What is a Montessori Parenting Style?

Montessori School
Photo of author
Written By Poonam Singh

I am co-founder of toddlerjunction.com and Principal of Cambridge Montessori Preschool Bangalore.

Montessori is no longer exclusive to the classroom. You can adopt a Montessori parenting approach in your household.

Most parents are unsure of how to implement Montessori parenting techniques, yet it is an art that any willing parent can learn and practice.

This post will explain Montessori parenting and give you ten ideas for applying it to your parenting.

Learn how raising your child using the Montessori method can help you plant the seeds of Montessori in the world, from respect to discipline.

Read Here: Importance of Independent Play in Kids

Definition of Montessori Parenting

The Montessori approach to parenting incorporates concepts derived from Maria Montessori’s research and the well-known Montessori movement.

In a parenting approach known as Montessori, parents provide their children with care, comfort, and independence while also upholding sound limitations and dependable, fair boundaries.

Montessori Parenting Style
Montessori Parenting Style

The primary focus of Montessori parenting is on children’s need for play-based learning and their desire for responsibility. Maria Montessori exhorts parents in her book to support their kids’ drive to study and to step in only to provide toys and safe playtime.

Parents of Montessori children support attachment theory and allow their kids to develop on their own terms. There is a misperception that parents of Montessori children are permissive. However, authoritarian parenting and Montessori parenting are more similar.

Read Here: Montessori Materials Guide For Your Kids

What a Montessori parenting approach Is Not

Some Montessori instructors believe that young children would benefit from a constant home setting that employs comparable theories due to the educational system’s success.

The employment of parenting techniques based on Montessori principles by parents of children who attend Montessori schools is encouraged.

As a result, Dr. Montessori did not develop the Montessori parenting approach. It is not a method of parenting that is required.

However, remember that no reliable evidence supports or refutes the advantages of this contemporary parenting style.

How To Be A Montessori Parent?

Montessori Parenting Style
Montessori Parenting Style

The debate between Montessori as a pedagogy for education and Montessori as a way of life is one that you may have heard. That is accurate; neither should nor can your house serve as a Montessori classroom.

But there are many ways you can incorporate the Montessori style of thinking into your household and your parenting. Here are ten excellent methods to begin using a Montessori parenting approach.

Read Here: How to Practice Montessori While You Are Traveling

Follow Your Child

Children certainly do know what they want, even as toddlers. To practice Montessori parenting, parents must prepare and offer guidelines for their kids before letting them decide what to do and how to play. This gives children a sense of worth from an early age.

Taking your child’s lead might be challenging. But it’s a lot simpler in a well-prepared environment.

You can learn a lot about your child’s interests by maintaining an enticing, open play area well-stocked with toys, “work” materials, books, and chances for gross motor play. This will allow you to follow your child’s lead.

Child Safety

Montessori Parenting Style
Montessori Parenting Style

Montessori parenting promotes kid-friendly playtime. Make a play area where kids can enter and exit without getting hurt. This will give them more self-assurance and empower them to take charge of their own destiny.

Sometimes, your child is interested in learning a particular skill during development. These are referred to as Sensitive Periods.

Dr. Montessori thought we should try to accommodate and support children’s desires that are particular to these times. Here are a few delicate times to be aware of: weaning, movement, language, and potty learning.

Pay Attention

Observation is essential to follow your child’s lead properly and watch for critical developmental milestones.

In Montessori, observing involves more than just standing by. You must keep an objective eye on your child’s behavior to observe them effectively.

Parent-child Time

The tenet of Montessori parenting is that children only desire to be with their parents. Therefore, parents should try to spend time with their kids indoors and outside and pause to watch them play and explore their surroundings. Parents should stroll with their kids, dine with them, and play with them when appropriate to better understand their kids’ wants and needs.

Kids Desire

Montessori Parenting Style
Montessori Parenting Style

In accordance with Montessori parenting, children just require inclusion and participation in their parents’ schedules. Contrary to popular opinion, having good toys and good play spaces is not everything.

Parents shouldn’t place too much emphasis on what their kids should or shouldn’t do. Instead, they should include their kids in all their activities, including reading, cleaning, and playing, and allow them to participate in everything. The youngsters will feel wanted and cared for, strengthening their sense of belonging.

