Children truly are amazing creatures with incredible abilities. What they need is the space to express themselves and showcase their talents.
I get it; mornings can be a real whirlwind, and finding time to make breakfast for yourself, let alone your kids, feels like a mission impossible.
But hey, here’s an exciting thought – what if I told you that you can say goodbye to the daily breakfast hustle?
I know it might sound too good to be true, and you might be a bit skeptical, but I promise it’s worth exploring. Let me explain!
After reading this article, I promise you’ll feel the same way, even if you have very young kids at home. I speak from experience as a parent of a toddler who can now make a simple breakfast almost entirely by himself. And the best part? He really enjoys it!
Engage Your Kids in Household Chores for a Happier Home
Are you tired of feeling like you’re the only one responsible for household chores? Well, in this article, I want to share a secret with you – you can start trusting your children more and involve them in light household tasks like vacuuming, washing the floor, washing the dishes, or even preparing food. So you don’t have to be the one preparing breakfast for kids all the time.
To give you a little inspiration, I’ve attached a cute video of my 21-month-old son preparing fruit yogurt for breakfast. It’s amazing how capable young children can be with a little guidance and trust.
Montessori Parenting Made Simple: Empower Kids, Create a Prepared Environment
Perhaps you’ve heard of “Montessori pedagogy” or “Montessori education,” which centers around the idea of “Help me, do it myself.” But don’t worry if you haven’t had the chance to dive into the theory behind it all. In this article, I’ll share practical tips for implementing this approach at home, even if you don’t have the time to read dozens of parenting books. Get ready to empower your children and lighten your load!
The Montessori approach to parenting emphasizes the importance of creating a prepared environment for your children. This means giving them access to the tools and utensils they need for everyday life, such as cups, plates, and utensils that are appropriately sized for their little hands.
Promoting Independence
Spills are a common occurrence when young children are involved, but the Montessori approach encourages a different reaction from parents. Let me give you two examples of how parents might respond to spills.
Let’s say your child accidentally spills water on the table. The reaction of a typical parent might be to exclaim in frustration or make a remark like, “Oh no, not again! This will never end.”
The parent may then proceed to clean up the mess in an irritated manner, saying something like, “Now, pay attention. I don’t want to be cleaning all day. Just be more careful next time, okay? After all, we’ve got things to do and places to go, right sweetie?”
It’s understandable to feel annoyed by spills, but the Montessori approach encourages a different response that empowers your child and fosters independence. Keep reading to find out how.
The Montessori Approach to Spills
Imagine your child spills water on the table. The Montessori approach encourages a different reaction from parents.
Instead of getting upset or cleaning up for the child, a Montessori parent might remain silent and observe their child’s reaction. In this scenario, the child gets up, grabs a rag that is hung at their height on a hook near the sink and starts wiping up the spilled water.
Once finished, the child returns the rag to its place and continues eating. The parent remains silent, allowing the child to take responsibility for their actions and develop independence.
This approach may seem unconventional, but it’s all part of the Montessori philosophy of fostering self-reliance and respect for one’s environment.
This way, you can soon enjoy a beautiful morning without hungry and nervous kids screaming around you demanding their breakfast.
Do the examples we’ve given so far sound familiar? Does the Montessori approach seem too sci-fi or impractical?
We understand that being a parent is incredibly challenging – it’s a role full of responsibilities and endless tasks that often leave us sleep-deprived and short on time for ourselves.
Empowering Children
Imagine this: what if you could let your children take on more responsibility and observe them while enjoying a peaceful cup of coffee? It may sound like using children as labor, but that’s not the Montessori philosophy at all.
Instead, the Montessori approach is about empowering children to take ownership of their environment and develop independence.
It’s a way of guiding children to become self-reliant and confident individuals who can contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.
Keep reading to learn more about how to apply these principles in your daily life and not have to prepare breakfast for kids every single morning.
It’s amazing how much children enjoy doing housework. They see us doing it and as their role models, they want to imitate us. And guess what?
We can actually use their help! Not only do we give them a chance to improve their skills, but we also get some free assistance with the chores.
