Exploringmontessori

Sorry this space has been a little quiet recently. We’ve been catching a few bugs and colds, and life slowed down for a while.

Today I found myself thinking about how much of parenting, at least for me, has become about observing.

Since my toddler was a baby — and especially once he started interacting with toys — I’ve noticed how much information children quietly give us, if we pay attention.

One small example comes to mind. When he was around seven months old, he could solve a single circle puzzle from one brand quite easily, but struggled with what looked like the exact same puzzle from another brand. At first it made no sense to me. The puzzles looked almost identical.

But after watching him for a while, I realised the difference was in the knob. On the puzzle he could do, the knob was smaller and easier for his hand to grasp. On the other one, it was slightly bigger and harder for him to hold properly.

It was such a small detail, but it explained everything.

Moments like that have happened many times since then. The more I watch him, the more I notice what works naturally for him and what doesn’t.

Over time I’ve realised that certain toys simply seem to suit him better. Brands like Plan Toys and Grimms, for example, often seem easier for him to work with than some more traditional toys we’ve tried. There’s nothing right or wrong about it — sometimes the size, weight, or shape just fits better with where he is developmentally.

Children give us so much information about what they need, but often it’s very quiet. It’s in the way they hold something, how long they stay with a material, or whether they return to it again and again.

I’m sure I miss many of these moments. But when I do notice them, they teach me a lot.

I’m not someone who writes down every observation in detail. Sometimes a mental note is enough. Other times I jot something down so I remember it later.

What matters most, I think, is simply paying attention.