Welcome to the Intentional Parenting 30 day challenge!!!

Why does it Matter if I parent with Intention?

Parenting with Intention means you are increasing your odds of raising an independent child.

An independent child is a confident child.

A confident child is a happy child.

A happy child is less likely to engage in power struggles with you  + they are ready to thrive academically.

And isn’t a happy, thriving, child what this parenting thing is all about?

How it Works:

Over the next 30 days we’ll be posting 30 simple and inspiring tips and tricks you can start right away with your little one.

We’ve teamed up with some awesome affiliate partners to bring you the simple resources you will need to complete the suggested tips + tricks.

All you have to do is post a picture of the tip you tried with the hashtag #thrivingchild. At the end of the challenge we’ll be giving away a starter kit with a handful of the featured items in the tips + tricks provided...

Have you ever wished your child would just listen to you?

Have you ever thought, how many times do I have to repeat myself?

Have you ever felt your internal temperature start to rise and all of your common sense start to go out the the window?

I’m a parent, and I have.

It’s in these quiet moments of downtime and reflection where we are able to see things more clearly. Today I want to share a snapshot of clarity. I want to share some ideas that have helped me to find more satisfaction and contentment in my parenting. Sound helpful!?

It Takes Time

First off, try thinking about your child like a seed that you’ve planted in the ground. If we think of parenting like being a farmer it’s helpful for us to remember that seeds don’t sprout overnight.

When we find our blood starting to boil perhaps we can find a little bit of comfort in the process knowing that no matter how ticked off we feel + no matter how...

Hello Sweet Mama,

I have a question for you.

Has your toddler ever had a meltdown that left you feeling tense, uncomfortable, or second guessing your choice of discipline?

Well sweet Mama, you are not alone.

Let me share a story with you. This story starts with two simple questions for your six and under child:

“Are you going to do it by yourself, or do you want me to help you do it?”

These two questions are on constant rewind + replay at our house with our sweet two year old.

Whether she’s standing on a chair, brushing her hair or teeth (or not), using her independence to show me how awesome it is to lay on the stairs (giving me nightmares), we use these two questions over + over + over.

Nine times out of ten she + most other toddlers will want to do what you’re asking by themselves rather than having assistance from us.

Use these questions - you’ll get sick of them - but they work.

...

Could you use some fun (and screen-free) activities for your toddler this summer??

It’s never too early to develop a love of reading, so read on for some easy strategies to help your child prepare for reading. Guiding your child through the reading process can be easy and even enjoyable for you if you begin when their period for language is primed and ready.

Here you will find a helpful overview of some activities you can do with your child aged 18 to 20 months and older.  If you’re interested in a more thorough guide on Montessori and language development as a whole, I’d love to connect and see how I can support you. I love to focus on toddlers because they are fascinating. I also happen to have one. In addition to my love for the toddlers, my formal training is with children of the early childhood aged three to six. (I have tons of ideas for this whole span and to help you meet your child where they are.)

Why Workbooks Alone Don’t Work

Have you ever...

Guiding your child to independence is not always easy. However, if we truly want to help our children be independent we must be willing to dive in and prepare the environment with the time and effort it requires. Below is an outline of how to create a dishwashing station in your home.

Why

We all have a need for belonging. This feeling that, “I’m important and I matter to my environment and to my family. “ I wanted to make sure this need was being met for my toddler, thus I setup a dishwashing station. I did not setup a dishwashing station because guiding a toddler through washing their own dishes is easy and not messy.

Learning a new skill takes time.

If you plan to share this activity with your toddler you must have the patience necessary to be supportive with your child learning how to complete the activity.

As an explicit goal, this activity is a foundational skill for independence.

Indirectly, I know that if she is able to contribute to taking care...

At the beginning of this year, I set my intentions to TRUST and EXPAND, as I began the Education Optimist journey.

For those of you that don't know, Education Optimist, is a Montessori Coaching business for parents, teachers, and schools.

These words came to me because I was scared to start this new journey, but knew I had to make a change. TRUST and EXPAND.

Can you think of  a time when you knew you wanted something different in your life, and either did what you needed to, to make the change, or you sat complacent because it was easier to keep doing what you were doing than make the change?

This is where I found myself in January 2018. My heart, passion, and dedication belongs to Education. I am a lifelong learner and it's not because of the experience I had in our conventional school system...well in some ways it is. My calling to make an impact on the way we educate children is so strong because of the complacent experience I had in the conventional system. School...

Trusting the child leads to inner success for the Child and for the Guide doing the trusting.

Have you ever heard of people saying you shouldn't praise your children? Well if you can find it in yourself to unschool the social norms of parenting, then my guess is you'll be able to trust your child. When you really trust your child they get their own praise from the inside. Can you think of a better gift?

This weekend, we had breakfast at a cafe. My 22 month old requested water from the same glasses my husband and I were drinking from. Of course, naturally, she wanted her own.

I gritted my teeth and thought to myself “here we go.” Will all of that practicing, "holding glass with two hands," that we do at home pay off or are we going to have a mess to clean up and I'm totally going to be judged for being "that Mom."

Not only did she have to get outside (because we were sitting on the patio) but she had to walk about 30 yards because we were at the end of the...

A well-behaved child...

What does this really mean anyway?

We all have a different idea of what well-behaved means, so let's start by looking at the definition of behavior, "the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others."

Misbehavior can quickly overwhelm us as parents and teachers, but it’s important to take a step back. As a Montessori educator and parent, I view a child’s misbehavior through the same lens as myself as an adult.What causes adults to misbehave?

Become a Detective

Much of the time, the root of misbehavior is due to a specific need not being met. For example, if you don’t feel valued at work, you may rebel or at the very least not give it your all. Maybe you find yourself getting into small arguments with your partner when it doesn’t feel like they’re listening or it feels like you’re never a priority.

Well my friends, I've spent years watching, observing, and guiding children, and I can tell you...

Do you ever feel like taking the cookie dough into the closet so you can eat it in blissful silence? If so, you are not alone my Mama Friends! 

Tonight, we made cookies and well, it didn't go as smoothly as it has in the past. There was a lot of screeching, demanding, and wanting it her way. After a long day of work myself, I had to muster up all the patience I had left to remind her that, "she needs my help with some things and that's just the way it is." Although with a lack of patience, I did say out loud, "This is not very fun." I had to chuckle a little because after I said it, she started mimicking, "not fun, not fun." The whole point of making cookies is because it's meant to be fun!

Which brings me to the whole point of this article: Mastering the Fear Gremlins. I listen to podcasts on the way to work almost everyday. I've been hearing tons of buzz about the Fear Gremlins: perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and comparisonitis. Stay with me for just a minute because I...

Choice. What does choice really mean? I hear parents all the time saying things like:

"If you don't pick up (insert problem) your toys, we're not going to the (insert super fun activity that's been planned for the day) park." 

"Sit down in your seat. Sit down in you seat. Sit down in your seat....(insert any repetitive command)"

"How many times do I have to ask you to put your shoes on before you go outside."

"You've gone far enough. (Child starts crying.) Ok, you can go just a little bit further."

My dear friends, if you ever find yourself saying any of the things above - then "choice" can become your best friend. Choice is defined as, "an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities." This warrants a quick conversation about good choices and bad choices. Good choices are going to set you both up for success. Bad choices are not going to serve either of you. So you want to pick your choices carefully (and keep some in your pocket as well).

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