Hi!
New to this platform so sorry if this is somewhere or has been said. Does anyone do Montessori homeschooling?
Also, how is everyone maintaining a routine with/without a nanny/extra help? I'm finding a struggle to get all I need done, educate my sons and grow myself.
While I don’t strictly use Montessori in my homeschool I do use a Montessori math curriculum called Shiller Math. It has been a great program that I has made math fun for my family.
I never have used a nanny or extra help. It has taken time to establish our routine and each year it changes a bit based on outside classes. I am not sure how old your kids are. It is harder if you have infant/toddlers in the mix. Here are things that have helped me:
1) Let go of high expectations of yourself to “get it all done”. My house isn’t the cleanest and I am okay with that at this stage of living at home a lot with young kids. (I have 9, 6 and 4 year old girls)
2) Make a list of your priorities and figure out what are non-negotiable for you. For example you mention educating yourself, if that is a priority then put it on your calendar in a block of time each week and hold it sacred.
3) Train and encourage your children to play independently. My kids at this point play for hours at a time with their toys. It has freed me up to use that time to get things done for me.
4) Train your kids to help you with chores. (Very Montessori) My kids fold their clothes, put dishes away, clean the windows and their bathrooms and help take out trash. We have a day every other week where we all attack cleaning the house together. It goes faster (once they learn how to do it well) and is more fun together. Of course they complain but in the end they are proud of their accomplishment.
5) Figure out when you are doing your core teaching. For us our rhythm has been content subjects together around the breakfast table/ first thing in the morning and skill subjects in the afternoon when nap time is for the little one and I can work independently with my kids.
6) Set a day for certain recurrent chores, errands or special subjects. For example Monday is my grocery shopping day, Sunday night is my clean the stove, sink and appliances night, and we do science experiments on Fridays.
7) I have incorporated into my bedtime routine my learning/personal development time. I either journal, read a book for me, or listen to a podcast.
It takes some time to sit down and plug in all the pieces and adjustments as you go but if you put a little time up front to creating your schedule, posting it where you can see it will get rid of some of the stress you are feeling about fitting it all in.
You will figure it out!
Thank you!
My microschool is a blend of Montessori, Orton-Gillingham /phonics, and multi-sensory math. What questions do you have?