Rating: 
Summary: Advice for Running a Victorian Nursery
Review: Lillard and Jesson seem to be advocating an emotionally distant style of parenting, the better to train the child to be independent. A quick glance at the book's reference section will tell you that the authors are not widely read in even popular medical literature about infants and among other researchers somehow missed out on the Harry Harlow's and his wife's famous experiments with monkeys showing that loving and attentive parents are the best chance for a child's intelligence and emotional well-being.
Probably the only useful advice in the book is to keep children rooted in the concrete world, but this advice isn't anything special about this book.
And as a specific example of how silly the book is, on page 193, the authors advocate avoiding Legos, because *they come with directions for a model*. If Legos aren't a great toy for fostering a child's creativity, then I don't know what the authors' real aim is in this book.
The worst part about buying this book is that the whole thing is written like the authors thought they were writing a scholarly work for the 1940s!
Rating: 
Summary: Essential for Montessori parents of babies/toddlers!
Review: Having been recently introduced to Maria Montessori and her discoveries on child development, I am absolutely fascinated by her theories. She has answered so many of my questions on parenting by being able to explain just why children behave as they do. Thus, the Montessori method has enabled me to be more patient and understanding with my small children and better able to meet their intellectual needs.As a parent with a child in a Montessori program, I have been looking to expand my practical knowledge on the Montessori method regarding infants and toddlers. This book is highly informative and detailed as to how to raise your baby from birth according to Maria Montessori's method. To be honest, it is not for the faint of heart. The authors are non-apologetic (nor should they be) about criticizing many common trends in children's lives: too much TV, too many scheduled activities, endless video games, etc. And they do defend their positions. To put into practice the many suggestions in this book may be hard for some to swallow: cloth diapers, no cribs/playpens... But for those parents looking for Montessori answers to "baby-raising" questions, this is an absolutely excellent resource. One note: the Montessori method is not about pushing children towards independence so as to make parents' lives easier. It is about really understanding your child so as to help him better fulfill his tremendous God-given potential.
Rating:
Summary: Very inspiring and informative.
Review: I am practicing many Montessori principles with my children (aged 0-3). I do believe they are happier, more confident, more compassionate, and overall more prepared for a fulfilling life because of it. I can see them blossom when the sense of accomplishment comes from the inside. I was intuitively on the right track with my own common sense methods, but this book helped, describing exactly how to teach the children so that they can absorb it with ease. Putting my 2 1/2 year old daughter in front of the TV is one option when I make dinner, but I elect to teach her to cut vegetables (yes, safely) with me in the kitchen instead. Soon all I will need is to set her work area up and she is busy cooking for 15 minutes! You tell me what is more fun and satisfying - for us both! The book inspired me to read more of the many books by and about Dr. Montessori and her methods.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good, some horrible advice
Review: I bought this book to learn more age-appropriate montessori skills for my toddler. For that purpose, it is a good book.
The problems come when the authors start talking about Cry it out and abandoning small infants. Terrible advice, and has been decried by every expert in the field. They also attempt to tell breastfeeding mothers to never nurse an infant to sleep, and to go ahead and wean by 9 months (which is against aap guidelines of at least one year, and who guidelines of at least two years)
It seems these authors have taken the independence thing way too far. They should stick to advice on toddlers, since they obviously know nothi
ng about in
fants.
Rating:
Summary: Essential for Montessori parents of babies/toddlers!
