Many have been asking me:
- My child is not interested in selfie
- My child wants attention and doesn’t let me work
- My child wants to play with phone and laptop
- My child wants to come everywhere I go and whatever I do
- I’m unable to teach my child or do any
The beautiful shelfies you see or I share is not the only way child learns.
We spend a great deal of time and energy on preparing Montessori-style shelves, when that is a small slice of the child’s day.
Our day starts together and he is with me 24/7 from the restroom to office hours. I try my best to observe, plan and execute activities or shelfies based on his interest and schemas. Many a times I fail to do all the activities juggling between office work, house hold chores n little one. There are days he doesn’t go to selfie at all or spend more time as I wish to so that I can get my work done.
Does that mean am I not teaching or he is not learning?
Children between 0-6 years must acquire language(s), coordinated movement, social graces, their personality and character because of their absorbent mind. They learn all these from their environment which includes us and the prepared environment for both of us. Most of our day is spend in practical life activities from potty learning, brushing, bathing, cooking, eating, cleaning and he sees me working too. I don’t let him create mess with my laptop unlike I do wait patiently for everything which is the boundary I have set for his independence. Though I do explain him that I can’t let him play with laptop as that would disturb Amma’s work, it doesn’t always work the way we expect. This tiny human shows all the frustration screaming and crying loud and there are times which goes beyond my threshold of patience. This is all expected and normal for any child.
The child learns more from the experiences and what they see “US” doing. I’m glad he sees how I’m managing between different tasks. Now I see him pulling over the learning tower when I move from stove to grinder and then immediately to the sink. Though he knows I won’t stay even the time he takes to move his learning tower, he does. Doesn’t this show his gross motor skills and the direction to move.
Montessori is beyond shelfie and the prepared environment designed by the prepared adult gives them opportunity to absorb and learn what they want to.
Joy of Jyo 