Goodbye Midwest Montessori, Hello Montessori Like a Mother
You heard that right, Midwest Montessori is coming to an end. If youāre finding this post, perhaps youāve followed along with my intermittent ramblings over the years, or perhaps Iāve remained an obscurity and you have no idea who I am. Either way, allow me to explain. (For those looking for the new website link without the fluff: Montessori Like a Mother)
Hi. Iām Amy. Iām a Montessori mom of two children, Charlotte (born 2013) and Simon (born 2015). I found Montessori when I was pregnant with Charlotte and completely immersed myself in it. Along with my husband James, we have raised both of our children with Montessori principles from birth. Of course thereās always a learning curve and weāve changed things along the way, but weāve more or less been a Montessori family from the start.Ā
I started this blog as a way to share our Montessori life with all of you. I joined an online Montessori community on Facebook called Montessori 101 and I fell in love with sharing and being inspired by other families along the same journey. Midwest Montessori gave me space to share our Montessori life and perspective and Iām so thankful for the community Iāve connected with over the years, both on Facebook as well as on Instagram.Ā
But my Montessori journey didnāt stop at being a Montessori parent. I loved it so incredibly much that I shifted my career path, little by little, until eventually Montessori took over completely (it has a way of doing that with people sometimes). First I shifted from high school education to early childhood and elementary. When that wasnāt enough of a change, I decided to take the leap and get Montessori teacher certification specifically. It has been a long, difficult journey, particularly for my AMAZING and supportive husband and children, but I DID IT!Ā
In 2018, I graduated with my bachelors degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, completed my Montessori Primary Diploma program from Association Montessori Internationale, turned the big 3-0, and, though Iām not quite sure how, jumped aboard a HUGE project of creating an AMI Montessori 3-6 program from scratch!Ā
Thatās right, I single-handedly curated a brand new Montessori program - all the materials, all the furniture, all the classroom procedures and curriculum and whatnot - all while finishing two degrees, one of which was in another state! Iām certainly not saying this to brag, but man I was POOPED! My husband and children deserve medals for their patience and support during that time. I was out of the state for weeks at a time, over a two year period totaling nearly 6 months, and when I was home I was working my rear-end off student teaching, taking both day and night classes, and in the last year I spent most of my free time working on building a brand new school.
What I had dreamed would be an amazing new chapter in our families life, one where I was a lead guide in a local Montessori school start-up and my children attendees, proved to be too much for our little family. While my time in that magical school of mine remains near and dear to my heart, after over two years of total chaos, I stepped out of the classroom in order to dedicate myself to my family again, to focus on my roles as mother and wife.
What came next was even crazier than before! My husband got an opportunity for a new job in St. Louis - far from our lifetime home in Kansas. It happened so fast, within two months of finding the job we were moved. The past year has been a whirlwind of new school, new home, new city, new friends, new commutes, new jobs, new everything. It hasnāt been easy, but slowly we are finding a new normal - a new, more stable normal, which is just what we all have needed.
The next part is something that Iāve dreamed about for years. Iāve dreamt about it, thought about it, talked about it, and talked about it some more. Everyone Iāve met along this journey - my college professors, my Montessori trainers, my family, my friends, my classmates, my colleagues, my acquaintances - theyāve all heard me talk an earful about my dreams for the future of Montessori Parenting.Ā
See, I believe Montessori is a way of living. It isnāt just something we find in specialized classrooms and private schools. It isnāt something we find merely in Dr. Montessoriās curriculum, or our precious teaching albums. No, Montessori is so, so much more than that. It is about supporting the growth and development of the child. And who better to support that than the childās own family - his own parents? Montessori families will change the world, I just know it. I believe it.Ā
And I care so deeply to bring this beautiful, wonderful way of life to as many as desire to know it - not just from my own personal familyās experience but from an empowered place that goes beyond me or my family. I want to help families learn how toĀ āMontessori like a Mother,ā that is, to ādo Montessori at home with their family in the way that any mother does, with her heart and soul and perhaps a bit of sass, if youāre anything like me.Ā
Together, we can make the world a better place, through the work we do in our own homes, with our own families, and within ourselves. Dr. Montessori had it right when she said that the hope and promise of mankind was in the hands of the child. And whose hands are there holding that child? Ours. It is us parents of the world, or those of us who stand in as a parent for a child in whatever form that may be - biological parent, step-parent, foster-parent, adoptive-parent, guardian, grandparent, aunt, uncle, caregiver, nanny, day-care provider, teacher, neighbor, coach, counselor, leader. Parenting, or mothering, isnāt something reserved for mothers. We are all mothers. And may we all Montessori Like a Mother.
And so I announce my new website, where I will be writing and sharing empowering and encouraging messages for Montessori parents of all kinds. Montessori Like a Mother is launching soon. Visit the website now to get on the email list to be the first to see the new site. Iām working hard during this global pandemic situation to build a place where parents can feel uplifted, empowered, and supported in their parenting journey. I hope youāll follow along with me. Thank you for your support.
For the record, Charlotte & Simon will still be seen here and there on the new website, as well as in my Instagram stories and perhaps an occasional post, as they choose to be featured (and James too). They are and always will be my greatest source of joy and my top priority, which also includes their privacy preferences as they age. I appreciate their support so very much.