Our family has used the Montessori approach to homeschooling for over six years.  We discovered it after stumbling upon a Montessori website in search for ideas on how to reach our children after an experience with a private special needs school that failed. We've never turned back! Now, not only do we educate using this method, but base our entire home and lifestyle around it. When it comes to sharing my best tips and advice about anything, the first thing that comes to mind are...

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There Is So Much More to Montessori than Shelves and Materials

I've come to realize there is so much more to Montessori than shelves and materials.We've been in our new home for almost three weeks now without furniture, shelving, or storage pieces (with the exception of bins and boxes). I'll be honest.  It's been a wee bit of a challenge for me.  I like a clean and orderly home with everything in its place.  Our situation has me pondering a lot about Montessori and what it means. There Is So Much More to Montessori than Shelves and...

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8 Tips for Attending a Hot Air Balloon Festival with Special Needs

We went to the local hot air balloon festival, bright and early in the morning to watch nine hot air balloons set up and take flight in celebration of the 4th of July. It was an absolutely amazing experience that the kiddos will never forget, set up perfectly to accommodate everyone's special needs.  Here are all of the details of our experience and 8 tips for attending a hot air balloon festival with special needs. 8 Tips for Attending a Hot Air Balloon Festival with Special...

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Gift Ideas for Little Girls

Princess' birthday is this month and as always we've put together a wish list for extended family.  I won't lie. It was a bit challenging this time, as over the years it's become clear that Princess can't handle a lot of stuff.  Her destructive tendencies and unsafe choices make gift giving difficult.  Add her emotional age of three to the scenario... I could think of no better title for this wish list than Gift Ideas for Little Girls.  In so many ways, even though Princess...

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To Save a Child

What are you willing to do to save a child? We fostered and adopted. We put our lives on hold to work on attachment in hopes that it might work out alright in the end. We've attended parenting classes. We've met with behavioral specialists, doctors, therapists, etc. We've read every book we can get our hands on. We've tried medication. Yet still, we're faced with a dark cloud looming. This post contains affiliate links. Medications can only help so much. Doctors, specialists, and...

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