Home Life

A mother and young child sitting and reading a picture book together in a cozy chair

Summer Learning at Home

By Forest Bluff School Directors • June 6, 2026
Forest Bluff School in Lake Bluff, IL, provides practical Montessori strategies for summer learning at home, covering reading, writing, math, and screen-free outdoor exploration.
A young child outside on a sunny day using a watering can to water potted herbs and flowers

How to Live in an Uncertain World: Optimism Through Montessori

By Margaret J. Kelley • April 20, 2026
Forest Bluff School in Lake Bluff, IL, explores how the Montessori philosophy helps families trade "crippling empathy" and anxiety for a productive, grounded optimism.
A little girl is kneeling on the floor next to a laundry basket full of clothes.

How Can I Help?: Creating a Routine with Chores

By Margaret Kelley • June 25, 2025
Most parents understand the many benefits of involving children in household chores, but many of us struggle with implementing an effective chores routine. Here, we offer some suggestions that aim to simplify the process for families.
A child in the second plane of development uses the stove independently to cook dinner

"Follow the Child": Part II

By Margaret J. Kelley • January 17, 2025
The Second Plane of Development: 6-12 Years
A young child on a ladder uses a screwdriver to make a home repair with adult assistance

"Follow the Child": Part I

By Margaret J. Kelley • December 18, 2024
The First Plane of Development: 0-6 Years
Boundaries and parenting with compassion and limits

Boundaries are Loving: Parenting with Both Compassion and Limits

By By Melanie McEneely, with edits by Margaret J. Kelley • September 2, 2024
Giving children clear boundaries is the truest form of love and compassion.
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