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Montessori for Every Family: A practical parenting guide to living, loving, and learning

 
 

Montessori For Every Family: A practical parenting guide to living, loving, and learning by Tim Seldin and Lorna McGrath is the picture-perfect guide to championing families in the creation of hallowed spaces where love, joy, connection, and respect are nurtured by amalgamating Montessori principles into a family’s daily life. This book honors and respects all families and is meant to offer suggestions and support. It is extremely practical, giving parents a plethora of organized tools and named strategies that they can apply immediately to create and strengthen positive family life. The authors offer specific suggestions for different stages and ages of a child’s development throughout the book. The writing is conversational and includes many real-life stories from families; their willingness to be candid and vulnerable allows for beautiful relatable storytelling. The charming illustrations look like ordinary moments on first inspection but hold magic in the possibilities of growth. There is also no need to be familiar with Montessori to benefit from this book because it provides you an introduction to Montessori and focuses on key Montessori principles.

As a Montessori leader, what immediately came to mind while reading this book was the support that it can give to guides and administrators while working in partnership with families.

 

Educators are committed to the development of the whole child and focus on growing strong, confident, compassionate, and capable human beings. And the whole child includes their family. I highly recommend this book be given to every Montessori guide and every parent to use as a resource. It will aid in establishing a partnership based on mutual respect, love, shared language, strategies, and consistency. The short chapters have clearly defined topics for easy access and do not even need to be read in order. It is beneficial when the whole school community is working from the same resource. It provides consistency for the child, the guides, and the parents as children change classroom environments and guides.

I would use this book in a parent book club, as well as give a series of workshops for parents based on the concepts of the book.

It is quite possible this might become your most highlighted and ear-tagged book because every page is packed with significant and ready-to-use gems of advice.

Tim and Lorna share their wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and experience in an exquisite book that can enrich and celebrate family life in so many ways. Make this a go-to book in your parenting journey or as a Montessori educator supporting families. Montessori For Every Family: A practical parenting guide to living, loving, and learning is an intention, a guide, and a reminder of the sacredness of having a peaceful family, as well as a reminder of the many blessings families already, have as well as those on their way.


Cassi Mackey, M.Ed. is passionate about helping communities create spaces where people are encouraged to make changes to improve relationships. Cassi has witnessed the transformational power of communities that engage in Courageous Conversation and Collaborative Coaching as imputable practices. It is a promise of more meaningful relationships, greater depth of experience, and a broader, more compassionate view of oneself and the world. She truly believes open, honest, and kind communication is essential for our children and the future of humanity. Cassi is currently a principal, as well as a lead teacher in a 9-12 classroom at Montessori Education Centre-Charter School in Mesa, Arizona and has successfully guided her school, as well as others, through this transformation. Cassi recently completed her AMI Administrator Certification. She consults with and provides advice to Montessori communities that are intent on generating positive and lasting change.