The Wall Street Journal had a fun article on school lunches, and how parents cope with the rules different schools have.  Several of the rules will resonate for Montessori House families whose children pack a lunch for school.   Some of our rules include:

• No nuts — no ground nuts (e.g. peanuts) or tree nuts (e.g. walnuts, pecans, filberts, almonds, etc. )
• No drinks (including drinkable yogurts)
• No sweetened foods (no candy, cookies, cakes, fruit roll-ups, etc. )
• We can reheat food (in a microwave), but do not cook food or thaw frozen food (in other words we microwave for no more than 1 minute).

We do take issue with the reporter’s endorsement of lunchboxes that come with many components — “bento-style” lunch “systems”).  We’ve found that these lunch “systems” simply occupy too much space.  Normally we have four (4) children  at a table for lunch, but when a child has an expansive “system” of boxes, etc. they require twice as much space, so at a table for four we can fit only 2 normal lunchboxes plus one lunch “system”, or only two children with such a lunch “system”.  Consequently we recommend parents stick with a regular lunch box or bag that requires a normal amount of table-top space.

We had a wonderful Meet the Teachers event at The Montessori House last night.  Thanks to all the parents who attended and all the teachers who were met!

Our Director, Ms. Maria, spent a few minutes welcoming everyone to the school for 2013-14.

Ms. Maria asked parents to keep in this thought in mind: a happy parent makes a happy child.

With that in mind, Ms. Maria offered her Top 10 Tips for a Great School Year (expanded version follows):

1. Set a happy tone for your child’s day!!  Stay calm and smiling, and make a happy, quick, quiet exit at the front door.
2. Dress your child in super easy clothing, including shoes.
3. Be on time.
4. Role model staying safe and following the rules.
5. Find a friend.
6. Be involved/make a difference for your child.
7. Questions?  Please ask, but think about who and when you’re asking.
8. Let school be school and home be home.
9. Raise the bar, and be happy about your child’s emerging independence.
10. Don’t ask them what they did at school.

Here’s the expanded version (each tip explained):

