What I found works very well with toddlers is to tell them WHAT to do instead of what NOT to do. It was successful with my last class of 1-2 year olds and works very well with my 16 month old daughter now. This also ensures that you are using positive language and not saying “no” all the time. For example, a child climbing on something they shouldn’t can be told “ Feet on the floor.” I always make a point of thanking the child when they follow the direction. I’ve seen this technique be very helpful in reducing tantrums and frustration in toddlers because you are telling them what they should be doing instead of vague directions like “Don’t do that.”
Absolutely! Toddlers also do not understand contractions well so if you tell them don't run, all they hear is 'run' so tell them instead no running here but we can wall here. It is important to define what not to do but give them the alternative. That is how I got my tot to stop screaming so much. It took a while but constantly telling him what he could say or sounds he could make, made the difference! It is called conscious parenting!
I love that you mention redirection and empowerment. I used this approach rather than "no" as a nanny for 10 years. I found it to be so successful. I found when it was a true emergency and I said "NO!" they actually stopped and gave me time to get to them because it was so rare for them to hear, they knew it was serious and important.
Thank you so much for adding that bit on how to tell a baby "no!" Literally had that question halfway through the video, lol. I'm at the point were I need to figure out how to tell my baby "no" but, like you said, they don't understand why they're being told no so just saying it doesn't really work... This was very helpful. I'll be sure to give it a shot! Thanks for the great content! 👍
Facial expressions work well too. Infants are able to learn facial expressions (smiling = good, frown = bad) far earlier than they can with words (yes or no). This can work great for getting the general feeling across quickly before you explain the why behind the emotion.
Cordless blinds are incredibly important. Someone at my work had one of their toddlers accidentally hang himself on a blinds cord. We switched out all of our blinds with cordless ones.
i dont have kids but it sounds like what i do with my cats and how their collars break away if they get stuck for the same reason, either make them safe enough and out the way or get ones that break with their weight
I needed to hear the part about redirecting the right way.. my one year old has a habit of getting into things he’s not supposed to and I’ve been struggling on how to teach him not to and I’m guilty of the stern “NO”, “get down now”,”stop doing this why don’t you listen” without understanding why he actually does these things. I hate to raise my voice at him but I didn’t know any other way, this helped me a lot with keeping my patience and how to handle this behavior. Thanks for the amazing video !
When I was young my baby sister was on one side of the gate and I was on the other...I came lose and I fell on top of her with the gate between us. Everyone thought our shouting was a game. It was awful. They took her to hospital after as my full weight had been on the gate that was crushing her face. Still think about it. Its so good they have ones you can bolt onto the wall now...our was an old metal thing and so dangerous.
I'm looking forward so much to see Kylie one day demonstrating and presenting materials for Mia that she has already mastered! Ultimate level of mastery and great bonding!
This is really helpful! My hubby doesn’t believe in baby proofing, but I know that I can’t supervise her 24/7, especially as she gets older and more curious about “dangerous” things. I need to baby proof and this guide is really helpful. Thank you :)
I would crop the excerpt of saying no and post it individually as well. This would be SO helpful to send to some of my parents (I'm a preschool teacher.).
You are my hero! Our 7 month old is starting to become mobile and I really needed this. I also love the part you added about avoiding yelling across the room and talking more gentle about the situation in front of them. Love you guys!
We made our flat a yes space, except for one room which is closed (pc stuff and hobbies). So far, that they can go play while we are still in bed or do everything on their own. For example, our bigger one (2 years and 4 months) started using the potty all on his own - and also puts his pee in the toilette and uses the sink to wash it. We love it. It is so relaxing to let them play freely without always saying no or beeing there. It is amazing!
I think these videos are interesting to people like me who never want children because it shows the unique way that humans develop based on their environment. It is incredibly interesting to see how you are fostering your kids’ sense of independence and problem solving skills. Kudos.
Your house is so clean. Makes me jealous. Our house is filled with clutter and part of that reason is because we live with my husbands parents. If we got rid of 96% of our stuff then I feel that baby proofing or creating “yes spaces” would be easier lol
Thank you so much Ashley for the section on "saying NO". It's been exhausting to say "no" or keep telling my toddler to get down from wherever she was. I will be more mindful of physically intervening. I never really raise my voice, but I shake my head when my baby shouldn't be doing certain things. So now when she wants to touch something new, she'll turn around and shakes her head to check with me if it's ok to touch.
The redirecting of a child when they are doing something that they're not suppose to be doing works! I did it with my son when he was young. It was a conscious effort for my husband and me to not use the "no" word. I still remember vividly the one time I had to yell out "No! Stop!" when he was 18 months old because my son had gotten into something that was not safe. He turned around and burst out crying. He had not hurt himself, but was shocked by my loud voice. I went over, scooped him up & soothed him. Explained that was he was doing would give him an 'owie'. I used the word 'owie' instead of danger, because he understood 'owie' to be pain to be avoided.
Dee Dee I can relate. My daughter is one and some change. She was at the top of a staircase walking backwards. And I yelled out to wait or her name, not sure. And she froze and burst out in tears. Poor thing was so scared cause I had never yelled out like that before.
@@MsHopeH My son is 25 years old. Had few issues with him as he grew up because he learned self-control. Thinking things out before doing them. I had a childcare center & used this same technique with all sorts of kids, including those with developmental issues. Again, it's extra effort, but well worth it. I now use the same technique on my young nephews & nieces to redirect them.
