How to Support Young Toddlers: 22 Month Twin Update
At this stage of raising 22-month-old twin toddlers, it is important to take a little time away from what the twins are doing and talk about what I am doing to support them in our Montessori home. They are growing so quickly and it requires a lot from me, and my husband, to be prepared to support them and help meet their needs. I want to focus on a few important areas when looking at how to be a Montessori parent to twins.
Preparing Ourself
It can be easy to slip into the aesthetic and beauty that Montessori environments offer. However, without the necessary preparation of ourselves, that beauty won’t be able to expereince its’ fullest potential. The hardest part about being a Montessori parent is the ongoing work of self-improvement. I’m constantly learning and practicing to be gentler, kinder, firmer, and more loving. These months of intense toddler emotions have put this work to the test.
Someone recently asked me, ” How do you stay patient with your children and spouse?”. It seems like a simple question, but it got me thinking a lot about what I do specifically. In moments when I can show patience, it is often because I am setting boundaries and preparing myself for what I can and can’t control.
Setting Loving but Firm Boundaries
Toddlers need clear and kind guidance. When I can set clear boundaries, then I can respond more appropriately to my children and the situations at hand. If they are not following that limit, then I can confidently redirect them. For example, my boys were doing a transfer scooping activitiy at their Montessori weaning table. Initially, I was close by, sitting with them. Once they were engaged and focused, I stepped away to do something else nearby. Well, soon after I walked away, they were throwing the plastic pumpkins and acorns all around. I quickly came back and made it clear that what they were doing was not okay. Then we worked to get everything returned to the dishes and into the cabinet. Firm, clear, but with love.
Time for Yourself
As a stay-at-home mom of twins, it is a beautiful yet demanding season of life. I need to carve out time each day for myself. I love the mornings and take time before everyone gets up to sit with my coffee and pray. Immersing myself in the truth of God’s word. During nap time, if I’m tired, I try to take a power nap for 10 to 15 minutes. This makes such a difference in the afternoon and evening.
When days are challenging and I’m overstimulated and overwhelmed, I communicate that to my husband. Oftentimes, I may take a little time away in the evening when he gets home or just cook dinner by myself while he plays with the boys. I need this break, and likely you will too. It takes courage to make requests and ask for help from others, but it is necessary and honestly, what has helped me so much as a twin mom.
Foundational Areas in Our Home: Preparing the Environment
I think a Montessori-prepared home environment is so important for toddlers. Their little sponge, absorbent mind brains are working so hard to learn how the world around them works. When their environment is orderly and prepared to meet their needs, it helps eliminate a lot of challenges. Here are my favorite areas in our home lately that support their need for order and independence so beautifully.
Our Montessori Entryway
A peaceful place to sit when getting ready to leave and a landing place for when we get home. This little Montessori entryway is such an important part of our home. So much independence and learning takes place here. It is a simple area, with just a small bench and a little stool. I have two because, well, there are two toddlers in our home, so we need a place for both of them.
We have some command hooks on the wall for them to hang up their coats on, and yes they are able to do this mostly on their own now at 23 months old! A basket for their shoes, and we will add another basket for hats and gloves as that time comes. This area is marked by a small rug on the floor and I hung a mirror for that final glance before walking out of the house.
A great life hack for toddlers is to teach them the Montessori coat flip: tag to toes, hands in holes, over your nose. It is life-changing and so satisfying for them to get their coat on independently.
A Front Facing Bookshelf
We have been loving our front-facing Montessori bookshelf from Dannico Woodworks. There is something very engaging about having all of the covers of the books forward-facing. It allows the boys to make a clear choice of the book they would like to read. I have seen an even greater interest in looking at books both with my husband and me as well as independently.
The particular bookshelf we have is a great size and has hidden compartments on the top and a pull-out side drawer for more book storage. This helps so much in making book rotations quick and simple! If you are looking for more Montessori bookshelf options, check out this blog post. In this post, I share some of my top and professional opinions on the best Montessori forward-facing bookshelves for your environment.
A Montessori Wardrobe
Lately, the boys have been able to open their drawers, choose a pair of clothes, and help me hang up their shirts on hangers. Having a prepared dressing area in their bedroom has been the perfect area to work on all of the dressing skills that they are refining at this stage of development. Check out how we put together this DIY Montessori wardrobe transformation or find ways to make or purchase a Montessori wardrobe for your child!
Open Shelving in Play Spaces
Having a designated area for play and gross motor movements has been phenomenal. Open-shelving makes making choices and putting toys and activities away so easy. With a little bit of guidance, my children can do it with a lot of independently. At this stage, our boys have been loving all of these toddler cause-and-effect toys.
An Accessible Kitchen
Having our learning tower and accessible cabinets makes supporting independence in the kitchen possible. There are so many incredible ways to get our children involved in the kitchen but it takes having the right tools and mindset to bring them along!
How I Support Independence with 22 Month Old Toddlers
Supporting independence at this age helps as our children are rapidly growing and changing. Becoming more capable by the day. It is through a carefully prepared environment that I can support freedom and independence with my twin toddlers. Things like having easy-to-access open shelving help them independently put their toys away. Having a hook hung at their level so they can hang up their coat supports them in putting away their things independently.
What I am realizing about raising 22-month-old toddlers is we need to allow them opportunities to show us what they are capable of and what they truly need help with. We will likely be surprised to find that they can do many things and may need some help but don’t need us to do everything for them anymore like they did just some months ago.
