(no subject)

[primroseburrows]

You know what's insane? The fact that I, of all people, got in the mail today a catalogue called The Joyful Child: Essential Montessori for Birth to Three.

My question is WHY? Maybe it's because of the fact that Montessori Education is frequently and quite erroneously associated with Waldorf Education. They're so different it's like night and day, really. So hmm.

So, I'm looking through this catalogue, and find out that Montessori seems to be big on child-led weaning. Well, this sounds like a great idea, until you look at it closer. Here's the blurb for a booklet called How I Weaned Myself:

"Intelligent preparation for weaning begins very early in the first year of life because it is the child who knows when best to be weaned and we must be prepared to follow his lead. If we provide all the elements--chair, table, spoon, glass--he will make this important step of independence at the right (italics theirs) time. We asked a couple who followed this path to weaning to write this up to share with other parents and they recommended reading it early."

I dunno. This sounds waay too regimented for me, and I read on a Montessouri website that someone was using the traditional "weaning chair and table" (small table-and-chair set) when the child was eight months old. Bleh. Yeah, I know that Waldorf encourages weaning at a year, and I don't agree with that either, but. This sounds almost, I dunno, Mao-esque or something. This Is The Way Things Are and all.

*sigh* I know. The sound I hear is all those people mass-defriending me out of boredom (except patchfire, who will actually read this). I know if I asked "what are your five favourite songs", I'd get lots of comments. *g*


So...what ARE your five favourite songs, guys, and why?

Comments

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

d00d, I'm telling ya--take a long look at Waldorf. I don't agree with their opinions on weaning, but it's never forced, ever. mr_t00by's been in Waldorf sinc he was five, and he still likes to go (most) every day. Not bad for fourteen.

[willysunny.livejournal.com]

I most definitely will. I've been meaning to anyway. Thank you for encouraging me and letting me rant on your post. (In my opinion) Our society is so screwed up about nursing. Most other countries and continents don't give it a second thought, believing it to be a natural thing that occurs between a mother and child. If an individual mother chooses not to nurse, that's absolutely cool and understandable. I just happened to love it and do not believe in setting limits for other mothers who do as well.

My hubby is from The Netherlands and his family always encouraged me to nurse Ethan for as long as I wanted to and not in accordance to any other opinion. Once when his mother was over visiting, we went out to a restaurant, and someone started giving me the evil eye for nursing in public. She stood up, pointed a finger and said "What is your problem? He's got to eat! Just like you!" She then sat back down, crossed her arms and said "Nurse away, Ethan. Don't listen to any of them."

Hee. ;)