I love the emphasis on safety! As caregivers, our job is to keep kids safe! We want to teach them and help them learn applicable skills of course, but our rules and boundaries should be mostly safety based! Love that you communicate that with the kids. They understand when we tell them, it just takes time.
Thank you so much for this video. I am a mom of 6 but 4 of those kids are teens. Then I have a 4 year old and almost, I have been having the hardest time with them. I feel like all i do is yell at them and it's like unless I am a mean goat they dont care what i say. My older kids were never like ths! After watching this video I'm realizing if I just made our area safer or more of a yes zone we would have a much better day.
Something that was pointed out to me by a college was to point out what u want them to do instead of what not to do. For example instead of saying "dont shout" you would say "please keep a lower voice". Thos is a more positive tone and tells the child exactly what you mean rather than just what you dont want. This method works for any situation really and ideally the only time the words "dont" or "no" are used are when something is an immediate danger to the child
Wow, I'm moving to a bigger house and this is the perfect video, I was about to ask you questions about babyproof! Thanks for all the suggestions and guidance! Glad to see the girls growing up 💐 Let's see how my 7 months transitions from cot next to our bed, to his own Montessori bedroom 🤔😍🏡
Hi mom of a 16 month old. I love your channel and living in South Africa where Montessori is seen a learning program rather than one to live by your channel has help. I wanted to ask how I would go about baby proofing or creating "yes" spaces in my rented home where I can't really mount things onto the wall and I have cupboards that a quite old and a very curious toddler.
So many similarities between our homes! The bathroom is exactly the same (step stool for the kitchen and same toilet setup), we also use a learning tower and his room is in montessori stile. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Ive watched this video a hundred times. I overlooked the two books, i love you and never touch a dinosuar. Those are my babygirls favorite books everrrrrrr haha
so im not a mum but i am a childcare student at the moment and i found your videos today/ i just want to thank you because thanks to your videos iv understood Montessori way better than just reading about the theorist (due to covid we havent had a chance to actually go into childcare centers and so everything is theory and its really confusing)
I have been known to use a sharp "ouch!" to startle a baby who is starting to explore something dangerous. Do I want to scare her? No, of course not. However, I figure making the baby jump because of a sharp tone is preferable to making baby jump because of an electrical shock. How do you address safety issues for a younger child balanced with allowing an older child to maintain independence? Maybe the older child is fine with stairs, but had to go from having full access to not having it because she can't open the baby gate. Or perhaps baby is now more mobile, but moving certain activities out of baby's reach means the older child doesn't have the same access. I know there are times when it's difficult to maintain the older child's independence while making sure the baby is safe.
I work at a child development program and one of the 'mantras' we have that we tell to the kids is "It's my job to keep you safe and it's your job to help me keep you safe."
Thank you for this!! How do you handle the floor vents (especially ones in their bedrooms)? We have floor vents in our home and it's the one thing that is worrying me the most about a Montessori bedroom and floor bed situation.
I don't mean to bother you or rush you at all, just wanted to kind of "bump" my comment in case you hadn't seen it. I'm 4 months pregnant with our first baby and the floor vent thing is really worrying me the most about giving her a floor bed instead of a crib. Do you have any advice for making sure the floor vents are safe for baby's room?
LOVE your channel. Such helpful information but what would you say or what can you do when baby puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. Toys, books, clothing....everything.
Hi Ashley, thank you for uploading this video! I know you have made many of them already, but would you perhaps make a video for couples who are expecting their first baby and would like to embrace the Montessori way of educating? ❤️❤️
Careful with the tape behind the laminated pictures! I had the same and in the time it took me to go pee my kid managed to rip them and munch on the tape (chocking hazard!!!!)
Haha, yep. If I didn’t monitor my baby/toddlers 24/7, most of her house would be a safety hazard! A pressure mounted gate, lol - a climbing tool, a cord - totally a pull toy, a closet full of things up high- um those shelves are totally great ladder steps, a “kitchen helper”- basically a step stool to hang out on the counter... a kallax shelf on its side- a climbing tool, baby lotion in the free-access cupboard - wall paint..... #boymom, LOL. (And girls too, but I’m a boy mom)
@@chantellek3982 Oh I feel you there. I worked as a toddler teacher and my kids were pretty wild. But watching these videos makes me wonder if part of the "wildness" is because these kids lacked the freedom. On days when the weather was bad, there was no opportunity to climb or really explore gross-motor activities. Certain schemas weren't allowed to be explored. I wonder if I had been allowed to give the kids a bit more freedom and opportunity to actually be kids instead of focusing on getting two year olds to sit for 15 minute circle times or not run, if that would've impacted overall behavior.
Lissa Kristine it’s possible. They may have fed off of each other’s energy too... but my kid could never have done this style of home/set up. No way. My 2nd child... yea, I think so.
@@chantellek3982 I agree. Some kids are just more active and curious no matter if given "freedom". Especially younger kids who are learning about mobility.
Hey! I enjoy all your videos, but this one is really appreciated by this mommy about to lose her mind! My baby is 2 and is not easy as Kylie, he tries to climb on EVERYTHING! And I'll try the magnetic locks for the kitchen... Thanks for sharing your experience! ❤️
LOVE your content!!! Going to start incorporating to the Montessori approach in our household with our three year old and we have baby #2 due in March. 💜 So wish we could afford the Topponcino!!
