In the past few years when parents think of preschool for their kids there is always a question to chose whether a normal preschool or a Montessori. Most of the parents have heard about Montessori schools, but they really don’t know what the difference is for sure. Therefore without a clear knowledge there is always confusion in choosing one, which in some cases leads to a wrong conclusion, if not clarified.

I was in the same situation 2 years before when my son started preschool. I am a stay at home mom at that time, though I can keep him for few years, I want him to go out and explore new things gather more social capabilities and behaviors and, of course academic learning. I have known about Montessori schools but do not know exactly what they do, until I went in for a school and see for my self.

Montessori is a child-centered educational method, based on the method formed by Dr.Maria Montessori.

Montessori method gives kids a self-directed environment .The teacher observes and guides them through the learning process instead of compelling them without choice.
Kids have a very good ‘absorbent mind’ till the age of 5, it is at this time they are able to observe and absorb a lot of things even in a rather playful way. The hand eye co-ordination is very much important in learning and developing brain in children. Montessori method emphasis on this a so much that kids should touch and know things whether it is shapes or letters or numbers or even materials.

It gives kids a wonderful and natural environment to observe chose and learn skills with the right tools and ways of developing the physical motor skill coordination, while interacting and socializing in a peaceful environment in their own pace.
My experience with my son shows how it molds the children beautifully without knowing that they are working on it. Montessori based education helps kids to develop a unique personality and independent capabilities. They get to know to decide and direct themselves and correct and coordinate things.

In simple, it never pushes and compares kids; each child is allowed to develop in their own pace. They learn to be both independent and help each other mutually in a team.
Montessori education in early years is a strong base for the children in later years of their learning, life and career.

One thing that makes most parents crazy with regard to kids behaviour is their whining. Whining is mostly seen in toddlers and preschoolers, but if they are not helped out of it, it can become an unconcious habit even when they are grown.

Whining with two and three year olds is usually because of the frustration in that stage of development when they are not able to communicate their needs better. But there are some simple ways to help the kids grow out of it:

Distract them by singing their favourite rhymes, or giving their favourite toy or book and engage them.

If there is too much of the whining, the best way it to ignore them. Most of the time kids do it to get attention, when we make sure whining doesnot get them the attention it surely helps.

Talk to them. Try and explain to them how whining will not get them what they need.

Also most whining in toddlers is because they are not able to communicate what they want. So teach them signs or easy words, to tell or show what they want. We can even help them invent words in kiddie language to tell things. It really worked with my son.

Make sure they are not tired, frustrated or hungry.

Kids are bored too. Keeping them active and engaged in something helps too. Puzzles, blocks , picture books and stuff likewise helped a lot with my son.

Make them talk. Tell them you couldn’t hear or know what he or she wants and tell them to stop whining and talk.

Don’t shout at them. Shouting never helps, it only leads to screaming tantrum .

When ever any of my friends tell me how they go crazy when their kids whine, I just tell them about how my son was a great whiner and once we get to know what we have to do it really goes down and eventually passes through.

Puzzles play an important role in early childhood education.They really help kids learn the art of putting pieces together to make a whole better one,in rather a playful way,which really helps them with their math skills latter.There are a lot of puzzles availabe for kids from age one.

Knob Puzzles

Knob Puzzles help babies from 1 year old with their ‘pincer’ grip and mathcing skills and knowing colours and figures.

Jizsaw puzzle

Jizsaw puzzles ,are available in wooden and cardboard pieces.These are usually a good picture based on children stories or movies etc.

There are a lot of other puzzles like sound puzzles,peg puzzles,block puzzles etc. Puzzles give the kids a challenge to fix things and explore possibilities and recognize various figures ,colours ,numbers ,alphabets etc.

Many research showed that learning music will enhance brain development of young children. Infants learn to communicate with song and sound even before they are born. It’s natural.

Getting started early on with music can be a great benefit to the child. Music can also be a form of psychotherapy for adults and children.

Many research studies suggests a relationship between music and spatial task performance.

Early music training would enhance spatial-temporal reasoning. A study of 237 second grade children and music, used piano keyboard training and newly designed math software to demonstrate improvement in math skills. The group scored 27% higher on proportional math and fractions tests than children that used only the math software.

Ref- ‘Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training.’ Amy Graziano, Matthew Peterson, and Gordon Shaw, Neurological Research 21 (March 1999).

Students with regular music instruction scored 41 points higher on the SAT math test, and 57 points higher on the verbal test, than did students with no music participation.

Ref- College-Bound Seniors National Report: ‘Profile of SAT Program Test Takers.’ Princeton, NJ: The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001.

Basically music improves the intellectual functioning of all children.

• Music helps to develop skills such as sharing and respect.
• Increases child’s confidence and self esteem.
• Music enhances brain development.
• research shows that Keyboard courses can improve your child’s ability to think, learn, reason and create.
• Music will improve your child’s memory, problem solving techniques, understanding and recollection.

Music education is essential, all parents must think to provide music education to kids.It may even make a fundamental part of parenting.

Once started on solids and as the babies are growing they are so eager to sample what we eat.As we are so interested in knowing what to feed and when and how to feed,it is good to before hand as to what not to give them.

He or she may not be ready to eat certain foods till the first year.
Those foods include:

Honey

Doctors advice not to give honey to babies less than 12 months of age.Honey can have spores of clostridium botulinum ,which when digested can make babies sick by a toxin that causes botulism.therefore it’s safe not to give honey and foods containing honey to small babies.

Cow’s Milk

Breast-milk or formula is best recommended for the baby and substituting cow’s milk is not good ,since they don’t give enough recommended nutrition for the babies first years and also babies may cause allergic reaction to other milks such as cow’s milk, goat milk or soy milk.

Nuts

Hard foods such as nuts,popcorn,raisin,candies,chuncks of fruits and vegetables may be achoking hazard to the baby ,also nuts may cause allergic reation.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are consider allery foods for babies.If needed egg yolk can be fed after 7 or 8 months. It is safe to avoid eggs untill 1 year.

It is also safe to avoid other foods like fish,peanut butter, marshmallows,wheat ,chocolateetc.,It is also good to limit to 4-6 ounces of jucie per day ,that too after the baby is 6 months old.