I’ve posted a bit about our use of a Montessori-inspired floor bed with MaM, our older child. I’ve posted a smidge about the fact that we didn’t set one up for Jr., since he and MaM have shared a room since day one, it wasn’t a safe option. Putting a newborn/infant in an “open” scenario with a three year old is not safe, and was not something we could do. Between all of MaM’s little treasures and the fact that she loved her brother from day one and loved to snuggle, a floor bed for Jr wasn’t going to happen.
It wasn’t an option until he catapulted out of his crib. Twice, in one week, freaking both MaM and me out. The first time, both kids were drowsy but not asleep. They were giggling across the room, playing a sort of peek-a-boo. I left the room to brush my teeth and get ready for bed, then I heard it- CRASH.
MaM came running into my room, “Mommy! Jr’s out of his crib! He was standing, then his legs came out and he was on the floor!”
I put him back in his crib that night, knowing that if he hadn’t learned his lesson, the end of his crib days was near.
MaM’s take on the situtuation was logical, “Mommy, I think he needs a crib with a lid!”
A few days later, I was about 10 ft away from the crib. He was protesting loudly about being in his crib as I helped MaM get dressed for bed. I glanced over, and to quote MaM, “He was standing, then his legs came out and he was on the floor!”
The mattress came out of the crib 5 minutes later.
Jr. is now sleeping on his crib mattress, on the floor.
Here I am, reading on my bed!
What’s great is that the room is baby-proofed, and now that the house is ready to sell, the room is clean. All of the toys are now kept in the closet, the dresser is already secured to the wall, the child-safe night light has been on duty since 2005. The habit is to shut all the doors (closet, bathroom and bedroom) is already established.
And Jr. is doing a fantastic job of staying on his bed. I think it’s because he was introduced to sleeping on a cot at daycare, in a group setting. He knows you sleep on the bed. He knows you don’t get up off the bed. It’s working incredibly well.
So sometime soon (we were thinking when we move, but that could be awhile, so maybe sooner) we’ll officially move him to a big-boy bed.
Because that’s what he is. *sigh*Look mom! No Bars! Nighty-Night!
I don't usually wear a hat in class, but that tray of shapes? Use it all the time!
So three years ago I wrote Slowly Exhaling, where I summarized, without too much detail about the accreditation process/ evaluation my school goes through every three years. Three years, two kids and one minivan later, it was that time again this week.
Once again, I volunteered to go first, so my room was observed today and I had my consultation this afternoon. Our conversation was considerably shorter than last time–about 20 minutes total. Anyhoo, all is good. I got compliments up one side and down the other, and good advice/constructive suggestions that I can use. I must be getting soft hearted in my old age, because she told me I was too nice/ not strict enough, which made me laugh. I stop smiling tomorrow (an old teaching adage is not to let them see you smile til Christmas).
The nicest thing about today is that our evaluator gave a parent talk tonight. She sang our accolades to the parent body, which she didn’t have to do, but she did. She also recommended a website called Kids Talk News and I have to say, it is fabulous. Want to know more about the Montessori way of looking at the world? Go on and click through.
Next time our school goes through this process, I’ll be in the midst of my 16th yr of teaching and mom to a 2nd grader and a pre-K student.
In less than one week, it’s been painted on the inside, had it’s sagging Master Bath repaired and carpet replaced. It’s clutter has been stowed away. It’s been scrubbed from top to bottom.
Now I wait. I wait for the phone to ring to say “It’s show time!”
The only wrong in this photo is the season. I am hopeful that we won't be here to see the pool open. But we may get another pool key made....