How much to baby proof depends on the kid, as you alluded to with the stove and electrical wires stuff. I was laughing at the thought of a two year old with a tent because I have a very active 3.5 year old boy who will knock the tent down within ten minutes of being allowed to play with it every single time. We have a tent that I have brought out and put away on several occasions. He’s tall and athletic, so I’m not worried about suffocating, I just don’t think he needs the tent if it’s going to be flattened on the floor. When he was little, we babyproofed so much of our house that we never bothered to with his older sister because it never seemed to be a problem. We moved since then and had another baby and have very minimal baby proofing. He is less curious about things he knows are not for him and is usually redirected well.
I think it's definitely a personality thing too, some babies will learn to avoid things after being physically removed from them repeatedly, others will make it a game and just want to go back more!
Question - Do you recommend using the Ikea Kura bed as floor bed frame? How old was Kailey when she starts sleeping in it? My son is also an active sleeper and rolls quite a bit when he sleeps. He is 9 months old now and can army crawl. He sleeps in crib now and I want to transition him to floor bed. Thanks!
the clear edge protectors dont come off at all, but may be the chunkier ones do. I have both installed and only the latter is 10% torn. The clear ones are as they are since I installed them 👍🏻
I See... similarities and differences...of course you are so far ahead of me and I'm learning from you....my daughter is also 11mo she sleeps on top of a blanket but it's bc she's Always rolling and can move herself. She doesn't pull curtains. Now she chews on her books so I had to move those to the top of her closet. 😆 Right now I can only do her room and I had to get a playpin but it's very large. And safe for the living room area.
A question!! I always love your videos! I have a six month old and these could not come at a better time. We live in a very small apartment and can't do most modifications (mounting furniture to the wall, etc.). So currently when we aren't holding our baby she's in a play pen, so safe but not much opportunity for exploring. Any suggestions on how to practice Montessori with such limited space? Thanks! :)
Morgan Trojacek we too live in a small apartment. One bedroom with 2 kids. I gave them the living room as a yes space. We use sturdy, hard plastic baby gates to not drill holes in the wall... they have no access to kitchen, bathroom, linen closet or bedroom alone. We minimized/let go of a lot to make this happen. All bulky furniture that wasn’t used was let go. No DVD bookcase (now dvds are in binders, in the closet), tall book case gone, no more TV table or coffee table. Hubby got a big IKEA rug and that’s their play space. I DIYed toy cubbies out of zip ties & diaper boxes which hold all toys under the wall mounted TV (sorry Landlord) we too used wall cable strip protectors like in the video but connected it to a baby proofed surge protector box (hides well behind the couch)...we need our WiFi and cables out of reach. Our furniture is minimal just couches, dining table, chairs, baby food chair and kids table/chair with small wall mounted bookcase. Again downsizing has been the best = less clutter = less stress! Kids safety is my top priority. Stuff just got in the way. Hope that helps give ideas on creating your own yes space. Loved this video! One day we might have extra rooms or just extra space but for now I’m just trying to live without stressing out. Let the kids play!
Aren't the table edge protectors more useful mounted at the bottom of edge rather than the top? If the baby crawls underneath and tries to get up wouldn't that be just us or even more likely than banging her head on the top?
Love your videos, love the bed idea for toddlers, my daughter is the same way! I was already planning to get that bed since IKEA has cute tents that go with it
Thank you for always being thoughtful and posted video from your busy time! Another great video for me to reference. Question for the switch that for Kylie to switch the light, I have similar situation and do not want my daughter to climb and hurt herself. I couldn’t find the link below box in your list, may you share?
Hi Ashley! We are in the process of making our 6 month olds room into a more free and open space. Quick question though, how do you keep the baby from crawling up behind the door when you have the door shut? Where we live there is no central heating, so the option to leave the door open all the time with a baby gate up isn't possible for us. We want him to be free to move around his room but the idea of him getting behind the door and us not being able to open it in case of an emergency is worrisome. Any suggestions? Thank you for all your videos, we love you and your wonderful family!
You could look into installing a Dutch door. I've considered it for us in the future because even with central heat, the bedrooms still get super chilly when the doors are closed.
My daughter is nine months old and she's often behind the door when I go get her up (because she knows that's where I come in). I just gently open it while talking to her and she gets a little pushed along the floor as I open it as little as possible to let myself in. And now after a couple times of that she usually doesn't go right up against the door anymore.
Question, my 7mo started to get out of her floor bed now, but I still use a wood recliner to feed her at night and during the day. Any ideas of how could I have that without her getting to it? Thank you!!
I find it quite fascinating really, but we are from europe. We don´t have those huge houses where you can afford to do most of the things you show here. Some things inspired me tho. I will try implementing them and make a few changes in the house. A thanks on my part.
I want to make our son's nursery into a yes space but we have a rocker in the bedroom. It really helps him sleep at night so I don't want to remove it but am curious if you have any tips on how to make it safer? I don't want him to crawl upon onto it once he's older and get himself into trouble
I am a kindergarten teacher. In my 5 years of experience, there was only one incident at my work that a kid smashed his head on a shelf and he needed stitches. And he was not alone in the room. If an accident is going to happen, it will happen. Even in our presence. Even when we hold a child's hand ...
How often are you leaving Mia unattended? I have created two yes spaces, our living room and his room, but I almost never leave him there out of sight, I would be only a second away at all times - should I be providing more independent time where I am legitimately not there?
I have a 21 month old and she plays on her own in our lounge (we have a yes space there). I think it's more important that there's just no attention on them. My daughter sees me in the kitchen but will happily play on her own in any case. I can usually hear her, even if we can't see eachother, but sometimes I'll be out of hearing for a couple of min. I'm not too comfortable with more than 15 min or so.
stacey thanks for the insight! My place is small enough that there is no such thing as out of earshot haha, I think I will start being out of sight for a few minutes here and there to see how he manages.
