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Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a Store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more! — Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas When I was growing up, my mother and grandmother had a little impish elf among their holiday décor. He sat quietly on the shelf, watching the holiday festivities, without being an interactive part of our holiday. Today, the popular ‘elf on the shelf’ that appears at the holidays is used as a sort of secular advent countdown to Christmas. Often, children are told that the elf is there watching for their good behavior. While the elf is supposed to ensure that the children are behaving well, he is notorious for getting into mischief himself. Children wake up daily to see what kind of trouble the elf has gotten into overnight. Modeling Kindness During the Holiday Season The elf’s antics may seem harmless to adults, but what message are we sending the children? We ask children to be on their best behavior during a time that can be stressful...

What is the difference between redirecting and distracting children from unwanted behavior? The biggest difference is in the approach. Redirection involves guidance; distraction merely diverts attention. Let’s look at a few examples and see if we can tell the difference: 1. Baby Sarah gets upset and cries when Mommy leaves for work. As Mom closes the front door, Sarah’s caregiver gives Sarah a toy and says, “Look at this pretty toy.” Redirection or distraction? This is distraction. There is no acknowledgment of Sarah’s feelings, and the toy is unrelated to the event. Redirecting Unwanted Behavior Versus Distracting in the Montessori Environment 2. Miles likes working with the small hammer that he uses with his peg board. He starts to use the hammer on his puppy. Mom says, “Miles, you may only pound your peg board with the hammer. You may not use it on the puppy.” She guides him back to the peg board. Redirection or distraction?  This is redirection. Mom takes the t...

To let the child do as he likes when he has not yet developed any powers of control, is to betray the idea of freedom. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 205. Previously, we discussed how to add variety to the Montessori three-period lesson to help children learn to generalize, or transfer information. Behavior interventions will also play a role in developing good judgment and impulse control. Helping Children with Executive Function Challenges in the Montessori Environment The Montessori environment is set up to allow freedom of choice. Yet, as the opening quote warns us, giving the child freedom when he is not ready for it will backfire. A child who has not developed self-control will not be able to make good choices in work or behavior. Cognitive behavioral interventions are used to help children think about their behavior and how it affects them and those around them. When I started teaching, I would tell my high-school students to “make me proud” when we went on trips. When...