NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THEIR CAPABILITIES!

Dear friends,

We realized at a VERY early age (as in around four months old) when our baby could actually hold a book in the correct way to look at it that we should never underestimate the understanding and capability of a very young child. So rather than restricting our daughter, we have strived to enable her as much as possible with the things she wants to help with and do on her own. The Montessori method lends to this greatly, though we don't necessarily just do "Montessori"...we just kind of take threads from different things and weave our own pattern.

As the months and years have gone on, I still find myself from time to time, forgetting how very capable she is...even at 2.5 years old. Recently, I pulled out our Jenga game and had the intention (the very mom of a toddler intention) of just pulling out the blocks and letting her create and build with them. Then I thought...wait...maybe I should just try explaining the game itself and see what she wants to do with it. So I did. I set it up and explained that she had to touch the blocks with yher fingertips very gently to feel for only the loose ones and then she could push or pull those out and set them on top in the right pattern.

Okay...so I'm REALLY glad that I decided to explain it and give her the choice as to what to do with it because I then sat ASTOUNDED as I watched my 2.5 year old actually playing Jenga by herself and doing it RIGHT!  As in, 29 stories high right!! Like, for real! On her own, no help, carefully manipulating the blocks as I explained. Boy, was I wrong to want to just scatter blocks and let her build. She would've enjoyed that too, but this seemed to be the challenge that her little mind and fingers were truly seeking!

I realize that this will not be the case with every toddler. If you set up Jenga for your tot, then all they might care about it kicking it down or building. That is completely fine!! Have at it! However...I will say it just once more...NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THEIR CAPABILITIES!