Try a few minutes of non montiorted play and if your child striggles, try doing a compromize where you (still in the room) are distracted with another task such as a book or laptop. The child can feel safe due to being able to see you but not over watched since you are not really paying attention to them unless prompted
What kind of mounts do you guys use for the wardrobe and dressers? Some of our shelves didn't come with any. We also don't want to damage our walls too much
Do you have any advice in regards to preventing them from pinching their fingers? I bought drawer locks and even thought they don’t open, they open enough to pinch her fingers :/
My daughter is 10 months and she would definitely pull off the curtains, roll off the bed everyday, and rip off the pictures 😂😂 but seriously...this was very helpful!
Hahaha, I climbed the outside of the banister when my parents put a baby at at the bottom of the stairs🤣 They came in from the kitchen to find me clinging to the outside of the banister at the top of the stairs😬 They decided falling down the stairs themselves was better than falling from the banister, and gave me extensive stair climbing lessons😆
Any ideas for protecting vent covers? I see you kinda blocked the baby’s with furniture and I guess the toddler can probably be trusted not to hurt herself on them. We’re trying to make our 8 month old’s room a yes space and safe for a floor bed. I’m afraid she’ll cut her fingers on the vent cover. We have magnetic covers, but they completely block the airflow, which I don’t want.
I did 2 things for my kid: the powersockets and my cleaning stuff. Everything else is open and he can get into, but almost never does. Nothing in any edges, not everythings made out of reach, no babygates. I never forbid him to explore but it just worked out with less
Hi Ashley, not sure if this message can get to you. I’m seeking your advise on how to choose baby bed. My 11 months old is a roller too, and she keeps roll out the floor bed, sometimes she even wakes up and crawl to the door. What do you suggest yo handle the situation ?
I feel like the only parent in the world that doesn’t baby proof at all and just works with them to teach them what’s dangerous and what can hurt them. I had heard a doctor say when I was younger (like a teen) “Babies are meant for first time parents. They’re built to be able to handle normal falls and bumps.” And that may be why I’ve never really did anything really. My kids have taken falls and bumped their heads but oddly enough never on anything we could’ve baby proofed but they survived so I guess we did do something right. 😆
Ashley, what’s the baby monitor you use that’s mounted to Mia’s room ceiling? Im struggling to find a monitor that doesn’t have an annoying blinking blue light!
I would love to create a yes space for my daughter. But we have a 2 bedroom apartment. Older brother in one. Me dad and her in the other. Then living room (with dads computer area) and kitchen. Any ideas? I feel bad that she gets so many "no's" all day.
Yup, we're there already too. We decided to remove TV stand. Leaving only the computer area as she needs to learn not to touch. Everything else when she's down playing will be safe.
What I found works very well with toddlers is to tell them WHAT to do instead of what NOT to do. It was successful with my last class of 1-2 year olds and works very well with my 16 month old daughter now. This also ensures that you are using positive language and not saying “no” all the time. For example, a child climbing on something they shouldn’t can be told “ Feet on the floor.” I always make a point of thanking the child when they follow the direction. I’ve seen this technique be very helpful in reducing tantrums and frustration in toddlers because you are telling them what they should be doing instead of vague directions like “Don’t do that.”
I started trying to transition myself to this and it's making my daughter so much happier
Absolutely! Toddlers also do not understand contractions well so if you tell them don't run, all they hear is 'run' so tell them instead no running here but we can wall here. It is important to define what not to do but give them the alternative. That is how I got my tot to stop screaming so much. It took a while but constantly telling him what he could say or sounds he could make, made the difference! It is called conscious parenting!
I love that you mention redirection and empowerment. I used this approach rather than "no" as a nanny for 10 years. I found it to be so successful. I found when it was a true emergency and I said "NO!" they actually stopped and gave me time to get to them because it was so rare for them to hear, they knew it was serious and important.
Every day I’m more and more convinced that raising toddlers and training puppies is literally the same thing 😂
I love the way the kids are demonstrating their activities the whole time!
Ha
Thank you so much for adding that bit on how to tell a baby "no!" Literally had that question halfway through the video, lol. I'm at the point were I need to figure out how to tell my baby "no" but, like you said, they don't understand why they're being told no so just saying it doesn't really work... This was very helpful. I'll be sure to give it a shot! Thanks for the great content! 👍
Facial expressions work well too. Infants are able to learn facial expressions (smiling = good, frown = bad) far earlier than they can with words (yes or no). This can work great for getting the general feeling across quickly before you explain the why behind the emotion.
Cordless blinds are incredibly important. Someone at my work had one of their toddlers accidentally hang himself on a blinds cord. We switched out all of our blinds with cordless ones.
I prefer curtains just because I have seen too many blinds broken by kids. I think curtains are quite kid friendly.
Thank you for mentioning this. We are looking into buying some curtains or blinds and had not consider this issue yet.
My brother did that when we were younger. Thankfully did not die but it was scary. Thank goodness 5 year old me knew how to get him out asap
i dont have kids but it sounds like what i do with my cats and how their collars break away if they get stuck for the same reason, either make them safe enough and out the way or get ones that break with their weight
Oh my god! The parents must’ve been devastated
I needed to hear the part about redirecting the right way.. my one year old has a habit of getting into things he’s not supposed to and I’ve been struggling on how to teach him not to and I’m guilty of the stern “NO”, “get down now”,”stop doing this why don’t you listen” without understanding why he actually does these things. I hate to raise my voice at him but I didn’t know any other way, this helped me a lot with keeping my patience and how to handle this behavior. Thanks for the amazing video !
