The Montessori Magic Is You with Jerrica
Meet Jerrica, a homeschooling mom of 2 from British Columbia, Canada. Jer is a member of both Homeschool: Primary and Constellation.
Introduce yourself, your family, and your lifestyle.
We’re a family of four, with possibly one more on the way, living in the Rocky Mountains and enjoying the quiet outdoor lifestyle. In the winter, you'll find us sledding, cross country skiing, or snowboarding at the local ski hill. In the summer, we are at the lake in our canoes and paddle boards and building sand castles. But mostly they are at home trying to figure out this thing called life together.
What’s a typical day like for your family?
Oh boy! On a typical day we wake around 7am. If my husband’s at work, we have a quick breakfast and then have some quiet time afterwards, reading or building blocks, etc.
If he is home, we have pancakes or waffles and a big spread! Often, if my husband is home, we will also blast some music and dance around or he will play guitar for us. :)
In the winter, we stay in and do some sensory work or maybe some art around 9-10am.
In the summer we head outside! We might garden or ride bikes, maybe walk down to the post office.
At 11:30 or 12, we will have some lunch and then put my youngest down for a nap. This is when I can get some focused work done with my oldest. We usually do some language/math/sewing work or any other thing we've been wanting to do that might get interrupted or destroyed by the toddler. After she is focused on her task, I’ll usually do some work on my computer and have some time to myself.
When the little one wakes, we will usually go outside or down to the park. Around 3:30 or 4 is when I'm usually getting settled to start dinner and clean up. I try my best to get the girls involved cleaning up, and more often then not, they will help with dinner. We eat around 5 or 6pm.
After this we might have a bath or just some free time before we start getting ready for bed and reading some books. Bedtime is around 7 or 8pm, depending on the season as well.
Somedays, my oldest just plays outside with the neighborhood kids all day, and I will catch up on some meal planning or cooking. Somedays everyone is cranky, and it’s a real free for all! Somedays I feel extra creative and plan a fun project! Somedays are complete chaos and I wonder if i have any idea what I'm doing!
What experiences do you love to share with your children?
I love doing creative projects with them. My oldest LOVES it when I leave 'surprises' out for her to find in the morning. (I will just leave out some work lol).
I love baking and cooking with them. I love exploring the wilderness and watching them get dirty.
And what about your children? What do they love to do?
My kids love to be involved — in cooking or baking or anything really. They love riding bikes. They love free exploration where they can make a mess and experiment with interesting materials. And they love music!
Tell us something one of your children did recently that you're proud of.
My oldest recently learned how to ride her bike with two wheels. It's been so fun to watch her determination and drive to master a skill. She's out there in the rain, bright and early, sometimes through tears, everyday.
What is your favorite Montessori material or activity?
I love the golden beads! I just DIY’d a version, and they are so much fun!
What advice would you give to someone just starting out with Montessori?
Relax and be kind to yourself. The learning that happens in Montessori is everywhere, all the time, you just need to be able to step back and recognize opportunities to interact with your child or allow them to interact with the environment. It could be while on a walk, while cooking, or while simply having a conversation with them. Don't stress about getting through the materials. Be present and let it unfold.
If you could time travel and meet Maria Montessori herself, what would you say to her?
You're incredible! Thank you for dedicating such an enormous effort to nurture the child and humanity.
What you tell yourself when you feel like you're failing?
I can be quite hard on myself, so I won't tell you what I really tell myself! But I wish I would tell myself more often that perfection is not what you’re striving for. Take the time you need to reset and embrace love and gratitude. Tomorrow is a new day.
Would you recommend Child of the Redwoods?
Yes! I love the community. It keeps me in the right headspace. I haven't met anyone around us who follows this lifestyle. I love the creative ideas and suggestions every month. Even if we don't get to them all the time, it definitely gives us something to think about or talk about. It gives me hope for myself to see all these beautiful people at work.
