"Alexa, play 'Ice Ice Baby', please," I stated politely from across the kitchen. "Ice, Ice, Baby by Vanilla Ice" {Take a listen below.} Bam. Oh, and because I love you, here is the little 90s gem for you. How I Use Alexa to Be a Better Parent My five year old snaps out of his grumpy mood. He can't resist the opportunity to "collaborate and listen". We start dancing around ... Continue Reading
Learn 13 Simple Ways to Decluttering Your Life
I feel like I am always in the decluttering process. As a parent and a teacher, I struggle big time with clutter. I know I'm not alone. Download my FREE Begin with YOU Simplifying Worksheet! Right? (Gulp followed by a whimper.) I want simple. I need simple. For lots of reasons. Can you relate? One of the main reasons Montessori attracted me immediately was her emphasis on neat and ... Continue Reading
Why Baby Food is the Answer to Making the Grocery Store Fun with Kids
Let's be honest, no one in their right mind enjoys going to the grocery store with kids four and under. I have the answer for you. Two words: baby food. Okay, two more: learning activities Let's be real, taking the kids to the grocery store is a reality for most of us. Time to take a deep breath, suck it up, and figure out a way to make lemonade out of lemons. The grocery store, ... Continue Reading
How to Create a Montessori at Home Environment that Your Child Will Love
Preparing the environment is a key tenet of the Montessori method. If you are a parent, your environment is your home. So, you have your work cut out for you. Definitely a more difficult, or at least different, task than setting up a classroom. There are first steps to bringing Montessori into your home that will help. Once you’ve simplified your home, you’ll be in a much better position to ... Continue Reading
Simple & Flexible Montessori Homeschool Schedule
One of the biggest questions I receive from readers is about routine and Montessori homeschool schedule. So, here is a glimpse into our ideal day. I use the word "ideal" loosely. I view my job as the creator of the environment and that includes with our Montessori homeschool schedule. I set wide parameters in a well planned environment. I use ranges in "planning" our days. So, there is a lot of ... Continue Reading
DIY Dry Erase Board
I can thank my friend, Carmen, for inspiring this DIY Dry Erase Board addition to our home 'command center'. Lately I have been a connoisseur, so to speak, of dry erase boards. Stop laughing. I'm not kidding. I've been searching for best practices in managing our increasingly busy life with three young sons. I've research routine charts, finding a combination of a few that worked for us (a ... Continue Reading