"Let children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and, when the grass of the meadows is damp with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet... " Maria Montessori
How does this picture make you feel? What was the very first feeling or thought that came into your mind?
I’m a very neat clean person. I really don’t like mess, I don’t like being dirty, I’m always washing my hands (even before Covid).
And because of that, I used to be the same way with River. I used to not let him touch the dirty, was afraid he would put sand in his mouth, etc...
But I took deep breaths, shook away my old beliefs, and changed this behavior because I needed to let him live his life.
I understand that, especially if you are a Type-A person, mess can be very overwhelming. But it’s proven that sensory play is vital for a child's developing brain.
Playing in the dirt, barefoot, and even giving the dirt a little taste, has been proven to be beneficial to your child. It not only helps their development, but it can actually benefit their health, as well!
" a healthy serving of untreated dirt can contain more than one billion bacterial cells per gram—just the sort of microbial boost that every healthy child needs to train their immune systems to respond to real threats.”
And I do find it easier to open the backyard door and say: "go have fun" instead of "don't touch this, don't step on that."
Motherhood is definitely a constant learning experience. And I love how much River has taught me so far.