Children want to feel like they’re part of the family. By giving them a broom, a whisk with a spatula, or a knife (if you think it’s safe and appropriate, following the Montessori style), they can have fun and feel important by helping out with the household tasks.
We, as adults, tend to view housework as a burden. We often find it unpleasant and try to get it over with as quickly as possible. But what if we could change our perspective and involve our children in the process?
To children, these activities are fun and fulfilling. They approach them with enthusiasm, and you can often see them sweeping perfectly. However, at times, they might joyfully dump the contents of the shovel on the ground, only to start again with renewed excitement.
It’s all part of their playful nature and an essential part of the learning process.
Embracing their curious and playful spirit allows them to explore and develop important skills in a joyful and engaging way. So, don’t be discouraged by the occasional mess – it’s a sign that they are actively learning and enjoying every moment of it!
Tiny Sous Chefs: Unleashing Culinary Superstars with a Dash of Montessori Magic!
If you’ve ever had your kids messing around in the kitchen while you’re trying to cook, and you’ve shooed them away with a dismissive, “Go play, mommy has to cook lunch,” this is the perfect opportunity to change your approach.
We totally get it – it can be frustrating when your little ones want to join in on the kitchen action while you’re cooking. But here’s a game-changing idea: instead of sending them away, why not invite them to be your kitchen helpers?
Embracing their enthusiasm and involving them in the cooking process can turn chaotic moments into fun and meaningful experiences for the whole family.
Plus, it’s a fantastic way to bond and nurture their curiosity about food and cooking. So, the next time they want to join you in the kitchen, consider saying, “Come on in! Let’s cook together!” You’ll be amazed at the joy and pride they’ll feel while being your little sous-chef.
Take a moment to give your children a task to do with you. Whether it’s mixing, pouring water into a pot, or setting the table, they’ll be excited to help, and with a little practice, they can really make a difference.
Of course, it’s important to consider your child’s age and motor skills. You can always adapt the task to make it simpler or have your child do only the parts they’re ready for.
For example: A simple bowl of yogurt and fruit. If they are quite young just start out by showing your toddlers how they can help organize the ingredients and utensils.
Let them grab the bowl, spoon, and chopping board out of the cupboard then the yogurt pot and their favorite fruit from the fruit bowl.
Let your little ones dollop out a couple of big spoonfuls of yogurt, a small handful of berries and a sliced banana. If your kids are a bit older this is a great opportunity to teach them how to use a knife in a safe environment.
This is my favorite Montessori cutting knife, ideal for little hands.
In this way, you can find opportunities for your child to participate in almost every household task. The more you involve them from an early age, the quicker they’ll perfect their skills and become more independent.
Imagine the day when you can relax, sip your morning coffee, and let them handle small spills and accidents with confidence. Trust me, it’s absolutely worth the effort!
So, let’s embrace the Montessori approach and watch our little helpers flourish, making our homes a place of joy, learning, and shared responsibilities.
And now the promised video of my son making breakfast.
Conclusion: Tiny Helpers, Big Coffee Breaks: Embracing Kids in Kitchen Chaos for Ultimate Convenience!
In this article, you have read about how to achieve the child’s independence and at the same time reduce the amount of work at home.
Now you know that children are excited about housework, which is not always the case with adults. They want to do the same thing they see us doing. So from now on, when they come to our kitchen and want to help, we will create the conditions for them to do so.
You will never send them away to play again, but you will give them the opportunity to share in the household chores and you can enjoy your morning coffee wondering why you didn’t start doing this sooner.
This way, you will get great helpers and more time for yourself, and in no time at all they will be making breakfast by themselves. It means no more thinking about breakfast for kids ideas. Let them do the thinking too.
Try out the new tactic at home if you have picky eaters. The kids can prepare food or simple meals themselves. Now there is a much better chance they will eat it all at once. No fighting needed!
Finally, a great tip I would like to mention is, ideally, you will provide the children with home aids in mini form. That is, in a size that fits in their hands and will be easy for them to handle.
You can find such utensils easily, but if you are interested in a Montessori cutting knife for toddlers, you can find it here.
I’d be very interested in what chores your kids love! I look forward to your comments.
