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Dear Montessori Family Alliance Members,
Welcome to 2024! Thank you for being part of our international community of Montessori families! Join us for our weekly Tuesday Family Life Webinar Series and our monthly Wit & Wisdom: Family Chat Sessions. Both broadcasts are live on Zoom to facilitate conversation and community. They are free and open to anyone whether or not they have children in a Montessori school. So, feel free to invite friends and family. If you can’t make it to our live sessions, just be sure to open your Montessori Family Alliance account and get The Montessori App to view the archived recordings of our Family Life Webinars. If you are not sure how to open your account, ask your school administrator or send us an email at info@montessori.org.
I always get excited when the new year comes around. It’s such an adventure since we have no way to see exactly what is in store for us in our relationships, our work, or our world. One thing we do know for sure in life — change is inevitable.
This year, as every year, we will see and experience change, which will cause us and others around us to react or respond in different ways. Our children need us to help them learn to navigate changes in their lives.
Over 20 years ago, Dr. Spencer Johnson wrote a little book called Who Moved My Cheese? In this story, each of the four characters handles change in different ways.
- Those who look for change and get prepared;
- Those who spring into action and incorporate the necessary change into their routine;
- Those who don’t expect it and are frightened into inaction for a while. Eventually, they overcome their fear, let go, and get going;
- Those who are stuck in the comfort of the known and are left behind.
Since change is inevitable, here are a few ways to support our children as changes occur:
- Give them a warning. Life is dynamic. It never stays the same. Let them know that so they are not surprised when changes happen.
- Remember that you are their model for how to deal with change.
- Talk about and explore feelings about change: fear, excitement, frustration, adventure, challenge, anger, and pleasure. Let them know that those feelings are natural.
- Support their effort in dealing with new situations, their progress in developing coping skills, and their positive attitude and creativity.
I hope these tips help now and throughout the new year.