When I was young my baby sister was on one side of the gate and I was on the other...I came lose and I fell on top of her with the gate between us. Everyone thought our shouting was a game. It was awful. They took her to hospital after as my full weight had been on the gate that was crushing her face. Still think about it. Its so good they have ones you can bolt onto the wall now...our was an old metal thing and so dangerous.
Hollie House Aww that’s SO sad. Did everything turn out okay?
Was she okay?
I'm looking forward so much to see Kylie one day demonstrating and presenting materials for Mia that she has already mastered! Ultimate level of mastery and great bonding!
This is really helpful! My hubby doesn’t believe in baby proofing, but I know that I can’t supervise her 24/7, especially as she gets older and more curious about “dangerous” things. I need to baby proof and this guide is really helpful. Thank you :)
Show this video and some videos about things going wrong with your hubby
Why would he not belive in keeping your child safe??
Yes mothers instinct
Can I just say how much I love your community here?
I would crop the excerpt of saying no and post it individually as well. This would be SO helpful to send to some of my parents (I'm a preschool teacher.).
You are my hero! Our 7 month old is starting to become mobile and I really needed this. I also love the part you added about avoiding yelling across the room and talking more gentle about the situation in front of them. Love you guys!
Ashley! you are cranking out the content recently! you’re a total rockstar:) thank you for all that you do:)
I dont have kids. And dont plan on it. But I love love your videos
We made our flat a yes space, except for one room which is closed (pc stuff and hobbies). So far, that they can go play while we are still in bed or do everything on their own. For example, our bigger one (2 years and 4 months) started using the potty all on his own - and also puts his pee in the toilette and uses the sink to wash it. We love it. It is so relaxing to let them play freely without always saying no or beeing there. It is amazing!
I think these videos are interesting to people like me who never want children because it shows the unique way that humans develop based on their environment. It is incredibly interesting to see how you are fostering your kids’ sense of independence and problem solving skills. Kudos.
Your house is so clean. Makes me jealous. Our house is filled with clutter and part of that reason is because we live with my husbands parents. If we got rid of 96% of our stuff then I feel that baby proofing or creating “yes spaces” would be easier lol
Thank you so much Ashley for the section on "saying NO". It's been exhausting to say "no" or keep telling my toddler to get down from wherever she was. I will be more mindful of physically intervening. I never really raise my voice, but I shake my head when my baby shouldn't be doing certain things. So now when she wants to touch something new, she'll turn around and shakes her head to check with me if it's ok to touch.
The redirecting of a child when they are doing something that they're not suppose to be doing works! I did it with my son when he was young. It was a conscious effort for my husband and me to not use the "no" word. I still remember vividly the one time I had to yell out "No! Stop!" when he was 18 months old because my son had gotten into something that was not safe. He turned around and burst out crying. He had not hurt himself, but was shocked by my loud voice. I went over, scooped him up & soothed him. Explained that was he was doing would give him an 'owie'. I used the word 'owie' instead of danger, because he understood 'owie' to be pain to be avoided.
Dee Dee I can relate. My daughter is one and some change. She was at the top of a staircase walking backwards. And I yelled out to wait or her name, not sure. And she froze and burst out in tears. Poor thing was so scared cause I had never yelled out like that before.
@@MsHopeH My son is 25 years old. Had few issues with him as he grew up because he learned self-control. Thinking things out before doing them. I had a childcare center & used this same technique with all sorts of kids, including those with developmental issues. Again, it's extra effort, but well worth it. I now use the same technique on my young nephews & nieces to redirect them.
I can’t believe Mia is almost a year old!!❤️
Love the frequent uploads!!
You constantly set my mind at ease. You seem to just know what question I have next and answer it so thoroughly and positively :) Thank you
That's such a nice thing to say!
I love the emphasis on safety! As caregivers, our job is to keep kids safe! We want to teach them and help them learn applicable skills of course, but our rules and boundaries should be mostly safety based! Love that you communicate that with the kids. They understand when we tell them, it just takes time.
Those magnetic locks are super cool
We're observing our 4 months old daughter and planning the changes in our house. Thanks for this video! 🙂
That no thing is sooo helpful. Lately I feel like my anger gets worse if I use that language throughout the day. I’ll definitely do this. 💕
Thank you so much for this video. I am a mom of 6 but 4 of those kids are teens. Then I have a 4 year old and almost, I have been having the hardest time with them. I feel like all i do is yell at them and it's like unless I am a mean goat they dont care what i say. My older kids were never like ths! After watching this video I'm realizing if I just made our area safer or more of a yes zone we would have a much better day.
Something that was pointed out to me by a college was to point out what u want them to do instead of what not to do. For example instead of saying "dont shout" you would say "please keep a lower voice". Thos is a more positive tone and tells the child exactly what you mean rather than just what you dont want. This method works for any situation really and ideally the only time the words "dont" or "no" are used are when something is an immediate danger to the child
Wow, I'm moving to a bigger house and this is the perfect video, I was about to ask you questions about babyproof! Thanks for all the suggestions and guidance! Glad to see the girls growing up 💐 Let's see how my 7 months transitions from cot next to our bed, to his own Montessori bedroom 🤔😍🏡
Seeing your little 11 month old filled my heart. Shes so precious.
