This week's montessori journey

I've been keen to post this week, but life got the better off me. That is, life was good and I didn't want to waste it! Actually, I'm finding it hard to balance writing with parenting and I found myself increasingly disconnected from my child while trying to connect with the wider world. I've got 5 posts ready to go, just waiting final touches and photos. You'll have to practise patience.

Seb is now in bed after a long day in the museum and I can't sleep being too excited about my new sour dough starter and the delicious pancakes it makes. And the need to finish a bottle of wine (second hardest part of solo parenting is to finish a bottle on your own without getting drunk). And, uhm, cause I need some child free time.

Seb and I go to bed together. I usually hate the nights, they are lonely. And I'm usually too sleepy to do anything after having spends half an hour in bed.  We bed share. Cause we do, no need to get philosophical about it (tbh, I'm scared of the dark and refuse to get out of bed at night so this was my only option.  Don't tell anyone). We also wake up together. Well, I wake up and find a mouth on my nipple and I can't get up. I love it this way, actually, but once a week I need to fight tiredness and stay up late.

Observing dinosaur fossils

I've been busy reading books and blogs and actually just thinking about it. I've come to realise that there really is no point in starting lessons yet. Seb's not ready.  I try. He had fun and then goes back to being a toddler.  That's a good thing! I've really notice what Maria Montessori said about the difference between conscious and unconscious absorbing. It changes when they turn 3. I can slowly see this change, especially when observing slightly older children. Seb just absorbs. Flutters from one activity to the other, concentrates, but mostly just experiences. He's busy learning about nature, he loves animals, especially birds. He's busy learning spacial awareness, using his cars as a tool. He observes and observes and observes. Everything. It's like an addiction, so strong!

Too fast to photograph. He stood still long enough for me to take a step back. 

My job is to let him, to give him that freedom, to follow him, often literally (especially in the museum, far out, put your runners on! ) it takes great patience and I'm learning to observe myself. I'm a biologist, so already taught in observing nature, but this is much much deeper.

As for seb, my main job is to create the environment and to butt out. Keep out of his way, don't interrupt. That's all.