No Pricey Toys Are Required

According to Montessori, kids should have toys and games that teach them about the world. Maria Montessori ultimately aimed to empower kids with helpful life skills so they might become independent.

You can teach with any tool that your youngster can handle securely. This parenting style does not require your child to own pricey toys made of natural materials to be beneficial.

Use Appropriate Adoration

You’ve probably heard that it’s not always a good idea to say, “nice work.” However, why is that so?

The rationale behind avoiding compliments like “excellent job” is that they emphasize the end result rather than the process. Praise for a child’s final product deprives them of opportunities to grow intrinsic motivation.

Promote Emotional Intelligence

Montessori Parenting Style
Montessori Parenting Style

Many parents find Montessori to be highly fascinating because of its academic methods. But in Montessori, emotional intelligence is equally significant and appreciated.

One of the most crucial and straightforward methods for parents and carers to implement Montessori in the home is this.

Here are a few strategies for imparting emotional intelligence:

  • Express feelings
  • Recognize and discuss emotions
  • Cultivate empathy
  • Co-regulate and provide self-regulation techniques

Freedom While Maintaining Boundaries

Setting regular limits for your child makes them feel safe and comfortable because it demonstrates your ability to step in and exert authority when necessary. Children gain from being exposed to reasonable and consistent limitations.

At Montessori, we give children as much independence as possible while preserving their security and emotional health.

Honor Your Child

Many parents or caregivers find this to be a challenging notion. Many of us learned this lesson early on: “Children should be seen, not heard.”

But it’s now clear that this outdated way of thinking is damaging. As they say, “Know better, do better.”

Respect for children is a core Montessori principle. But what does treating a child with respect look like?

Discipline Is Important

According to this study, a child is similar to a blank container that needs to be filled with good things and optimistic thinking. Children who get excessive punishment tend to retreat.

If there is too much structure at home, it will resemble a jail. Instead, set limits and continually pay attention to the kids until they voluntarily choose to behave positively and desirably.

In Montessori, we refer to exercises intended to develop self-control as a discipline.


What is Montessori Parenting? – video

Montessori Parenting Style

Montessori Parenting Style – FAQ

What does Montessori say about parents?

The Montessori parenting style emphasizes the importance of parental involvement in the child’s education and encourages parents to participate in their child’s learning actively. Montessori believes parents should serve as facilitators of learning rather than teachers.
Parents should observe their child’s progress and provide guidance, but not tell the child what to do. Instead, parents should foster the child’s natural curiosity, creativity, and independence by providing a safe, stimulating environment and allowing the child freedom to explore, discover, and learn.

What are the five principles of the Montessori method?

Montessori parenting is an educational approach that encourages children to develop their potential through self-directed learning. At the core of this approach are five fundamental principles: respect for the child, observation of the child, an environment tailored to the child’s individual needs, freedom of choice within limits, and a prepared environment. Respect for the child means listening to their ideas and desires and respecting their choices.

What are the negatives of Montessori?

Montessori parenting style can have some negative aspects as well. Since it focuses heavily on children’s independence, parents may find it challenging to provide the consistency and structure needed to help the child develop. Additionally, the Montessori method encourages children to work independently, which may lead to a lack of social interaction with peers and adults.
Additionally, finding a Montessori school can be difficult and expensive, as not all areas have schools specializing in this method. Finally, because the Montessori method is so focused on individual exploration, it may not be suitable for children who need more structure and guidance.

Conclusion

To practice Montessori parenting, you need to combine logical and natural consequences. An excellent explanation can be found by clicking the link in the previous sentence.

In general, parents of Montessori children are adaptable and very respectful of their kids’ independence. An authoritative parenting approach is the Montessori method.

You can see that Montessori education is not limited to the classroom. If you incorporate these ten suggestions into your parenting, you will be well on your way to parenting in the Montessori manner.

reference
Montessori Parenting Style

I am co-founder of toddlerjunction.com and Principal of Cambridge Montessori Preschool and DayCare Kaggadasapura Branch. I am also a Montessori certified teacher and have 5+ years of experience working with kids.

Leave a Comment