There’s a lovely quote by Maria Montessori: [quote]One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.[/quote] When we’re introducing prospective families to Baan Dek, we begin with a tour of →

Children are constantly being challenged. Growing up is hard work. Fortunately, children are more than up for the task. We think fondly of stress-free childhood, not worrying about things, deadlines, ruminating on mistakes, those adult-problems. →

We do not do time-out in Montessori. Time-Out, in the traditional sense, is adult-directed, a punishment, a band-aid on a bullet wound. “Time out” naturally brings to mind sports analogies, so here’s one. Even those →

Even when we try to do everything “right,” we read all the books and the blogs, nutrition and sleep are highest priority, we give age-appropriate choices and model emotional intelligence, things go sideways. Maybe it’s →

Remember how it’s a misunderstanding of Montessori that children get to do “whatever they want”?? If you don’t that’s okay, here’s a reminder, a post on “Follow the Child.” So, agreed, children don’t get to →

Sharing is so important. It’s a microcosm of altruism. Maria Montessori considered herself to be a citizen of the world. Travel is becoming easier and more common. We can literally see across the world immediately →

We’ve all had that feeling when everything just falls into place, when something is crystal clear, when there’s such a beautiful example of something that it kind of knocks you back. We had a moment →

The start of the school year is full of change. Changing schedules, changing weather, in addition to all the unique changes in a family. Maybe you moved, just down the street or across the country. →

Fall is just around the corner! The official start of fall is the Autumnal Equinox on September 22nd, but we’re already starting to see the signs of a changing season -- different weather, different plants, →

At the start of the year, there's so much enthusiasm for even mundane tasks. What am I going to wear?! We plan outfits for the whole week. A few weeks in, "not jammies" can feel →

Although we’ve been at school throughout the summer, camp is just a bit different. This past week was Back-to-School, and we’ve been crossing off the days, counting down to our absolutely favorite time of year. →

We find comfort in ritual. It’s part of the human experience, and it crosses culture, time, age. We have evidence of rituals in ancient Egypt, and surely the mystery of Stonehenge hid ritual long forgotten. →

It’s summer. Even when we love school (which we absolutely do!), summer still has this magical appeal. Maybe it’s the long days, maybe it’s the sunshine, maybe it’s sandals and swimming and sand, but it →

If parenting had a job description, “worrying” would probably top the list. From worrying about the what-ifs to wondering every three minutes if a child is still breathing (yes, they are. How about now? Phew.) →

We want children to be kind. It’s behind all our attempts to have children apologize, or adult-directed sharing. We want our children to exhibit empathy, to be Woke, to see Self in the Other -- →