The video is so helpful! My baby starts to stand and wants to explore every minute. Thank you, Ashley!
Such a lovely family with wonderful, gentle parenting techniques; thank you for the consistent videos, despite being a busy parent
Hi mom of a 16 month old. I love your channel and living in South Africa where Montessori is seen a learning program rather than one to live by your channel has help. I wanted to ask how I would go about baby proofing or creating "yes" spaces in my rented home where I can't really mount things onto the wall and I have cupboards that a quite old and a very curious toddler.
So many similarities between our homes! The bathroom is exactly the same (step stool for the kitchen and same toilet setup), we also use a learning tower and his room is in montessori stile. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Ive watched this video a hundred times. I overlooked the two books, i love you and never touch a dinosuar. Those are my babygirls favorite books everrrrrrr haha
so im not a mum but i am a childcare student at the moment and i found your videos today/ i just want to thank you because thanks to your videos iv understood Montessori way better than just reading about the theorist (due to covid we havent had a chance to actually go into childcare centers and so everything is theory and its really confusing)
Our living room AND babys bedroom is YES Space Approved :>
I have been known to use a sharp "ouch!" to startle a baby who is starting to explore something dangerous. Do I want to scare her? No, of course not. However, I figure making the baby jump because of a sharp tone is preferable to making baby jump because of an electrical shock.
How do you address safety issues for a younger child balanced with allowing an older child to maintain independence? Maybe the older child is fine with stairs, but had to go from having full access to not having it because she can't open the baby gate. Or perhaps baby is now more mobile, but moving certain activities out of baby's reach means the older child doesn't have the same access. I know there are times when it's difficult to maintain the older child's independence while making sure the baby is safe.
I like the gold cabinet knobs
Seriously interested in the light switch you have installed in Kylie's room!
Also interested!
I work at a child development program and one of the 'mantras' we have that we tell to the kids is "It's my job to keep you safe and it's your job to help me keep you safe."
Thank you so much for doing these videos - as a first time mom, I so appreciate your detailed videos and links to products. Thank you!!
Thank you for this!! How do you handle the floor vents (especially ones in their bedrooms)? We have floor vents in our home and it's the one thing that is worrying me the most about a Montessori bedroom and floor bed situation.
I don't mean to bother you or rush you at all, just wanted to kind of "bump" my comment in case you hadn't seen it. I'm 4 months pregnant with our first baby and the floor vent thing is really worrying me the most about giving her a floor bed instead of a crib. Do you have any advice for making sure the floor vents are safe for baby's room?
LOVE your channel. Such helpful information but what would you say or what can you do when baby puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. Toys, books, clothing....everything.
Hi Ashley, thank you for uploading this video! I know you have made many of them already, but would you perhaps make a video for couples who are expecting their first baby and would like to embrace the Montessori way of educating? ❤️❤️
Careful with the tape behind the laminated pictures! I had the same and in the time it took me to go pee my kid managed to rip them and munch on the tape (chocking hazard!!!!)
That was my thought too. Yikes! These kids aren't boundary pushers too much, if yours are you need a higher level of precaution!
Haha, yep. If I didn’t monitor my baby/toddlers 24/7, most of her house would be a safety hazard! A pressure mounted gate, lol - a climbing tool, a cord - totally a pull toy, a closet full of things up high- um those shelves are totally great ladder steps, a “kitchen helper”- basically a step stool to hang out on the counter... a kallax shelf on its side- a climbing tool, baby lotion in the free-access cupboard - wall paint..... #boymom, LOL. (And girls too, but I’m a boy mom)
@@chantellek3982 Oh I feel you there. I worked as a toddler teacher and my kids were pretty wild.
But watching these videos makes me wonder if part of the "wildness" is because these kids lacked the freedom. On days when the weather was bad, there was no opportunity to climb or really explore gross-motor activities. Certain schemas weren't allowed to be explored. I wonder if I had been allowed to give the kids a bit more freedom and opportunity to actually be kids instead of focusing on getting two year olds to sit for 15 minute circle times or not run, if that would've impacted overall behavior.
Lissa Kristine it’s possible. They may have fed off of each other’s energy too... but my kid could never have done this style of home/set up. No way. My 2nd child... yea, I think so.
@@chantellek3982 I agree. Some kids are just more active and curious no matter if given "freedom". Especially younger kids who are learning about mobility.
Super helpful! Especially that last few minutes
Changing our family life incredibly! thank you so so much!!!
Hey! I enjoy all your videos, but this one is really appreciated by this mommy about to lose her mind! My baby is 2 and is not easy as Kylie, he tries to climb on EVERYTHING! And I'll try the magnetic locks for the kitchen... Thanks for sharing your experience! ❤️
LOVE your content!!! Going to start incorporating to the Montessori approach in our household with our three year old and we have baby #2 due in March. 💜 So wish we could afford the Topponcino!!
I was looking through your links for one to the remote lightbulb. I’ve been looking for one but like the looks of the one you guys have!
AduroSmart ERIA Soft White Smart Light Is The closest thing that I found to it
Thanks! I ended up using the Philips Hue light that comes with a remote control. A little pricey but it’s been worth it so far!
This was super helpful, Thank you!
Thank you this was so helpful. You are a Godsend
How do you take a newborn shopping? Stroller? Car seat in the cart? Or in a wrap?
This is perfect. Beautifully simple. , you're awesome 😊❤
one of my fav vlogs of your! thank you very helpful. your amazing.