1. Set a happy tone for your child’s day!!
   Stay calm, and make a happy, quick, QUIET (no excessive talking or promising) exit at the front door. Quick exits make for quicker happiness for the child at school.  Help your child: a quick kiss and hug before you child reaches the door and has the teacher shakes his her hand; a quick wave at the window and you walk away first (don’t wait for the child to leave – it won’t happen).  Remember, if you’re sad or anxious, you’re making your child sad AND anxious.
2. Dress your child in super easy clothing.
   Anything with an elastic waist band is best.  NO belts, suspenders, or anything that ties, clips, clicks, or does anything to prevent or slow your child down when he/she is trying to go to the bathroom without having an accident.  The same with shoes – if the ties come undone even occasionally, double knot, or replace the shoes with Velcro shoes.  Also, don’t send clothing that distracts your child.  That super-hero t-shirt with the detachable cape — all we hear all day is the “rip” of velcro as the cape is attached and detached.  The same with shoes that light up — instead of school work, your child will “stamp, stamp, stamp” all day to light up his/her shoes.
3. Be on time.
   Reduce the anxiety of having to walk into an already-working classroom.  Reduce the feeling of being the “last one” at dismissal – unless you’re in aftercare or an after-school program (in which case, they love to stay!)
4. Role model staying safe and following the rules. MANY of the rules at school – inside and outside – are made to keep everyone safe.  But, to ensure safety, everyone has to follow those rules.  First, remember the parking rules – where to park; turn off the car; no drop-offs and no children walking alone.  Next, remember the walking rules – upon arrival, the children must be on the sidewalk (not the grassy area or the ramp) and in your control, and at dismissal, the children must be holding your hand until you put them in your car.  Remember the Trinity Lutheran Church’s rules – Montessori House  children on Montessori House spaces only – not on the rocks or by the trees in front of the Tween Tots playground, not in the woods, and not on the grassy front lawn (please go to a nearby park); no parking by either playground or in the spaces near Knickerbocker Rd.
5. Find a Friend
   Take a look at the list of children in class with your child (each child has morning companions, lunch companions, and afternoon companions — so for some children this is a long list!).  Listen for those names and use the list and on-line directory to contact other families to make friends (both friends for your child and — perhaps — friends for you).
6. Be involved and make a difference for your child.
   We have a variety of volunteer opportunities that suit all kinds of parent schedules.  We love to have parents come to the classroom to help on special occasions (like our Thanksgiving Feast or Fall Celebration), to make class presentations on holidays (Lunar New Year, Christmas, Diwali, etc.) or to share special knowledge or skills with the children (travel experiences, art, science, cooking, and more), or just to read to the children in small groups.  If you’d like to make a presentation, the teachers will help you set the right tone for 3 to 6 year old children.  If you’re not available during the school day, help Friends of Montessori with their Annual Dinner, or join the Gardening Committee, or make a booth or help out at our Montessori House International Festival in the spring.
7. Questions?  Please ask, but think about whom and when you’re asking. Remember, whenever you see a teacher at school, she is either responsible for children at that moment (MOST of the time) or she’s supposed to be in a meeting at that moment, there isn’t time built into their normal schedules – except for teacher conferences – to meet individually with parents.  If you have questions, please e-mail them to Ms. Maria at office@themontessorihouse.com; I’ll direct them to the appropriate teacher or answer the questions myself.
8. Let school be school and home be home. School is the place for lessons and learning, and home is the place for Mommy and Daddy to be fun, play games, sing songs, but not to continue school.  Burning them out is not the way to get them ahead, it’s the way to have them lose interest in learning.  Also, Montessori has a very prescribed method for teaching things like reading and writing, or arithmetic.  Teaching an alternate method at home will most likely confuse and frustrate your child — at home and at school.  When they’re ready, your children will show you how much they can do, and how much they know – there’s no rush!  Often children read at school but don’t want to read to parents at home — they want you to read to them, and we encourage you to do so often.
9. Raise the bar, and be happy about their ever-evolving independence. For instance, if you or your babysitter holds the fork or spoon for your child, let him/her do it alone – he/she will be very happy, and you should be too – they’re still your babies, and they still need you – but not for that!  Apply this notion to things like dressing themselves, buttoning their own buttons, putting on their own coats, getting their own things, wiping the tables, pouring their own cereal/milk from smaller containers, walking on stairs, swinging on the swing, etc.  They do all this at school (and more!), and a whole segment of Montessori (called Practical Life) helps develop these skills.
10. Don’t ask them what they did at school. This is the very hardest thing to do, but it will make your child feel much better!  Listen to them tell stories, but don’t press them to talk about what they just did.  Maria Montessori said school to a child was like their secret treasure – a special place where they could be a different version of themselves, where they, their friends and their teachers had all sorts of activities.  They want to experience those activities, but they don’t want the pressure of reporting those activities and, WORSE, having someone drill them about it.  The drive home is a great time to listen OR tell your child stories about your day.

So, follow these 10 Tips and we’re sure to have a great school year!

Finally, a thought from Maria Montessori on why we want a happy child in the classroom:

” A child who has become master of his acts through long, pleasant and interesting activities in which he has engaged, is a child filled with health and joy and remarkable for his calmness and discipline. “

The Montessori House will be open on its normal schedule, Wednesday, January 16, 2013. 

Local conditions vary; parents, please exercise caution planning your time and route to school today.  Feel free to keep your children at home, arrive late, or pick up early,  if that is your best, safest course of action.

An interesting interview on WNYC’s New Tech City with Dr. Ari Brown.

Americans will buy millions of smartphones, tablet computers and other digital tech this holiday season, and many of those gifts will be given to children.

