For the past few Mondays, I have been breaking down Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child into small sections. This is Part V and like before, I have put the main parts of each point in bold. Enjoy!
41. Whenever you go somewhere with your child, prepare him/her for what is going to happen and what will be expected of him/her at the store, restaurant, doctor's office, etc.
42. Express appreciation to your child and others and help your child do the same. Send thank you notes for gifts. Young children can dictate or send a picture. Older children can write their own. What is key is learning the importance of expressing appreciation.
43. Help your child to learn to like healthful foods. Never force a child to eat something he/she does not like, but also don't offer unlimited alternatives! Make trying new things fun. Talk about foods and how they look or describe the taste. Introduce the word "savor" and teach how to do it. Engage children in food preparation.
44. When food shopping, talk to your child about what you see -- from kumquats to lobsters. Talk about where food items come from. Talk about the people who help us by growing, picking, transporting, and displaying food.
45. Provide your child with appropriate sized furniture: his/her own table and chair to work at; perhaps a rocker in the living room to be with you; a bed that can easily be made by a child; a stool for climbing up to sink or counter.
46. While driving, point things out and discuss -- construction work, interesting buildings, vehicles, bridges, animals.
47. Teach the language of courtesy. Don't let your child interrupt. Teach how to wait after saying, "Excuse me, please."
48. Analyze any annoying behavior of your child and teach from the positive. For example: door slamming -- teach how to close a door; running in the house -- teach how to walk; runny nose --teach how to use a tissue.
49. Spend quality time with people of different ages.
50. Teach your child about your religion and make them feel a part of it.
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