I love your channel! Since I am new here, I wanted to ask if you are making any distinction between bedrooms and their playroom? Thanks!
I Loved this vídeo .... very very important to say the correct Word in lot of moments . I'm working my English. By 😍🙏
Thank you for sharing! Great video
I love your channel ! I learn some much with each video you post! Thank you
Love your videos, thank you for the time you spend on them, they are really helpful. Have a beautiful and bless day 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐
My twins at roughly 20m got the sliding closet door off the rails by pushing up from the bottom.
Wow I worry about that I also have twins. Lol they plot together
How much to baby proof depends on the kid, as you alluded to with the stove and electrical wires stuff. I was laughing at the thought of a two year old with a tent because I have a very active 3.5 year old boy who will knock the tent down within ten minutes of being allowed to play with it every single time. We have a tent that I have brought out and put away on several occasions. He’s tall and athletic, so I’m not worried about suffocating, I just don’t think he needs the tent if it’s going to be flattened on the floor. When he was little, we babyproofed so much of our house that we never bothered to with his older sister because it never seemed to be a problem. We moved since then and had another baby and have very minimal baby proofing. He is less curious about things he knows are not for him and is usually redirected well.
I think it's definitely a personality thing too, some babies will learn to avoid things after being physically removed from them repeatedly, others will make it a game and just want to go back more!
Question - Do you recommend using the Ikea Kura bed as floor bed frame? How old was Kailey when she starts sleeping in it? My son is also an active sleeper and rolls quite a bit when he sleeps. He is 9 months old now and can army crawl. He sleeps in crib now and I want to transition him to floor bed. Thanks!
the clear edge protectors dont come off at all, but may be the chunkier ones do. I have both installed and only the latter is 10% torn. The clear ones are as they are since I installed them 👍🏻
I See... similarities and differences...of course you are so far ahead of me and I'm learning from you....my daughter is also 11mo she sleeps on top of a blanket but it's bc she's Always rolling and can move herself.
She doesn't pull curtains.
Now she chews on her books so I had to move those to the top of her closet. 😆
Right now I can only do her room and I had to get a playpin but it's very large. And safe for the living room area.
Look up indestructible books. They are made for the teeth and slobber
Very good! Thank you for sharing.
A question!! I always love your videos! I have a six month old and these could not come at a better time. We live in a very small apartment and can't do most modifications (mounting furniture to the wall, etc.). So currently when we aren't holding our baby she's in a play pen, so safe but not much opportunity for exploring. Any suggestions on how to practice Montessori with such limited space? Thanks! :)
Morgan Trojacek we too live in a small apartment. One bedroom with 2 kids. I gave them the living room as a yes space. We use sturdy, hard plastic baby gates to not drill holes in the wall... they have no access to kitchen, bathroom, linen closet or bedroom alone. We minimized/let go of a lot to make this happen. All bulky furniture that wasn’t used was let go. No DVD bookcase (now dvds are in binders, in the closet), tall book case gone, no more TV table or coffee table. Hubby got a big IKEA rug and that’s their play space. I DIYed toy cubbies out of zip ties & diaper boxes which hold all toys under the wall mounted TV (sorry Landlord) we too used wall cable strip protectors like in the video but connected it to a baby proofed surge protector box (hides well behind the couch)...we need our WiFi and cables out of reach. Our furniture is minimal just couches, dining table, chairs, baby food chair and kids table/chair with small wall mounted bookcase. Again downsizing has been the best = less clutter = less stress! Kids safety is my top priority. Stuff just got in the way. Hope that helps give ideas on creating your own yes space. Loved this video! One day we might have extra rooms or just extra space but for now I’m just trying to live without stressing out. Let the kids play!
You can also check thrift stores for a learning tower! I got an original learning tower for $5 from a local thrift store!
Aren't the table edge protectors more useful mounted at the bottom of edge rather than the top? If the baby crawls underneath and tries to get up wouldn't that be just us or even more likely than banging her head on the top?
Love your videos, love the bed idea for toddlers, my daughter is the same way! I was already planning to get that bed since IKEA has cute tents that go with it
Thank you for always being thoughtful and posted video from your busy time! Another great video for me to reference. Question for the switch that for Kylie to switch the light, I have similar situation and do not want my daughter to climb and hurt herself. I couldn’t find the link below box in your list, may you share?
YAY! Another video!❤💜💙🧡
Hi Ashley! We are in the process of making our 6 month olds room into a more free and open space. Quick question though, how do you keep the baby from crawling up behind the door when you have the door shut? Where we live there is no central heating, so the option to leave the door open all the time with a baby gate up isn't possible for us. We want him to be free to move around his room but the idea of him getting behind the door and us not being able to open it in case of an emergency is worrisome. Any suggestions? Thank you for all your videos, we love you and your wonderful family!
You could look into installing a Dutch door. I've considered it for us in the future because even with central heat, the bedrooms still get super chilly when the doors are closed.
My daughter is nine months old and she's often behind the door when I go get her up (because she knows that's where I come in). I just gently open it while talking to her and she gets a little pushed along the floor as I open it as little as possible to let myself in. And now after a couple times of that she usually doesn't go right up against the door anymore.
@FearnTuckerBentley Wow.
@FearnTuckerBentley You are embarrassing yourself.
@FearnTuckerBentley Do you think you are being a good example by name-calling to that extent? That was unnecessary.
Question, my 7mo started to get out of her floor bed now, but I still use a wood recliner to feed her at night and during the day. Any ideas of how could I have that without her getting to it? Thank you!!
