Let’s see how to make our home -made house, a very important aspect for everyone, because it makes the little ones more autonomous and the most serene parents
The child is competent and bearer of intelligence: it is up to the adult to structure spaces and times, occasions and experiences aimed at freeing this potential. This is this believed the best Italian pedagogist, Maria Montessori, and which underlies her educational method. To give the child, even very small, the possibility of moving freely, safely, it is necessary to rethink the spaces and furnishings, especially domestic ones. A child -friendly house is advantageous for everyone because it makes children more autonomous and the most serene parents.
What does it mean to make the house to childhood?
First of all, do not consider the domestic environment as a static, but dynamic (on the importance that the environment on the autonomy of the child covers we also refer to the article Montessori and Suzuki: education passes from music and the environment). The child grows up his needs: the house must respond to these needs and the parent is responsible for being the custodian and curator of this space of life. From the mother’s arms, the baby will want to “move” to the ground on a mat (one square meter is sufficient), on which to stop on the belly during the waking period, obviously only when the little one shows pleasure to do it. With the progress of the skills, the child will begin to move independently, and he will want to have a larger surface available: it is time to organize his room and modify the common spaces a little (in this regard, we also refer to our article on the Montessori beds to encourage the autonomy of the child)
At each period of development they correspond to specific needs. An 8 -month -old child needs a soft space, well delimited, accompanied by mirror, rattles, treasures basket. A 2 -year -old boy, already skilled in walking, will try to achieve and take possession of everything that arouses his curiosity and will have to find at hand only what is allowed to experiment. It will therefore be necessary to make everything that can be dangerous or that we would not want to shatter to be disappeared or raised.
What cannot be eliminated, will remain in the environment, but it will be an object with which the child will not be able to relate. The rule in this sense must be clear, stable, understandable and enforced with love, aware that his desire to experience, touch or open is very strong and natural. Having only a few objects not available at home is an easily manageable situation, while having rooms full of “prohibited temptations” generates continuous situations of clash and frustration.
A careful organization of the spaces
We parents, as mentioned, are the first custodians of the domestic environment and we can update it better and better letting ourselves be guided by the child’s free action. We learn to read the signs that the child implicitly or explicitly sends and we respond in this way, through careful organization of space, to his deepest needs.
Entrance: We can set up a small hanger where the child can store jacket, scarf and hat and, on the ground, a limited space where you can deposit the shoes and slippers. A small armchair on which to sit for the change of shoes will help the order of execution of the dressing and undressing procedures.
Game room: The activities will be few, clear, attractive, significant, ordered and sight. They should “disappear” boxes of toys, chaotic and ungovernable, to leave room for small shelves and open lockers on which to expose the available activities. What is not needed, it does not care or is a faulty one has to leave the room. Each object must have its own location in the environment: this will favor the autonomy of the game and facilitate the reorganization.
Kitchen: A hook will allow the child to take and place his gag. A small tray at hand equipped with brocchetta and glass will allow the child to quench their thirst in need.
Hallway: A small stool, sufficiently stable, will guarantee a 30 -month -old child the opportunity to open the door handles and turn on the switches of the rooms to which he can access without having to constantly request the help of the parent.
Bath: A precise and stable place for toothbrush, towel, soap and Vasino will allow the child to independently manage personal care, where and when possible.
