This week I’m bringing back to the podcast my dear friend, fellow parent, Montessori educator, and now author, Simone Davies. Simone runs a Montessori playgroup in Amsterdam called Jacaranda Tree and is the woman behind The Montessori Notebook—online training and resources for bringing Montessori into the home. She’s been on the show in the past to talk about strategies for staying calm in difficult moments, and again to discuss how we can set up our homes to foster more independence in our kids.
Today w’ere taking a big step back and talking about the Montessori philosophy—what exactly it is, why it can be such a good fit for differently wired kids, and how parents can tap into its approach to more peacefully and respectfully raise their children. Simone also has a book coming out in just a few weeks—The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being—and so today Simone tells us a bit about her book as well.
As Simone and I are close friends, this conversation is like many chats we’ve had over the years talking about parenting philosophies and approaches. So I invite you to imagine that you’re pulling up a chair and joining Simone and me for a cup of coffee to talk about how to help our awesome kids thrive. I hope you enjoy the show.
About Simone: Simone Davies is an AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Montessori teacher. She lives in Amsterdam where she runs parent-child Montessori classes at Jacaranda Tree Montessori. Simone is author of the popular blog, The Montessori Notebook. She is also mother to two young adults.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- What Montessori as an educational philosophy is
- Why Montessori classrooms might be a good fit for some differently wired kids
- The role of the parent as the “observer” or referee as an empathic, neutral guide
- How children benefit when we follow their interests and the way they are naturally learning
- How to set limits and handle difficult behavior
- The difference between “praise” and “noticing” as a way to build a child’s sense of intrinsic motivation
- How to use the Montessori approach when dealing with big and difficult physical behavior (hitting, biting, etc.)
Pre-order THE MONTESSORI TODDLER by Simone Davies before March 19 to get exclusive bonuses. Click here to learn more.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies
- The Power of Empathy and Staying Calm in Difficult Situations (podcast episode with Simone Davies)
- Setting Up Your Home to Support Your Child’s Growth (podcast episode with Simone Davies)
- Alfie Kohn on Practicing Unconditional Parenting (podcast episode)
- Author and Educator Julie King on Sibling Dynamics (podcast episode)
- TiLT Founder Debbie Reber Shares Her Best Self-Care Strategies (podcast episode)
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