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 af...