Self-Dressing: Montessori in Early Age
Are you one of those parents who is always chasing your Simba to get dressed?
Talk about kids' energy – for most of us, the struggle is real. Toddlers with their two little feet can make us merry-go-round the world.
Stress no more, we have got you...
Self-dressing is a thing for young kids and when children can be guided to learn the skill. It can benefit them in many ways, plus it can take out a chore from your to-do lists. Montessori approach to self-dressing is an enjoyable process and when kids are motivated to take small responsibilities like this, not only do they learn how to dress themselves, they are more motivated to get themselves ready in the morning. TheMontessori method being known for facilitating independence, canencourage a lot of autonomy within them.
Like any other new skill, self-dressing may also arise in the beginning. Some kids can get restless and frustrated often. The solution to this lies in how parents handle the situation consciously. In other words, you are not just giving your kids the clothes and asking her/him to wear it, you need to be mindful and orchestrate three things to keep in mind:
- • Prepare the environment – uninterrupted and accessible setting.
- • Let the child take lead without (constant) instructions.
- • Recognize their progress – be proud of them.
3 Tips for Self-Dressing that you can apply –
Start Small
While adapting to the Montessori approach to self-dressing at home, the first thing parents need to keep in mind is not to overwhelm the child. You can start by introducing one item of cloth at a time. For instance, on day one, you can ask your child to put on socks and shoes. And as they progress and you add pants and shirts one by one.
Also, when your kids practice self-dressing, break down the steps so they understand and how things are done. Additionally, while you prepare the environment for your kids, keep it simple. Also, keep it reachable where they can see the clothes and reach for them. Some parents even install a low bar in the child's closet with a child-sized chair and a low mirror, if that's an option for you, this will be more beneficial for the learning process.
Options With Minimal Choice
Always provide the option to the kids when it comes to helping them embrace autonomy. The whole idea of doing things by self means starts from having the option to choose. It is not just the task they are supposed to comply with; it is also about enjoying the process.
So, to allow this, give them the option to pick from while also keeping it minimal to avoid confusion as too many options can be distracting for the kids. While they develop their dressing skills, you can offer little guidance on how they can wear according to purpose – where they are going, what is the occasion, etc.
Don’t Intervene
One of the frustrating and repetitive words kids hear from an adult is NO. Don’t do this, don’t go there, and don’t touch that. Bear in mind when your child is just starting to figure out the way of life, too much intervention and instructions can disturb their process of learning, and one of the major impacts of constantly being at their back is to take away their confidence by not trusting them.
Children can do more than we think they are capable of doing. We all have our own way of doing things. That goes for dressing up too. how they button their shirt and tie their shoe, let them have the freedom, and allow this experience as a self-discovery process for them.
Your Takeaway
One of the best things about the Montessori method is that it opens a door for children to learn practical life skills, which are the foundation in everyone's life. To learn some of the modern techniques Online Montessori Teacher Training Courses is a good choice to practice Montessori at home neatly.
Children, when learning how to self-dress, may need help in the beginning. Just be mindful to help only as much as they need. As parents, it is essential to be in sync with our kids, know when they need us, and also know to trust them.Allow your child the chance to figure things out and teach them how to ask for help when they need it before you offer it.
