So, Newcomer turned 2.5, and I decided to update the overview of our toys. As planned, most of the old toys are still in active use. The Montessori toy organization system works perfectly, and the toys don’t get boring for him. I’ve also started teaching Newcomer that every toy has a place, and after playing,…
A friend recently asked me how I manage to maintain a “Montessori style” in the toy world my son and I share. It made me realize that, from his very first toys until now, we’ve actually managed to keep things minimal and orderly. We don’t have the problem of toys being left scattered around —…
One of the few sources of truth in my childhood was Pippi Longstocking, even though she told quite a few lies. But her lies were nothing like the lies or half-truths adults told, or the poor and unpractical education I received. Besides that, I had access to a whole library of children’s books, which filled…
I don’t like structure in my own life, but I love to organize and structure things. This probably stood out a lot in my recent articles. Now, dangerously close to a burnout episode, I felt like writing something freer, in a flow, about what is currently holding my fragile mind together. I am well aware…
I came across an incredibly insightful book by Alain de Botton, Emotional Education, which would be a great addition to the already long list of books I’d gladly translate into Ukrainian. We tend to underestimate the importance of our emotional world, seeing it as something secondary and private. This book addresses many essential topics related…
Infant formula — how did we get here after the natural breastfeeding process? In her book “Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession”, now in its seventh edition, leading pediatrician Dr. Ruth Lawrence calls infant formula “one of the greatest experiments in the history of mankind.” Formulas were invented, ingredients came and went, and no…
I am tired and alive. Today, without much structure or answers, just about the desire to fit everything in and figure out how to feel grounded in a world of endless possibilities. Insect or Superhuman? Lately, I feel torn apart by the sheer amount of everything I do, ideas, and choices. Preparing a presentation for…
What is “bad behavior” and what does it mean to be a “good mother”? What types of defense mechanisms are there, and are we perhaps sometimes running away from life? What can we do with overstimulation, how can we self-regulate and create a peaceful space at home with children? Four questions for choosing a partner…
Pain is often perceived as an enemy — something to avoid, suppress, or numb. From childhood, we are taught to seek comfort and safety and avoid suffering. However, when viewed through the lens of psychology, philosophy, and personal development, pain is not just an obstacle but a necessary component of growth. Just as the body…
The book Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff delves into her own anthropological explorations among various civilizations, including the Inuit, Māori, Hunza, Maasai, and Gabonese tribes. In the “pressure cooker” of Western nuclear families, much attention is given to a child’s independence, often demanded in an imperative manner. In contrast, in the aforementioned tribes, children…