I find it quite fascinating really, but we are from europe. We don´t have those huge houses where you can afford to do most of the things you show here. Some things inspired me tho. I will try implementing them and make a few changes in the house. A thanks on my part.
Hey Ash, what baby monitor do you use? The big one that connects to your phone. Thanks gal!
Im curious about your changing station. Do you not have one anymore and just change her on the floor?
Could you link the wall mounts you like to use for furniture too? I've been overwhelmed with choices and it would be super helpful. Thanks!
I want to make our son's nursery into a yes space but we have a rocker in the bedroom. It really helps him sleep at night so I don't want to remove it but am curious if you have any tips on how to make it safer? I don't want him to crawl upon onto it once he's older and get himself into trouble
I am a kindergarten teacher. In my 5 years of experience, there was only one incident at my work that a kid smashed his head on a shelf and he needed stitches. And he was not alone in the room. If an accident is going to happen, it will happen. Even in our presence. Even when we hold a child's hand ...
Thanks so what do you suggest?
How often are you leaving Mia unattended? I have created two yes spaces, our living room and his room, but I almost never leave him there out of sight, I would be only a second away at all times - should I be providing more independent time where I am legitimately not there?
I have a 21 month old and she plays on her own in our lounge (we have a yes space there). I think it's more important that there's just no attention on them. My daughter sees me in the kitchen but will happily play on her own in any case. I can usually hear her, even if we can't see eachother, but sometimes I'll be out of hearing for a couple of min. I'm not too comfortable with more than 15 min or so.
stacey thanks for the insight! My place is small enough that there is no such thing as out of earshot haha, I think I will start being out of sight for a few minutes here and there to see how he manages.
Try a few minutes of non montiorted play and if your child striggles, try doing a compromize where you (still in the room) are distracted with another task such as a book or laptop. The child can feel safe due to being able to see you but not over watched since you are not really paying attention to them unless prompted
What kind of mounts do you guys use for the wardrobe and dressers? Some of our shelves didn't come with any. We also don't want to damage our walls too much
You can always buy L brackets from a hardware store and drill into studs or use high weight drywall anchors if something doesn't land on a stud
I think Ikea even gives out furniture mounts for free but I'm not 100% sure
You’re amazing!!! Soooooooooo helpful!!!
Do you have any advice in regards to preventing them from pinching their fingers? I bought drawer locks and even thought they don’t open, they open enough to pinch her fingers :/
My daughter is 10 months and she would definitely pull off the curtains, roll off the bed everyday, and rip off the pictures 😂😂 but seriously...this was very helpful!
Hahaha, I climbed the outside of the banister when my parents put a baby at at the bottom of the stairs🤣 They came in from the kitchen to find me clinging to the outside of the banister at the top of the stairs😬 They decided falling down the stairs themselves was better than falling from the banister, and gave me extensive stair climbing lessons😆
Any ideas for protecting vent covers? I see you kinda blocked the baby’s with furniture and I guess the toddler can probably be trusted not to hurt herself on them. We’re trying to make our 8 month old’s room a yes space and safe for a floor bed. I’m afraid she’ll cut her fingers on the vent cover. We have magnetic covers, but they completely block the airflow, which I don’t want.
Currently we have a child's table and one chair and my daughters room. Wondering if we should remove to prohibit climbing?
A few areas in your house have tiles. Did you have kids bumping their heads into the tiles while learning how to crawl / walk?
I have to use drawer stops because my baby likes to open the drawers and pull the clothes out but has pinched her fingers a couple of times
I did 2 things for my kid: the powersockets and my cleaning stuff. Everything else is open and he can get into, but almost never does. Nothing in any edges, not everythings made out of reach, no babygates. I never forbid him to explore but it just worked out with less
Hi Ashley, not sure if this message can get to you. I’m seeking your advise on how to choose baby bed. My 11 months old is a roller too, and she keeps roll out the floor bed, sometimes she even wakes up and crawl to the door. What do you suggest yo handle the situation ?
Love your videos!! Very clear and useful!! I learnt so much from you. Thank you Ashley 💗
Awesome tips! But since you moved out the changing station from Mia's room, how do you do diaper changes now?
She told she does it on the washroom only
Your a busy momma this week wow.
I feel like the only parent in the world that doesn’t baby proof at all and just works with them to teach them what’s dangerous and what can hurt them. I had heard a doctor say when I was younger (like a teen) “Babies are meant for first time parents. They’re built to be able to handle normal falls and bumps.” And that may be why I’ve never really did anything really. My kids have taken falls and bumped their heads but oddly enough never on anything we could’ve baby proofed but they survived so I guess we did do something right. 😆
Ashley, what’s the baby monitor you use that’s mounted to Mia’s room ceiling? Im struggling to find a monitor that doesn’t have an annoying blinking blue light!
What are your resources? Which books have your read? I love your videos. I hope I will get a baby soon and than I will rewatch your videos.
I would love to create a yes space for my daughter. But we have a 2 bedroom apartment. Older brother in one. Me dad and her in the other. Then living room (with dads computer area) and kitchen. Any ideas? I feel bad that she gets so many "no's" all day.
odonnelln We live in a 2 br 750 sq ft too. The only thing that helps is being very minimal and storing lots of things in the closets!!
Yup, we're there already too. We decided to remove TV stand. Leaving only the computer area as she needs to learn not to touch. Everything else when she's down playing will be safe.
Great video! You use a lot of the same setup and safety products I do.