Weaning the Montessori Way

First of all, when I say weaning I am referring to introducing solid food, not to weaning off of breast milk.  Calvin still nurses at least twice daily at 17 months, and I don't see that stopping any time soon!

The weaning process, like all aspects of Montessori, should promote independence.  This is why instead of a high chair, Montessori parents use a baby-sized weaning table and chair.  Once the baby is mobile, he is able to get in and out of the chair by himself.  A stool is placed beside the table for an adult to offer assistance as needed.  We rarely need to sit by Calvin to help anymore.

The weaning table: Calvin's table and chair are the TAG Child's First Table and Toddler Chair.  He began using them at 6 months, as soon as we began introducing him to solid food.  Next to the table is a small shelf with bibs and cleaning cloths.  At six months old, Calvin was not yet crawling, so we put him in his chair.  It was not long after he began crawling that he became proficient at getting in and out of his chair.  Montessori always encourages the child's freedom of movement, which is not possible with a high chair that a child needs to be strapped into.

That said, we do have a high chair!  I absolutely love the idea of Calvin getting up and down from his weaning table as he pleases, but I also want him to be included in our family meals at the dining room table.  We use a Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair that I feel aligns pretty well with Montessori (for a high chair).  First of all, it is made of gorgeous wood.  It is a simple design with no bright colors or characters.  It pulls right up to the table instead of having a separate tray.  The best thing about the Tripp Trapp is that it grows with the child!  We currently have the baby attachment on, but we plan on removing it soon to allow Calvin to climb up into his own chair.  The seat and footrest are adjustable, making it ergonomic for any height of child (or adult!) to use.

From the beginning, we encouraged as much independence eating as possible.  In the very beginning, this meant that while I spoon-fed Calvin, I would give him another spoon to hold.  At first he would just hold the spoon, but he soon began attempting to feed himself.  Of course, his early attempts were not always very successful, but it has been incredible to watch him become proficient at feeding himself!  We introduced water in a cup (shot glass) at 6 months, and within a couple weeks Calvin was drinking out of the cup independently.

Real dishes: This is one aspect of Montessori that scares a lot of people.  From the very beginning, Calvin has used glass and ceramic dishes.  Yes, they do break, but no, not as often as you would think.  A baby who is given breakable dishes quickly learns cause and effect: when you throw something to the ground, it breaks.  A baby using plastic dishes does not get the same lesson, and therefore has no reason not to throw dishes around.  Using real dishes helps babies and toddlers develop their control of movement.  Allowing the young child to use fragile dishes also shows respect for the child.  Children enjoy using "real" things and we show respect by trusting them to do so.

Making the space beautiful: For now Calvin has a picture hung above his table.  Soon I would like to introduce him to flower arranging and have a small vase of flowers on the table.  Also in the works are placemats to use for place setting that show an outline of a plate, spoon, fork, and glass.  The Kavanaugh Report has a great tutorial about making Montessori placemats similar to the ones I'm making!

Now, at 17 months, Calvin can choose a snack with an adult's help, take the snack to his table, and eat it independently.  We have a mini fridge in his dining area that I try to keep stocked with snacks for him.  He still can't open it on his own, but when he can he will be able to get his snack independently as well.  When Calvin is done, he wipes his spills (sometimes without prompting, sometimes with) and pushes in his chair.  It is incredibly exciting to watch how independent Calvin is becoming with his eating process!