In pursuit of a parenting and educational direction for our girl, I’ve just started reading “The Child in the Family” by Maria Montessori. I am the most engrossed I’ve been in years by a technical non-fiction book. Her ideas feel respectful and wise. Here’s one, regarding how we tend to interpret as misbehaviour childhood actions that spring out of their love for adults:
“Yet who else weeps out of the intense desire to be with us while we eat? And how sadly we will say some day, ‘Nobody cries now to have me near him while he falls asleep. Everybody thinks of himself and falls asleep remembering what happened during the day, but nobody thinks of me.’ Only a child remembers and says every night, ‘Don’t leave me, stay with me!’ and the adult answers, ‘I can’t; I have so much to do, and anyway, what kind of nonsense is this?’ and thinks that the child must be corrected or he will make everyone a slave of his love!”
Montessori, The Child in the Family (1972 printing by Discus/Avon, p. 41)
Maria Montessori was an amazing woman. After I read some of her writings I immediately enrolled in a program to train as a Montessori preschool teacher. She had such heart and a rigorous education! (I believe she required the permission of the Pope to enroll in medical school) Paula Polk-Lillard has written some good stuff about Montessori too.
I’m inspired and motivated! I can see how much we would benefit from applying her approaches at home. I’m going to be reading lots more and (I hope and plan!) setting up learning opportunities in our home. Enrolling in a teacher training program … that also sounds like kind of a great idea.