Review: I first bought this book because I was pregnant with my first child, and interested in knowing how to implement Montessori training from birth. I was raised as a Montessori kid myself, and consider it to be a great advantage in life. My first impression of this book was that it is a bit frustrating in terms of the way it is laid out. It is not put in a logical sequence, and this makes it almost impossible to go back and reference topics at a later date. Once I got past this, however, I relaxed and took in the overall message: treat your infant like the intelligent and capable human being that he/she is. The shocking elements of this book: I wasn't too hip to the idea of letting my precious baby sleep on a floor bed, particularly because I just purchased a gorgeous crib! Other controversial points include the use of mobiles that are not commercially available and would take many hours to make by hand. And putting a huge mirror near the floor by the bed? This seams like it encourages a sense of false reality. Plus, would YOU like to have a giant mirror right next to you as you sleep? I also think Lillard's views on potty training are a bit wimpy, taking the "whenever" approach. Yet she advocates the use of a weaning table at 8 months (which I think is great). The positive elements of this book: I really loved the idea of providing the baby with a minimalist environment, rather than overstimulate the baby with a bunch of plastic ugly junkie toys (Fisher Price, anyone??). Other great ideas include letting your baby be free and unhindered by swings, high chairs, restrictive clothing, etc. And not demeaning your baby with stupid baby talk. Encouraging intelligent activities and creative thought, this book provides ideas on how to tap into the true potential of your baby, without pushing too far. The general philosophy of this book makes sense and I can see how this methodology would work to create a peaceful and cooperative spirit in the household between baby and parents.
Rating: 
Summary: Your baby is smarter than you think
Review: I first bought this book because I was pregnant with my first child, and interested in knowing how to implement Montessori training from birth. I was raised as a Montessori kid myself, and consider it to be a great advantage in life. My first impression of this book was that it is a bit frustrating in terms of the way it is laid out. It is not put in a logical sequence, and this makes it almost impossible to go back and reference topics at a later date. Once I got past this, however, I relaxed and took in the overall message: treat your infant like the intelligent and capable human being that he/she is. The shocking elements of this book: I wasn't too hip to the idea of letting my precious baby sleep on a floor bed, particularly because I just purchased a gorgeous crib! Other controversial points include the use of mobiles that are not commercially available and would take many hours to make by hand. And putting a huge mirror near the floor by the bed? This seams like it encourages a sense of false reality. Plus, would YOU like to have a giant mirror right next to you as you sleep? I also think Lillard's views on potty training are a bit wimpy, taking the "whenever" approach. Yet she advocates the use of a weaning table at 8 months (which I think is great). The positive elements of this book: I really loved the idea of providing the baby with a minimalist environment, rather than overstimulate the baby with a bunch of plastic ugly junkie toys (Fisher Price, anyone??). Other great ideas include letting your baby be free and unhindered by swings, high chairs, restrictive clothing, etc. And not demeaning your baby with stupid baby talk. Encouraging intelligent activities and creative thought, this book provides ideas on how to tap into the true potential of your baby, without pushing too far. The general philosophy of this book makes sense and I can see how this methodology would work to create a peaceful and cooperative spirit in the household between baby and parents.
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I worked as a Montessori teaching assistant many years ago and was already familiar with her ideas, so when my own daughter was born I was eager to put them into practice. I read a review of this book and bought it but although it has a few good suggestions, overall it was of very little use. Though the book is intended for use from birth to age 3, the focus is overwhelmingly on babyhood. If your child is already walking and you didn't use the Montessori child-bed, weaning chair, weaning table, etc, much of this book will be pointless. If you do not have the resources to buy the equipment suggested, this book will also not be of much use, because it rarely suggests inexpensive or homemade alternatives.
I also strongly object to some of the authors' suggestions in the chapter entitled "Personal Care". They recommend intensive toilet training beginning at 12-15 months, and weaning from breastfeeding at 9 months, arguing that this will foster the child's feelings of independence. Both of these suggestions are contrary to the latest advice given by childcare experts. Few children show any signs of being ready for toilet training at such a young age -- most are still learning to walk, or have recently learned to do so, and for the parent to begin intensive toilet training at this time interferes with the child's natural instincts to be on the move. Furthermore it is much easier and faster to toilet train when the child is actually ready to do so, which in the vast majority of cases is not before the age of two.
