• Try to find out about child development, if you haven't already, so that you have some guide as to what to expect from your child generally.
• Be aware specifically of what captures your child's interest. If your child is really focused on something, no matter how insignificant, leave them alone. They are working very hard on something important to them. Try not to spoil their concentration with excessive movement or by talking to them.
• Deep concentration, an immense amount of activity and continuation of activity even after repeated failure, joy and satisfaction and a lack of fatigue mark sensitive periods. If you are witnessing disobedience, obstinacy or tantrums you may well be blocking a sensitive period. (Sensitive periods are important in Montessori philosophy).
• Be aware of everything in your child's environment. Remember, they absorb real words as easily as baby talk.
• Make your child a member of your household with rights and responsibilities, rather than as a guest.
• Make your child welcome in their own home by making sure that it accomodates them. Have child size furniture, objects and have step stools so that they can easily access those things which are not their size.
• Make it beautiful. If you like to drink out of a bone china mug, why should they be any different? Beauty is good for the soul - theirs and ours.
• Get down low and look at what the World is like from their point of view. It's funny how often we hang the pictures in the children's rooms where the adults can see them rather than the children.
• Store the toys by classification, or individually. Toy boxes are the enemies of children and adults alike. You can't help but make a mess if you have to pull everything out to get what you want at the bottom.
• Have a place for everything and everything in its place. It's so much easier to pack away when it is obvious where something goes.
• Have an area in the house arranged specifically with your child in mind. A place where he/she can work in peace without interruption. Where all his/her things are close at hand and where furniture is just right for him/her.
• Make sure that what you are giving him to use is child size and not too heavy. You would lose interest pretty quickly too if every activity became a challenge of weight lifting and managing things too awkward to use.
• Offer choices whenever appropriate but only two or three.
• Remember, freedom means acting within limits. We are not talking about giving children license to do anything regardless of consequences.
• Allow your children to really experience the consequences of their actions, within reason.
• Intervene when appropriate.

For more discussion of Montessori tips, please go to our forum.

1. When a child is harming himself or his ability to work
2. When a child is harming another child's person or ability to work.
3. When the child is harming the equipment or the environment.