Hello Friends,
I have been sharing with families that we are taking every day hour by hour. Each hour there is something to celebrate and often something that challenges us. This hour, 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, I am sitting in my office, with the window open, listening to our (6-9) Ex-Day kids laugh and play gaga ball. This hour, the sun is setting and the weather is warm enough to take off your jacket. This hour, my only challenge is to adequately express how grateful I am for this community, these kids, this staff and our school. Thank you.
A Practical-Life Thanksgiving
The Practical Life curriculum in our Montessori classrooms works to develop independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility in our students. We focus both on care of self, and care of the environment.
As we all make plans for Thanksgiving, during a global pandemic, the two guiding principles of care of self and care of the environment could not be more important.
We encourage you, first and foremost, to focus on care of self. Please be safe. We are all fatigued and desperate to be with the ones we love. Just remember, next Thanksgiving will not be like this. We all need to dig down deep and make the safest choices we can to keep ourselves and our community healthy. Wear masks, wash hands, keep your distance, and be outside. We can do this.
Care of the environment is equally important this Thanksgiving season. If you gather with loved ones, consider outside. Bundle up and enjoy the fresh air! Bring your own food and utensils. If you have to go inside, keep the windows open. Clean high touch surface areas. Like a good Montessorian, prepare your environment to meet the moment.
How to Help (3-6) Year-Olds During the Holiday
- Establish traditions within your immediate family – make holiday decorations, make a homemade gift or cook a special meal.
- Instead of in-person visits with friends, family, consider fun ways to have a video interaction, write letters or make cards.
- Don’t punish children for having a negative reaction to holiday changes this year. Tell them it’s okay to feel sad, disappointed or angry.
- Find the positives and teach positive self-talk. For example, “Since we don’t have to travel, we get extra time to relax and play at home.”
How to Help (6-12) Year-Olds During the Holiday
- At this age, children understand the precautions that need to be taken due to COVID-19.
- Validate their feelings of disappointment and sadness about changes to their holiday traditions: It’s normal and OK to feel angry, frustrated or sad.
- Remember that helping children overcome disappointment helps them build resiliency.
- Ask them for their ideas about how to make the holiday special.
Parents and Caregivers
- Allow yourself to feel sad, worried or angry.
- Do something to nurture yourself.
- Adjust your expectations.
- Look at the big picture.
- Children take cues from their parents. If you maintain a positive, festive and calm demeanor, your kids will pick up on that and do the same.
- Here is an additional resource from the CDC on celebrating Thanksgiving.
Together we will take care of ourselves, our environment and our community. Montessori’s focus on these practical life skills will serve us well over the holiday. Let’s all be good Montessorians!
Best,