“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.” ~Dr.Maria Montessori.

This is the period of ultimate development in the child. Proper guidance has to be given for the physical, psychic and psychological development to happen in a child. Otherwise children may throw tantrums.Tantrums in a child are nothing but the outer manifestation of an inner unfulfilled needs. Following our children closely is the best way to identify the root cause and provide help.

“Do not tell them how to do it. Show them how to do it and do not say a word. If you tell them, they will watch your lips move. If you show them, they will want to do it themselves.” – Maria Montessori

Fear, lies, barriers, stubbornness, inferiority complex, laziness, flight, fright are the early symptoms of deviations in a child from the path of normalization and development. When the right environment is given to the child these deviations can be addressed easily.

“The first essential for the child’s development is concentration. The child who concentrates is immensely happy.” – Maria Montessori

Concentration is the ultimate goal in child development. This can be achieved only when the three powers develop and act in unison. The three powers are

1. intelligence,
2. will power and
3. gross motor coordination

“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.” – Maria Montessori

Here it is where we talk about obedience and children. It’s a myth that children do not like to obey or they don’t obey.Obedience is 3 fold.
First Level : Child may not know what to do when you expect him/her to obey. Because his WILL has not yet developed to carry out the task.
Second Level : They know what to do. They may not be able to carry out other’s WILL always.
Our education and current day situations expect only the first two levels of obedience.
Third Level : Children carry out the adult’s command even before the adult knew it since their WILL is fully developed and the child obey for the LOVE he feels for the adult.
WILL & OBEDIENCE go hand-in-hand.

Sindhu Viswanathan
Gateway to Holistic Education