You can be a Montessori family and you can still…

You can be a Montessori Family and still

- allow some screen time: it's all about the balance, and try to keep the screen time as a moment of interaction and connection, a time when you stay close or give them educational content and keep the screen as a babysitter to a minimum. I have a blog post here about how to limit screen time.

- read fairy tale books to your children: check if they understand the difference between reality and fiction, check if they could be frightened, the moralistic aspect of the story might be lost on young children so it's great to read fairytales when children are in their moralistic stage. There is a blog post about Reality and fiction.

- cosleeping is not going to keep your children dependent on you. I have a full blog post about Sleep and Montessori. (always respect the safety guidelines) and if you prefer a cot, that will not make you a less Montessori friendly family. 

- I don't homeschool, I am not 100% happy with the school system but it's the reality for many families and we still spend more time with our children than their teachers. So focus on what you can offer at home! For more though about how to keep Montessori when your children go to school, check this blog post.

- I am not a huge fan of everything in Waldorf but what we can "Waldorf toys" are beautiful open-end resources and the approach to art is something to consider. Read more about the differences between Waldorf and Montessori and what they have in common here.

- Private schools are not for everyone and you can still have the benefits of Montessori at home. It will be different for sure that the full-on experience but you can use the principles and teach at home or in complement with mainstream school

- Montessori materials are amazing but you can do without them. It will be a different approach of Montessori but still one that is valid.

- Other toys have a place in a Montessori family. I try to limit the fantasy-based ones and the noisy ones as it limits the child's imagination but a few is ok. You can rotate them!

- Again, all the items that seem so essential are just nice stuff but if you cannot afford them, you can 100% do without them.

Would you add anything to the list???