Monday Musings (vol. 6): Observe

I have a very busy, but fun, week ahead of me, so I apologize now if the blogging ceases for this week.  I have tons of musings that I want to share, but like I said, I'm busy.  So I'll leave you with this short post for today.  I once joked with you about how "there are moments in motherhood where your instincts to intervene are overridden by "let's see how this pans out"".  Who knew that this was a developmental/educational concept*?

"When dealing with children, there is a greater need for observing than of probing."  

~ Maria Montessori

I first got the idea to do a lot of observing when it came to playing with Matthan from the book The Baby Whisperer**, rather than "playing for him" (such as taking his hands and making him play with the ball, or shaking a rattle in front of his face, but waiting for him to reach for the rattle and allowing him to go at his pace).  I realize that EVERYONE has their own, often very strong/passionate, views about baby books and raising children, and the stuff I've learned may end up being a bunch of crock.  I'm okay with that (meaning, I'm ok switching gears if I learn that I'm doing something wrong or there is a way to do something better).  But for the moment, it's working for me.  This concept is easy in theory, but incredibly difficult to execute.  So this morning when Matthan was playing with the carseat that we had left in the middle of the floor, I was seized with the want of how to show him to "play with it right" (whatever that really means).  But I didn't.  Look at what he figured out how to do all by himself.






We can learn so much from our children if we just stand back and watch.  This concept may have to be an entire post in and of itself one day.  I've learned so much from just watching Matthan.  And sometimes, we don't know what they're watching or how much they're absorbing, until they leave you in awe.  Like when my four-year-old niece said to my sister,

"Mom, I have an idea.  Well, really a question.  Okay.  I know God is three but He's really one, you know.  So, how does God walk on the earth and hold it in His hands?" ~Lailey

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*The Montessori Method.
**The full title of this book is The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems:  Sleeping, Feeding, and Behavior--Beyond the Basics from Infancy Through Toddlerhood.