To Do List

There are so many things on my "To Do List"!  One of the items is to pay more attention to this blog of mine.  I used to post descriptions and insight. Now I post mostly photos. I used to post weekly sometimes even daily.  Now I'm lucky if I post once a month! It's not that I don't enjoy blogging, because I DO.  It's just there never seems to be time any more to "do it right" you know what I mean?  And, if I'm being completely honest, I have to tell you all something.  I used to think I was typing to strangers, sharing with people I would most likely never cross paths with.  I used to believe I wrote for other Montessori teachers and parents who wanted or needed ideas.   Now, 500 followers later, I know this is not the case.  In fact, I've met a good many of my readers and I'm told regularly that my blog helped a handful of parents in my local community, survive "the toddler years".

In one way it's flattering and encouraging to know your reaching people, helping people, comforting people.  In another way it's intimidating.  And there is something un-nerving about revealing so much of one's life that people you hardly know feel comfortable coming up to you at say.... the library story hour and asking you about your birth story or your spirited child's diet??  True story people. 

Then there is the fact that I left a job I loved, working for a wonderful Montessori school, to start my own in home preschool.  I've been given the impression that some people in my community (who sniff out drama) think there is MORE to this story than there really is.  That, since I'm being completely open here, is fricking exhausting! Look: People resign from their places of employment and start somewhere new every day.  There is no big dramatic story to tell.  If you want to know more because you care about me then ask ME, don't troll my blog for dirt.  Okay, there I said it. 

So, moving on.  I love this blog, I'm really proud of it.  When I started it years ago, blogging was new.  I was one of a handful of Montessori teachers blogging and it felt so exciting to be part of something important.  I really felt that way.  Also, I had a toddler and if I didn't write to all of you, I think like many moms of toddlers, I would have gone a little batty.  Connecting with other moms was paramount to my existence. 

And so I feel like I need to share all this and see if folks still want me to share?   Is anyone reading this blog of mine?
In PEACE,
Montessori Mama



 

St. Lucia's Day

 We made paper plate wreathes and with the circle from the center we made star wands!

 One of our student's grandmother visited and taught us all about St. Lucia's Day from her childhood in Sweden.

 She lovingly dressed her granddaughter in the traditional St. Lucia attire, complete with the ring of candles!

While our very own St. Lucia passed out ginger cookies, her grandmother sang, in Swedish, a song that told the story of St. Lucia.  All the children got to try the crown of candles on and most of them enjoyed the cookies. What a wonderful day!
Happy St. Lucia's Day everyone!

Celebrating St. Lucia Day

This week we are celebrating St. Lucia's day
(Dec. 13th) with our preschoolers.  One of our students Grandmother is visiting tomorrow to share her Swedish family tradition.  She is bringing ginger cookies for all and will dress her granddaughter in the traditional white dress with red sash, green wreath crown of candles while she tells the story of St. Lucia.  Today we prepared for her visit by making paper plate wreath crowns and star wands.  The children enjoyed using the glitter paint and gluing the paper leaves on their clowns.  I'm really happy with how they turned out.  We invited everyone to dress in red and white tomorrow; with their paper crowns and star wands I anticipate some cute photos!
Stay tuned....PEACE~MM

Dress Up Parade

 Yep, that's my little Piglet with the world's best daddy, Montessori Papa.  

 That's me (in the wings) leading the dress-up parade.

 this year even some grandparents participated!

We took a short walk and sang songs.  The children look forward to this holiday tradition.  Halloween is my favorite holiday so truth be told, I probably look forward to it more than they do.  But everybody has fun for sure.  I think sometimes we adults over think what will be fun for kids; often less is more.  As we all know, dressing up is fun.  And parades are fun especially when you're under 4 feet tall.
Add a few corn kernel toilet paper role shakers and you've got one heck of a good time.  This was our preschool's 2nd annual Dress-up parade, I am hopeful it will happen for years to come.  How does your school celebrate Halloween?
PEACE
MM 

Happy Birthday John Chapman

Wearing pots on their heads....

Reading Johnny Appleseed together under an apple tree.

