The joy of bringing new life into the world can quickly be sidelined by the inescapable dread that uncertainty brings. As parents we often worry about securing a bright future for our child, we work tirelessly and keep vigil contemplating what decisions we can take to ensure our child has the best opportunities to lead a fulfilling life.
It probably doesn’t help that society is becoming increasingly competitive. Before the child is even conscious of her being, there is insurmountable pressure for her to succeed and it is your duty as a parent to make sure she has everything she needs to make it happen.
Now let me clarify by stating, there is no one size fits all, no magic formula that will give you irrefutable certainty that your child will be successful. However, I can assure you that once you take this one step, you can make her chances of success a lot more achievable.
That one simple step that most parents don’t devote enough focus to is, BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION.
It seems simple enough, yet there are so many ways we can get it wrong. Every parent wants the best for their child but may not be informed enough to establish a firm platform as a springboard for future ventures.
The first six years of a child’s life are incredibly crucial in setting a strong foundation and determining the roles he/she will play in life. These early learning experiences have lasting impacts on the child’s development and lifelong learning.
The second six years of life are marked by intense mental and intellectual acquisition. Only a well-informed parent can understand and maximize this experience for the growing child whilst ensuring their independent conquest.
Montessori Method was developed and refined through a scientific method by Dr Maria Montessori as an early life educational system designed to cater to a child’s formative years.
A study by Angeline Lillard shows that Montessori pupils exposed early to a prepared environment are better prepared for reading, math and compose more creative essays than their counterparts in the traditional educational system. This is because the classroom presents all of life’s experience and guide the children with precision and concision of vocabulary usage.
So, imbibing the Montessori Method and practicing Montessori parenting will play an integral role in allowing your child to grow up with a strong sense of self and to be a capable addition to society.
How does Montessori parenting work?
Even if you can’t afford to send your child to a Montessori school, Montessori parenting encompasses raising your child with philosophies drawn from Dr Maria Montessori’s Method.
It essentially means following the lead of your child – allowing your child to take a safe and front role while you observe and remove all obstacles and prejudices from her path. This concept might sound a little silly but only the child can reveal to us her purpose for life. Prepare a safe environment for them, provide guidelines and give them the freedom to express themselves.
As a Montessori parent, your job is to do more observing than interjecting. Do not do for a child what he can do for himself like buttoning her dress, giving her a bath because it’s getting late, feeding her because she is not at your rhythm and brushing her teeth when she can, has shown attempt or cries to be allowed to do it herself. You should try to include your child also in your activities, let him play an active role in your daily schedule like cleaning the house, cooking, washing the car and mowing the lawn. Let him/her have time where he/she can guide his/her daily activities based on personal interests like drawing, building Legos, painting and making doughs in the mud kitchen.
A crucial part of traditional parenting that goes unnoticed but can have detrimental effects on a child’s development is trying to FIX the child. By fix, I mean telling them they are wrong or how they have chosen to carry out an activity is flawed. Show the child how to do it and let him learn through trial and error, slowly but surely, he’ll gain more confidence in that activity and correct himself to a point where he can comfortably complete that task all on his own.
Believe it or not, even children have egos that need to be nurtured and being told “You’re wrong,” will bruise anyone’s ego. All it does is, take away the learning experience and deprives the child of the zeal of properly acquiring those skills.
Most of all, children want to spend time with their parents. Taking time out of your busy schedule to devote quality time to your children will go a long way. Allow them to pick the activity while you go along with it, read the books they want to read, take a walk to places that interest them. When you do this, as a parent, you get to understand your child interests and play your part in helping him explore those interests to the fullest.
Now, I’m not outrightly telling you how to raise your child, even though Montessori parenting is founded based on the Montessori Method, no single parenting method is proven to be the best approach to parenting. What I’m trying to do is present you with a new perspective, a scientifically tested option for securing a better future for your child.