As we celebrate Father's Day this year, we want to take a moment to express our appreciation for the fathers and father figures in our Montessori community. Your commitment to your children's education and well-being is inspiring and invaluable. Similarly to our Mother's Day post, we asked some of the fathers in our community what it means to them to be a Montessori dad. Here's what they wrote:
Being a Montessori Dad means being prepared to hear about how the clouds are formed on the way home from school. And then, it means having a long and insightful discussion on the different types of clouds and the weather that evening on the way to your child’s soccer league for 6- and 7-year-olds. It means hearing how much fun it is to be learning multiplication and division and how proudly they share how it works. And it means watching your child grow into a young, confident and empathetic leader who is an active learner and an eager supporter of those around them.
- Kevin
As a boy growing up, it took FOREVER for me to walk to school. I can vividly recall telling my parents every day, “I don’t want to go to school”, as I stared down at my shoes dragging against the pavement. At school I was being asked to sit still when my body was telling me it needed to move. There was so much that my mind wanted to explore and learn about the world, that the school I was at, couldn’t support. My teachers, many of whom were wonderful, hard working people, became close to me as a student, only to be gone come summertime.
Now, as a father of two little girls, I’m the one walking them to school every day, and it still takes FOREVER! Forever, but not the same. We can’t go past a flowerbed without one of my girls trying to pick one for a friend or teacher that awaits them at school. They stop constantly to teach me the names of leaves, birds or insects; knowledge they are so proud to share. They stop to introduce themselves to children and adults alike that they meet on the street. They are poised, polite, and confident to the point where adults are taken aback. And when they finally arrive at the door to their school, they aren’t just going to school. They are truly joining their community. They are entering a building where everyone knows their name. This is where they’ve grown, and built their independence. This is where they are seen for the people they are, and are supported to grow into the people they aspire to become. My girls are strong. My girls are loved. My girls are inspired to learn. They are empowered by their community, to grow into the purest version of themselves, and this is why they skip to school everyday. This is why I’m a Montessori Dad.
- Lukas
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all fathers and father figures. Your dedication to nurturing and supporting your child(ren)'s growth is truly cherished and valued. Thank you for being a source of strength, love, and guidance in their lives. Happy Father's Day!
