As parents, it isn’t always easy to know how to encourage your children to do their very best. It is a problem that even those who teach through “life lessons” may have to deal with at some point. What you may not realize is that encouraging your child is not all about the things that you may buy for them. It is more about celebrating their successes by preserving and showing off their achievements. Therefore, many moms are sealing memories into furniture using a DIY project that will truly stand the test of time.

Why Preservation Matters

Children of all ages enjoy feeling that you appreciate their efforts. A child who colors a pretty picture in a coloring book and then hears praise will work harder to create a better picture in the future. If you take that same colored page and hang it on your refrigerator where everyone who enters your home may see it; the child will work even harder to create something that they want to show off. It is a positive reinforcement that works in every aspect of raising a child. That is why you reward nice behaviors and ignore bad ones, celebrate good grades and encourage them to work on the lower ones and be thankful of completed chores without punishment if they fail to do others. Positive reinforcement isn’t about saying negative things to a child. Negativity, even if you are simply ignoring a good behavior, will impact children regardless of age. Preserving their beautiful works of art, even those that are not as good as you may want them to be is the best thing you can do for your child’s self-esteem. This will make them want to do better so that you will continue to show off their successes.

How to Preserve Artwork

Most every home has an end table that could be refinished or re-purposed into something new. Instead of a drastic change or sending it out the door, why not put it to use by using it as a display for your child’s creativity? You can use products such as East Coast Resin to preserve all types of creative efforts that have been put forth by your child. Seal their paintings into a table top or give them a work desk in their playroom with several of their most important drawings. If they do a huge poster in art at school using pastels, you can put it on a counter-top and cover it with epoxy to seal it in. You will not have to worry about the picture becoming damaged by anything.

Explore Your Own Creativity

As your child creates more projects, you may have to explore what your own creative mind can do. A clay statue or a favorite toy could be turned into a paperweight, drawings can become collages and more. The important thing is that you let your child know that those memories will be sealed in forever and cherished by you for all time. Then you can encourage them to create more projects out of more material and the two of you can work together on preserving them. They will make great keepsakes for your home, grandparents, and all others who care about your child’s success.

With Montessori learning, the experience is the most important aspect of early childhood. It is one of the best ways to ensure that gain a complete understanding of the world around them. It is hands on and becoming a part of the area that they live in. For that reason, we encourage parents to take their child out into nature where they can experience the “real world” for themselves. However, before you head off into the big world, there are a few things you will want to take along. Just follow our tips for packing the car and cooler for a summer trip.

Sensorial Learning to the Max

In nature, there will be numerous things for your child to see, touch, smell, and hear. You may also be able to find things that they can taste if you have a basic knowledge of berries and what is safe to eat. You can take your child out into nature during every season of the year and experience different things with each trip. You will be able to help your child look for animal tracks or help them to find bird feathers. You can encourage them to go on a nature treasure hunt. Searching for specific colored flowers, odd shaped leaves, twigs, and acorns can give them a bag full of treasures to look through even after they have left the woods for the day.

Things to Pack for Your Big Day Out

Your child will have the opportunity to explore when they are in a natural setting. However, you will want to make sure that you pack a few comfort items for them. If they have a favorite teddy bear or doll, it will be okay if they want to bring it along. They may learn by telling their best pal about the adventures they are having and about the treasures they have found. You will want to carry a small box or a bag for their treasures. You will want to carry a blanket for times when your child wants to sit down and rest. You could also pack a cooler or a backpack cooler so that you and your child can have a picnic when they are ready for a little break from exploring. There are coolers of all shapes and sizes so you can pack your child’s favorite drinks and snacks. You can see a variety of them by visiting Cooler Critic.

The Things You Can Explore

In a world of nature, it is possible to find anything. Most parents have the natural instinct to protect their child. However, you should allow your child to wander around and explore on their own a little. Keep them in your sight, but do not stay on top of them. If your child finds a treasure that they are curious about, they will bring it to you. If you see something that your child missed, you can show it to them. This will ensure your child has the ability to make the most of their day out. It will benefit you both and give you something you can talk about for days to come.

There is a huge debate over guns of all kinds; even toy guns. The thing is, virtually every child born will at one time or another pick up a stick or a broken toy and start saying “bang bang”. Kids are imaginative. They are curious. They pick up things off the television and from other kids. However, every time a child pretends to fire a gun, parents cringe and many begin to worry about their child one day becoming evil people. Is it true? Are toy guns appropriate for children or not?

In the Beginning; Kids and Guns

Back not so long ago, it was not uncommon for children to play cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians. To say that every child who played those type games grew up to become violent is crazy. It was seen as a game and the truth of the matter was; they were learning from it. They were active and outdoors. Many of those same kids grew up to become police officers fighting the bad guys. What changed to make it wrong for kids to be kids and fight off the bad guys?

Present Day Fear of Guns

When asked, approximately 70% of parents do not allow their children to have toy guns of any kind. This is mostly due to the fact that children are carrying guns to school and doing bad things. It stems from the fact that there have been children suspended from school because they turn their fingers into a gun and say, “Boom”. Policemen have made mistakes and not realized someone held a toy gun and shot them for pointing a toy. Fear is the root of our new idea that guns should never be in the hands of children. At Montessori, we do not necessarily agree with this idea. We feel that you can turn a child’s natural curiosity into a learning opportunity, even if they have a natural curiosity about weapons.

