You are enough.

Mamas and Dadas and caregivers and teachers- to those who practice Montessori at home all the time and to those who practice Montessori 10% of the time, and for those who practice Montessori at a school:

You are ENOUGH. You are doing enough.

What we do with children is so hard. The Montessori way tackles the hard stuff up front, in the early years, to set our children up for success in the future. Pressures to be a perfect parent come from everywhere- and to be a perfect Montessori parent/caregiver/teacher can add a whole other level (not that other parenting styles don’t... just focusing on Montessori as usual). Be kind to yourself- BE yourself! It’s enough! You don’t need to have your home look like the perfect Montessori homes you are likely seeing on Instagram or Pinterest. You don’t have to keep it together all of the time. You don’t have to follow every step in that parenting book you are reading right now. You are enough. 

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We had a spontaneous side trip to Manhattan the other day, one of my favorite places in the world We went to Central Park and my boys climbed the rocks and collected acorns. In this giant city that has everything to do- it was the acorns and the “beautiful leaf” that my kiddos wanted to play with. And I love it. And to me- a sign that I’m doing enough.

What is one sign you look for, or a moment that you’ve had, when you breathe deep and think, “okay, I’ve got this?” Share in the comments below or on Instagram and tag @stellanovamontessori

-kari