Nineteen percent of kids between the ages of two and five know how to use a smartphone application, while just nine percent can tie his or her shoelaces, according to a 2010 study conducted as part of a year-long ‘Digital Diaries’ research project on the influence of technology on children by the internet security company AVG.

The AAP [American Academy of Pediatrics] suggested kids two years old and younger be completely screen-free and that older children should get no more than two hours of screen time a day [this includes “background” exposure].

Dr. Brown weighs in on the longterm effects of digital technology on childhood development and what parents should think about when deciding when their kids should get their own smartphones or Facebook accounts.

“Kids who have even one device — one electronic device [including TV] — in their room, much less two or three, are getting significantly less sleep a night,” Brown said.

At The Montessori House we’re big proponents of more sleep for children … and we’re not too enthusiastic about digital media (TV, computer, video games, smartphones, etc.) for children.  The Montessori classroom emphasizes interaction with the “real” world, not a digital facsimile; three dimensions of space, dimensions of time, sound, smell, feel, and taste, not to mention the psychological “dimensions” from interacting with family, friends, other people, pets, animals and the world inside and outside.  Nothing on a screen can compare or provide children the physical, intellectual, emotional and developmental richness!

In any event, for the most part we keep digital media out of our classrooms; children in our community receive plenty of media exposure outside school.

An interesting article in the WSJ “Playing It Too Safe?”   If playgrounds are boring, kids don’t want to play or don’t have sufficient challenge — physically or mentally

Some child-development experts and parents say decades of dumbed-down playgrounds, fueled by fears of litigation, concerns about injury and worrywart helicopter parents, have led to cookie-cutter equipment that offers little thrill. The result, they say, is that children are less compelled to play outside, potentially stunting emotional and physical development and exacerbating a nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity.

“We don’t give our children enough roaming space to help them test their limits or to help them become confident in their physical skills,” says Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek, a professor in the department of psychology at Philadelphia’s Temple University. “Sometimes when we protect people too much they never learn to take healthy risks.”

“It’s important that play environments are as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible,” Dr. Sandseter says, adding that broken and fractured arms and legs shouldn’t be considered serious injuries.

The article mentions several “provocative playgrounds” in the U.S. including:

• Hoboken’s Pier C, with an 18-foot slide
• Boston’s Esplanade Playspace with a 65-foot zipline.
• Memphis, TN’s Shelby Farm Park with the Queens Swing
• Maplewood MN’s Applewood Park with the Mobius Climber
• Saratoga Spring UT’s Neptune Park with a 30-foot high climbing pyramid
• Atlanta’s Chastain Park with a group swing and 8-foot wide slide

If your family is interested in exploring a scholarship (a.k.a. financial aid) at The Montessori House for 2013-14, now is the time to start the process. 

First, you apply to The Montessori House: please have a look at our Timing and Tips for 2013-14 Admissions.  If you haven’t visited the school, we suggest you call us to arrange a tour for yourself (we recommend you come for a tour during the school day without your child, if possible).  Please call us at 201-816-8343 to arrange a time.  

Starting now you can prepare your scholarship application on-line through School and Student Services by NAIS.  Your application needs to be completed by early February, 2013 (for September, 2013).  

NOTE: THE SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS FOR 2013-14 HAS CLOSED.

Scholarships are provided by The Friends of Montessori Foundation, and they consider your financial need as well as the depth of their own resources when making scholarship decisions.  

Generally, The Montessori House will offer your child a place for enrollment in January, and ask you to commit with a $750 Reservation Deposit.  You’ll hear about your scholarship (if any), at the same time we ask you sign an Enrollment Agreement and complete your tuition deposit (about mid-March).  Note, the award may be subject to verification of information you submitted; for example receipt and evaluation of 2012 tax returns that you may not have sent to SSS/NAIS before March.  

If Friends of Montessori Foundation cannot meet your calculated need, then you may choose to withdraw and receive a refund of your Reservation Deposit.  However, if the Foundation meets your need (or determines that you have not demonstrated a financial need), then you would not be eligible for a refund if you decide to withdraw.  

