not? Throwing is fun and in our evolutionary past it was a crucial skill for young hunters to develop. Unfortunately for us, this urge to throw often comes out at the worst possible times and with the most breakable or dangerous items around. It also often happens when a child is frustrated, so it can be difficult to know how to respond. So what can you do if you have a toddler or young child who loves to throw things?

Redirection is the key to avoiding injuries to you and your child during the development and practice of throwing. Here’s what I say when Julia throws something inappropriate. “Ut oh, books (hard plastic toys or animals, forks, dishes, etc.) are NOT for throwing. If you’d like to throw something, let’s go get a ball or a beanbag!” to which she will often respond by happily running over to her basket full of balls, choose one, and throw it. read more

March 5, 2012October 7, 2012

First Montessori Cloth Washing Activity

I just used a plastic dish bin with about 2 inches of warm soapy water and this great child-sized washing board from Montessori Services I also got her smock there. We put a towel down on the floor in case of spills. My daughter happily scrubbed away at these dirty rags and when she was finished washing we hung them on a drying rack to dry. This was a fun and easy activity!

February 29, 2012February 29, 2012

A Case Against the ExerSaucer

I find it almost unbelievable how popular the ExerSaucer has become in American culture. Since when did we agree to put a huge piece of brightly colored plastic in our living rooms so that our infants will be entertained? I object to the ExerSaucer on so many levels I hardly know where to begin.

Besides being horrifically ugly and made of unsustainable petroleum byproducts, I object to the name. The first part “exer” seems to imply that a child will get exercise through engagement with the toy. However, all the children I’ve seen playing in them are actually moving their bodies much LESS than they would if they weren’t propped up in the huge contraption. read more

February 27, 2012October 7, 2012

First Montessori Spooning Activity

My daughter first showed interest and readiness for spooning at around 17 months old. I began with this easy to use spoon and large beans. I used a clear glass jar so she could see the beans and her spoon during the entire process. And I used a beautiful hand made ceramic bowl for her to spoon into as a point of interest. She loves spooning!