Teaching Kids with Guns

One way that you can take advantage of teaching with guns is to explain cause and effect. Talk to them about the difference between real and toy guns. Choose brightly colored guns that look nothing like a real one for smaller kids. Set rules about where they shoot it. Talk to them about aiming and targeting specific, non-living things. If they fire at you, tell them it hurts, even if it doesn’t. As they get older, explain that toys are toys, but that some real guns cause actual pain. Explain they can be deadly. Most kids do not intentionally want to cause pain to others. They will learn from you that respecting a weapon; even if it is a toy, is important.

Older kids can also learn from discovering different parts of a gun and perhaps even using a “real” air soft gun.  All guns have safety switches, triggers, barrels, and other features. Rifles have scopes like the ones seen here. Learning about the different features of a gun will teach your child about them and go a long way to keeping them safe.

Why It IS Important You Let Kids Play

Whether you have a home that has guns or doesn’t, your kids will discover their existence. If you do not have weapons around; that does not mean that your child’s friends will have a gun free home. Some parents leave guns under their beds or in cabinets. Would you rather have your child understand the dangers of those hidden treasures before they find them or have them wait to explore until they have a real one in hand? At Montessori, we feel it is best to have kids understand what they are touching when they see a toy weapon and understand that real guns should NEVER be touched.

Every parent knows that the secret to a child’s success often comes from them being on a good schedule. The routine will increase the amount of food that they are willing to eat when it is meal time, make it easier for them to pick up their toys after playing with them, and make it easier to rest. Resting is vital for children, whether they are newborn or school aged. If you are hoping to teach your children to be successful using the Montessori method of teaching; it is also important that you understand that the key to successful Montessori is having a well-rested baby.

Why Rest is Key to Montessori Success

One of the most important aspects of Montessori is playing to learn. A child who is sleepy will not be as focused on playing as they should be. They need to be alert and they need to be willing to learn how to play with any item that may be given to them. If the child is irritable because they have not been sleeping well, they are not going to want to interact with the items that they have in front of them. They will be more easily distracted by outside things and may want to lay on the floor rather than spend their time learning. All of this will make Montessori Learning less effective and may set them back more than you realize at first; especially if their inability to rest continues night after night.

How You Can Help Your Child Succeed

It is a proven fact that children can start learning in the Montessori way, even when they are
tiny infants. From the time of birth, an infant is learning about the world around them. They are gaining an understanding of how things work. However, the same is true about them; in that if they do not sleep well, they will not learn well. You can help them with this by giving them a quality crib mattress to sleep on. You do not necessarily have to purchase an organic crib mattress, but the quality does count. It should be firm enough for them to be able to rest safely, but it should also be something that they can rest comfortably on. For some of the most popular choices we have found Baby Comfort Authority as an excellent resource. If you can purchase a quality bed set for your infant, they will sleep better during the night and during nap times, and they will be more able to learn the things that will one day make them more successful.

It Is Never Too Early for Resting Well

Everyone knows that a sleepy two-year-old is not a much fun to deal with. They have increased tantrums and a general discontentment with everything. The same is true for both younger and older children. When your infant is sleepy, they get cranky. They will want to fuss more than play and interact with you. When an older child gets sleepy, they may want to kick back in front of a TV rather than play. A quality bed that is age appropriate will help, no matter what stage of Montessori Learning they are in.

One of the greatest things about Montessori Learning is the fact that it uses a child’s natural curiosity to build on. It enables them to explore the world around them without much interference from you, their teacher. However, even though it is designed mostly for toddlers and up; some say that you can start the same type of learning much earlier in your child’s life. Perhaps it is even possible to encourage learning from the time that your little one is born. This is making people ask if it is possible to start even earlier with Montessori learning.

Understanding the Learning Process

From the time a baby is born, they are learning about the world around them. Even before you infant can crawl across the floor, they are exploring. They are learning by touch, by taste, by sound, smell, and sight. Their five senses are being put to use. Everything is new and exciting. As a parent, your role in this early learning phase is extremely important. The more time you spend with them, showing them the world; the faster they will begin to put the pieces that they know together. This is one of the main reasons parents are trying to find more ways to encourage even their tiniest infants to feel more confidence in their security.

How Parents Are Expanding Horizons

It has been proven that a baby carrier can increase an infant/parent bond from an early age. We already know that a baby who is being carried in a safe cocoon where they can hear their mommy’s heart will feel less stressed out by the activities goin g on around them. This is the goal of Montessori Learning and therefore seems like a perfect way to start the learning process earlier.

By using a baby carrier or a baby carrier for twins, your little one can be held safely by you while watching as you go about the chores you have to do daily. They can become more a part of shopping trips or long walks in the park. You can cover their head to protect them if they begin to get scared or sleepy and allow them to take in everything when they are alert and most ready to watch. At all times, they will know that you are there with them and that you are protecting them while they learn. Twins in a baby carrier are also going to gain important social skills that single babies may need to get from a mirrored image.

Learning Only Begins at Infancy

A child will learn best if they feel they are safe in their own exploration of the world around them. By using a baby carrier during infancy, you are creating a bond that is extremely special. As they grow from infancy and into toddlerhood, you can continue to use the
carriers. This will make it easier on you to talk to them about the world and the things that they are seeing, but if at any time, they seem to be overwhelmed by the activities; they can be shielded from it as well. As curious toddlers, you can let them run, play, and learn and they will still know that they can come to you for protection when the big ole world turns out to be a little more than they want to deal with. Can you think of a reason it wouldn’t work well with the Montessori learning program?