Basilico

One of the key principles advocated by Maria Montessori is to use only a “positive discipline”.

Easier read than done - what does it *really* mean?

But then, last week.

Last week Lorenzo climbed up the table in the living room, pulled the table runner and began to rudely  play with the basil plant he could now reach (we haven't adjusted the safety to his standing skills yet). Rather than telling him another “NO”, rather than moving the vase higher, I showed him how to touch the leaves gently, with his fingertips.

And to my very own surprised, he understood. He climbed up the table many times, and many times he touched the basil. Softly, with his fingertips.

Trying to replicate with a plant :-)

I couldn't get that on camera, but incredibly it worked twice (picture above).

I won’t dream of him doing it every time. He’ll forget. He’ll want to discover the consequences of his behavior, my reaction, the noise of the vase smashed on the floor.

But Lorenzo lives in the desperate need of discover the world. And, sometimes, he just needs to discover new ways of doing that.

And for us, as parents, what is more beautiful, more rewarding that teaching him to do that with marvel and respect?