Defining “Happiness”

Every parent wants their child to be happy and successful. Although, arguably, happiness is a relative concept, the question of how a parent evaluates their child’s happiness is an interesting one to explore. Most parents default to asking their children “are you happy?” It goes without saying that happiness for a child rests primarily on immediate reward.

Montessori is about developing the joy for learning and discovery. If it is true that comprehensive Montessori programs such as those offered at Sapientia Montessori School and Cedar Park Montessori School have all (and far more of) the comforts, infrastructure, play-areas and joys of traditional schools, the true Montessori school is not a theme-park. That is, you will not find highly plastered or over-charged walls, cartoon figures, super-heroes, or any over-stimulating visuals or artificial tools. Whereas temporarily enjoyable by children, they soon become a major distraction to the learning process and detract from achieving a peaceful and balanced environment, so crucial to the overall development of the child.

Even more unfortunate however, is the lack of general awareness that a child’s highest period of concept-absorption is between the ages of 0 and 5 (the first stage of development), particularly the first three years. Indeed, the core foundation of what will become the child’s “world lens” is largely established during this initial and brief period of his/her life. Then, how do we want our children to spend those first years, in short-lived and fragile “fun” or investing in meaningful long-lasting joy, working towards true happiness?

The aim of Montessori is to have a balanced and peaceful environment, so that the child can flourish now and for the rest of his/her life. In the true Montessori school, the child develops the joy of learning, knowledge and understanding. In turn, happiness results from the independence, skills and creativity that the child develops, the intricate social interactions with his/her peers, and the freedom to explore and discover everything around him/her.

Therefore, parents must make a difficult choice. What is the kind of “happiness” that we seek for our children: Theme-park or life-packed?