We introduced John Chapman, our first Peace Maker of the school year. His picture now hangs in the Peace Corner in our classroom.  By June he will be in good company, 8 other Peace Makers will join him.  Each month we will introduce a new person to the children who believed in peaceful conflict resolution.  A person they can relate to in some way, who loved children and respected all.   

John Chapman was such a man.  Ask your children who he was, what he did, where he traveled.  Children are our greatest teachers.
PEACE be with you,
Jennifer

Fall into Fall

Hello readers of my horribly neglected blog. I'm truly sorry to have been missing in action for so many weeks!  Fall is upon us and school is in full swing (as you all know).  Time gets away from me when life is busy and life is busy. 
I am presently recovering from pneumonia and let me tell you it's taking it's sweet time leaving me.  Gratefully I have the support of my wonderful assistant and amazing husband who can fill in for me and make this place continue to run smoothly. 
I'm very blessed to have such supportive people in my life. Today I visited the children on the playground so they wouldn't forget my face.  The cheers and hugs were such an unexpected gift to walk out and receive.  I almost teared up.
I love my job.  Running one's own preschool/child care program is a lot of work.  But the rewards are countless.  Nobody is getting rich doing this work but I do feel valued and important and everyday is worth all the work that goes on behind the scenes.  This week is our first of four family pot-lucks. I can't wait.
Hopefully this time I will remember to take photos!
 

   

Pine Needle Restaurant

Goodwill, as you know, is my favorite store to find just what I'm looking for when I least expect it. This weekend I found a complete camp cooking set.  I've been wanting to create some kind of kitchen or restaurant type play area outdoors for the children.  Then presto, I'm walking through Goodwill and there is everything I need for just $7.00!   Gotta love Goodwill! Well, of course I DO.
Anyway, next I stop by the local garden shop to admire the mums in sale and what do I see?  A child size table and two benches 1/2 off it's summer price tag! So....presto chango, a couple of cans of outdoor spray paint and some screw-in cup hooks later and I've created an outdoor kitchen play area ready for preschool chefs!
Today two little chefs made me the most delicious pine needled soup and I have just got to say,
"It was the best soup I've ever had!"
PEACE
Jennifer

Flowerpot Bells

I can't remember where I saw this idea but I liked it.  If it was your idea please comment so I can give credit where credit is due.
I wanted to add music to our outdoor play-space.  Using various sized flowerpots, twine and wooden beads I put these bells together in about an hour.   The children seem to enjoy them and I like the wind chime/cow bell sounds.  The black brackets were found locally at a discount store but I'm confident you could come up with your own creative idea about how to hang them in your yard.  Most of the trees in our yard are for climbing but I think these would look lovely hanging from the branches of a tree.
Happy crafting!  Oh and you could paint them with your kids; we are planning on painting ours the first week of school.  More photos coming soon.
PEACE
Jennifer

'Under the Big Top' Circus week

Who doesn't like to be the star of the show?  Most of the three and four year old kiddos I know do, very much.  This seemed like the perfect theme for this week's crew of campers.  Crafts included bubble prints, cut-paper collage clowns and building sculptures from colorful wood pieces. 

Meet a few of my friends: The Amazing Bubble Artist and a Clever and Curious Clown! (Below: Two Terrific Tigers!)
 The kids really enjoyed balancing on the pretend tight rope (3 draft dodgers in a row on the grass) sorry no photos, while holding small drink umbrellas.  Trying to juggle and wearing BIG shoes and walking.  These were just some of the activities we had fun with this week!

Face Painting is a favorite activity of mine, I have been painting kids faces for about ten years with our local children's theater as well as the occasional craft fair and birthday party.

I love watching their faces light up when they see themselves in the mirror!  Too cute.  Circus week was the perfect opportunity to paint faces.  So much fun!

Once Upon a Time

 Once upon a time preschoolers loved to dress up.  Thankfully this is still true! 

 It's "Once Upon a Time" week here at Helping Hands Family School.  Today we made paper castles, decorated wands, dressed up as knights, lords and ladies and so much more.   

 Guarding the castle on a hot day, it's hard work!

 Look it's a lovely fairy princess!

                                                                "Bibity Bobity Boo!"
In PEACE,
Jennifer