We are excited to be partnering with Bérénice Saint-Saëns of Monti Kids to offer a new class to help parents prepare their homes based on Montessori principles. Dr. Montessori described child development as the continuous gaining of independence and Montessori 101 will provide a comprehensive introduction as well as insight on raising your child to be self-confident, capable, and self-sufficient. A child who is raised with independence lives with dignity and has the confidence to take on challenges throughout life.
Doulas and Montessori
There are many similarities between the work of Birth & Postpartum Doulas and Montessori education. Doulas ask, “How can I empower families in the perinatal year?” and Montessori asks, “How can we empower children in their natural development from birth?”
Montessori wrote: “These words reveal the child’s inner needs: Help me to do it myself.” Doulas have a similar intention by preparing families through the incredible birthing & parenting process, instilling their confidence in their experiences.
Both require respect, mindfulness, and observation. Pregnancy, birth, infancy, early childhood, and all of one’s life are intertwined and dependent on each other. Through the Monti Kids learning program, families are empowered with the knowledge and tools to lay the best foundation for their child’s development and learning from birth.
Before parenting there are doulas, before preschool, there's Monti Kids.
Much of the work we do as Doulas comes before parents really settle into their new role. We meet prenatally to educate and inform about pregnancy, birth, & beyond. And we support unconditionally through the entire process. Doula support is like a bridge getting you through the early days until you're ready to do venture out on your own.
Similarly, Monti Kids provides such a bridge from birth to preschool and beyond.
85% of the brain is formed by age three yet parents are left guessing how to create a stimulating environment during these formative years. Even for parents who go through the difficult process of researching their child's developmental needs, existing solutions are limited. Only 4% of all toys in the US are marked safe for children under three, and those are mostly plastic and plush, not educational. Monti Kids empowers parents with educational wooden toys and simple online guidance based on the world's leading early childhood curriculum: the Montessori Method. The program is a subscription beginning at birth, with customers advancing to a new stage every three months. When children outgrow Monti Kids, families have the option to enter our donation program for underserved children.
Monti Kids' recent honors include
∙ Invitation to the White House Early Education Summit
∙ Voted to speak on stage (out of 300 attendees) at the Lego Ideas conference
∙ Invitation to the Goldman Sachs, Global Leaders of Education Meeting
∙ Invitation to collaborate with Shakira and Fisher Price on an early education app for parents
∙ Invitation to the Harvard Cutting Edge of Early Education Research Meeting
∙ Nominated for the Dalai Lama Unsung Heroes of Compassion Awards
To learn more, we encourage you to register for Montessori 101: Setting up the Home Environment. This exciting workshop is schedule for May 3rd at the Doulas of OC office in Irvine.
About The Founder
Zahra Kassam is Founder and CEO of Monti Kids Inc. Zahra graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard with a BA in Psychology and holds a Master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is an internationally certified Montessori teacher for ages zero to six. Zahra has worked as a teacher, school administrator, school counselor, and private consultant to schools and families. Through Monti Kids, Zahra intends to publicize the formative nature of the first three years of life and to help parents maximize their child's potential during this time. Monti Kids features a built in donation program, thereby reaching families at all income levels. Zahra was recently invited to speak with His Holiness the Dalai Lama about their shared interest in early, holistic education.