My sister Heidi's wedding, 1984, from left to right, me, Heidi and Allison
If you have read a few of my previous blog posts, then you have heard about my big sister, Heidi. She’s a Registered ...
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What We’ve Learned Blog
Welcome to my blog! Being in business since 2006 and a teacher for ten years before that, I have observed many things change, but one of the constants is children displaying the same type of developmentally appropriate, and sometimes inappropriate, behaviors — and parents asking for guidance on how to encourage them, reduce them, or even if they should do anything at all. (Struggling with potty training? Or getting your child to sleep? Got you covered.)
Then there’s the conundrum of what to do with changing times (which I address as they occur, like in my posts about Covid).
And sometimes I tell personal stories of my son, John, and husband, Rob (which they sometimes cringe over). I hope that sharing what I’ve learned here as a mom, wife, sci fi geek, and owner of Sunrise Montessori will aid you in your parenting journey…or at least give you a good laugh. 😉
Thanks for reading,
Shannon
Are you running out of ideas to keep your child engaged at home?
With so many families at home for the next month or so, we have heard from those with elementary-aged children that they are running out of new ideas to keep them occupied. Are they tired of playing ...
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What do you tell your child about the Coronavirus?
Costco in Pflugerville on Friday, March 13th at 11:30AM.
When I first heard about the Coronavirus, I thought it was a joke about beer. Then after reading up on it, I kept wondering why it was all one ...
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Do you know how Sunrise Montessori got started?
This blog post is a little different. Not as long, no sources. Just me sharing how we first got started back in 2006. I finished a book recently called Start with Story by LynGraft and in it he makes ...
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How to Raise your Curious Child (and Future Teenager) Safely in the Digital Age
Let me share with you what growing up in the digital age was like when I was a teenager. Taking the wireless house phone into my room to talk with friends, taping shows I liked so I could ...
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It’s the flu season! What are we doing to prevent illness?
Ping! There it is, sitting in your inbox...the email from school reporting that there is a bug going around. Or maybe it’s the sound of your phone? Rrrring! The dreaded phone call saying your ...
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The First Thing Your Child Needs To See When You Pick Up from School
After years of watching parents pick up their child at Sunrise Montessori, I must admit, I had a favorite -- Derrell Johnson. Derrell was the most loving and genuine example I have ever seen ...
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Montessori Math + Your Child = Loving High School Math
When I taught math back in California, the biggest hurdle I faced was not the different math levels of my students, it was the attitude over 80% of them had that math was to be dreaded. ...
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How to Drop Your Child Off At School like a PRO!
Before I opened Sunrise Montessori, my son, John, not yet two years old, was growing bored in home daycare, so I looked into local Montessori schools on the advice of my big sis, Allison. Changing ...
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Tricks of the Trade!
Are you in a phase with your daughter where she is constantly interrupting you? Or maybe whining? Or your son suddenly and repeatedly is disrespectful? We have the answer! Well, we MAY have it. You ...
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What is YOUR Family’s Mantra?
Back when I would say goodbye and wish my son, John, a great day at school in the early elementary years, I felt like I needed something more to set the tone for his day. He was going through a phase ...
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A (Wo)Man with a Plan!
One of the reasons I created Sunrise Montessori 13 years ago was to offer a preschool experience where our families and team felt like they belonged, a home away from home. So it gives me great joy to ...
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When Gratitude is Better, Interesting and Different
What about the INTERESTING ones in our lives that keep us on our toes? You know who I mean. For me, that would have to be my son, John, now a sophomore in high school. He’s earning straight A’s this ...
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Top 3 Reasons Why Montessori Classrooms are Multi-Aged
Most child care centers segregate their classrooms by age (two year olds are in the Two Year Olds room and three year olds are in the Three Year Olds room and so on). Montessori preschools are known ...
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Why Naps are SO Important
When my son, John, was a baby, he slept like a pro (once we got him to sleep through the night, that is). He would sleep for 12 hours and still take one to two naps. The more sleep he got, the less he ...
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Why Summer Camp is GREAT for Kids!
Imagine if you could go somewhere with activities designed for you to enjoy, new friends to make, fun places to discover, and time spent outdoors. Sounds like a luxury surprise vacay like Pack Up + ...
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