Of course, before deciding to reserve a place for your child, you can wait to hear from the Foundation regarding your scholarship.  But, without a reservation in place, by mid-March we may have filled up your preferred sessions for 2013-14.

Feel free to contact us by e-mail (admissions@themontessorihouse.com) or by phone (201-816-8343) with questions.

A recent essay in the Wall Street Journal ( “The Perils of Texting While Parenting“) starts out with this question:

Are too many parents [or nannies or babysitters] distracted by mobile devices when they should be watching their kids? A recent rise in injuries, reversing the longstanding trend, has doctors worried that the answer is yes.

At The Montessori House, we also think the answer is “yes”.  Whenever children are present — during classtime, or during After Care — our teachers may not use their devices.  And we strongly recommend that parents put their devices away once they leave the car during arrival or dismissal. 

If the adult is distracted, clearly the risk is increased. We know that drivers and pedestrians are distracted and more at risk when they use devices. It’s a fairly small leap to suggest that supervisors are distracted.

For example:

One afternoon at a swimming pool at a Foxwood Resort Casino hotel in Connecticut, Habibah Abdul-Hakeem was watching a friend’s 2-year-old son when another friend texted, asking how her day was going. She texted back that she would send him a photo of herself.

The child sat down on a step in the pool, slipped and began sinking … There was no lifeguard. The boy flailed for about a minute, drifting toward the deep end, then sank.   … About three minutes after she began fiddling with the phone, she dropped it.   Only then did she notice the young boy underwater. She plunged in and pulled him out.  Her calls for help brought a pool attendant who resuscitated the child, who recovered fully.Ms. Abdul-Hakeem told an emergency technician that she had taken her eyes off the boy for about 20 seconds  … security-camera footage suggested she didn’t look at him for more than three minutes.

Parents also get distracted:

Psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek of Temple University recently had students observe 30 parents and their children in public places. In almost every case, she says, the parent interrupted an activity with the child to use a device. “In one case a parent let go of her kid’s hand in the middle of a big street in Philadelphia in order to check a text message,” she says.

All of us who care for children — parents, relatives, friends, babysitters, teachers, camp counselors — must manage distractions, and especially distractions we choose, like our devices.

One of our Montessori House parents (Ingrid a.k.a. Nana, mother of Julieta and Sami) ) has entered an art competition.  If she garners enough votes, her sculpture may be displayed in Times Square!

If you’d like to see her sculpture and vote to support her, click on Contact at this link:  http://nanacampos.artistswanted.org/atts2012#.T6oR_kW4y-Q.facebook

From the Wall Street Journal — Where Could The Next Outbreak Of Measles Be?

Even as more American children are getting immunized against measles, diphtheria and other diseases, public-health officials are increasingly worried about potential outbreaks of these illnesses in certain pockets of the country where vaccination rates are dangerously low.
…
Health experts say a community needs about 95% of its citizens to be immunized against measles to ensure herd immunity, where vaccinating a large percentage of a population keeps even unvaccinated people from getting the disease. Even people who aren’t vaccinated, such as newborns, get some protection from herd immunity as the disease remains limited to a small part of the community. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory condition that can lead to encephalitis, pneumonia and death. Other diseases, depending on how contagious they are, require other rates of immunization for a community to benefit. For mumps, 88% need to be immunized, and for chickenpox and polio the rate is 90%.

As a licensed NJ child care center, The Montessori House requires parents to comply with NJ immunization requirements.  You can find out more in this Q&A and this Chart of NJ Immunization Requirements.

Diana M. (chair of the Art Appreciation Committee) will be preparing a presentation on George Seurat for March.  She’s planning to do a movable mosaic as part of the unit.  However, she needs your help!

Please bring in your bottle caps (the plastic screw caps from drink bottles are great) and deposit them in the box Diana has left by the front door. 

You can see examples here.  Thanks in advance to you and to Diana for putting it all together!