Resource of the Week: The Montessori Baby

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When making your baby registry, you probably came across a few suggestions for wooden toys or play gym options labeled ‘Montessori.’ But if you’re in the beginning of your parenting and haven’t had to think about schooling options yet, that might be where your exposure to the Montessori philosophy ends. Our Resource of the Week is a book called The Montessori Baby (affiliate link), by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike, which provides a beautiful introduction to how Maria Montessori’s principles can be applied even as early as conception. It is a great resource to read during pregnancy and to keep as a reference for future stages of your baby. If you already have a toddler (ages 1-3), look for The Montessori Toddler (affiliate link) by Simone Davies.

This topic spans a variety of decisions you might make, from toy purchases to how to start solids to sleep. Davies addresses many of these practical topics, but more importantly, she provides a framework for how to interact with your child. You will think about your child differently and build your parental toolkit from reading this book, regardless of whether you decide to follow a more formal Montessori education within your home or at school/daycare. 

The first Montessori principle that has stuck with me is respect for the child. Our little ones are born into this world as unique individuals, not some sort of extension of ourselves. How can we encourage them to explore their world without constantly telling them what to do? How can we gently guide them while also offering choices? The book starts to dig into these questions, giving you an overall reminder of the gift of your child and their emerging personality.

The second principle is observation. So often, we don’t actually take the time to see our child. To watch what interests them, what challenges them, what puts that giant grin on their face. We have so many distractions and thoughts running through our heads. Once in a while, it can be so helpful to take a few minutes to just sit and observe our child. This also helps us provide activities that build on their interests and are at their developmental level.

If you want to create an atmosphere of peace and cooperation in your home and understand your child better, we highly recommend picking up this book. It will help you refine your parenting approach, define your priorities, and likely help you make other decisions. And if nothing else, it might give you a few new ideas of how to spend that short awake time with your tiny baby!

BONUS Resource! https://themontessoritwinmama.com/

Emma, a certified Montessori educator, shares much more about creating a Montessori home, from practical activity suggestions to setting up your environment. This one will be especially helpful if you have twins, since The Montessori Baby does not provide much twin content.