The authors' advice to wean from the breast at 9 months is contrary to that of the American Association of Pediatrics, which recommends that breastmilk be the primary source of nutrition for all of the first year. This advice can also be dangerous. On the advice of a (misguided) health professional, I limited my own child's breastfeeds when he was 9 months old to 3 times per day for a period of several weeks, which resulted in a rapid and frightening weight loss, and frequent night wakings due to hunger. The authors actually state that if your child is showing no signs of being ready for weaning, you should go ahead and wean him anyway, because you know best! This is completely contrary to the Montessori principles of respecting the child's natural intelligence.
Furthermore, I think there is too much emphasis in the book on the child learning to do things at an early age. They state that if you follow their principles, the child should be crawling by six months, walking by 10 or 11 months, talking by 14 months -- this seems to imply that Montessori education results in children who are superior simply because they can do things at an earlier age than other children.
There were only a few good suggestions for activities for toddlers, which do not merit buying the book. I am still looking for a better book which will enable me to put Montessori principles into practice in my home.
Rating:
Summary: Some good ideas but some are actually quite dangerous
Review: Putting a child to sleep on the floor? That is not really safe. Yes, she advocates a low mattress so that if they fall, they dont' fall to far, but then she advocates putting pillows or other soft thing around them to cushion them should they roll off. That is a suffocation hazard right there. Babies can't lift their heads well until a certain age and this can be dangerous. Putting a mirror near the floor? YEs she advocates bolting it to the floor but still. It can still break or cause injury.
She advocates leaving infants alone for hours? What is she joking? Many babies will not stay alone for long either due to hunger, wanting attention or other needs.
NOt giving the "books based in fantasy?" What does she advocate you read to them? An encyclopedia? How many kids books are based in reality? Not too many. These are young children. They can't distinguish between reality an fantasy anyways.
And, how many parents have the time, patience or money to make their own toys or buy high priced ones? Many of the other toys she says are bad are expensive enough. Alone time for infants is important yes, but how many infants will entertain themselves for hours on end? None that I know of.
I agree with some of her ideas like not letting kids watch much tv, and so forth. But, some of her ideas are either outright dangerous or just are not going to work.
Nancy
Rating:
Summary: OK information, bad writing
Review: This book could easily be condensed to less than half its size. It contains a few good Montessori ideas for the 3-and-under crowd when it comes to the basics - sleeping, eating, etc - but I still come away from the book wanting to know what to do with/for my child in the Montessori manner on a more daily basis. Half of the book is easily spent talking about the "child bed" and feeding table alone - and that info is spread all over the book. The writing is rather hap-hazard and rambling. I would have much prefered the book be arranged by age (ex: chapter 1: 0-6 months) then subcatagorized by subject, rather than by subject alone. The authors seem to be trying to interject Montessori theory into a book about hands-on practice, and the result is a jumbled mess. I've learned much more about child psychological development and age-appropriate ideas from "The New First Three Years of Life" by Burton White. It is chronologically ordered, then each chapter is subcatagorized. There's a few other Montessori books on Amazon I'm going to try instead, such as "Basic Montessori, Learning Activities for Under Fives", "Teaching Montessori in the Home, the Pre-School Years", and "Montessori Play and Learn."
Rating:
Summary: OK information, bad writing
Review: This book could easily be condensed to less than half its size. It contains a few good Montessori ideas for the 3-and-under crowd when it comes to the basics - sleeping, eating, etc - but I still come away from the book wanting to know what to do with/for my child in the Montessori manner on a more daily basis. Half of the book is easily spent talking about the "child bed" and feeding table alone - and that info is spread all over the book. The writing is rather hap-hazard and rambling. I would have much prefered the book be arranged by age (ex: chapter 1: 0-6 months) then subcatagorized by subject, rather than by subject alone. The authors seem to be trying to interject Montessori theory into a book about hands-on practice, and the result is a jumbled mess. I've learned much more about child psychological development and age-appropriate ideas from "The New First Three Years of Life" by Burton White. It is chronologically ordered, then each chapter is subcatagorized. There's a few other Montessori books on Amazon I'm going to try instead, such as "Basic Montessori, Learning Activities for Under Fives", "Teaching Montessori in the Home, the Pre-School Years", and "Montessori Play and Learn."
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