Much of what the adults in a Montessori environment (home or school) need to do for children, is related to the developmental crises of infancy. Dr Silvana Montanaro describes these crises in her book, Understanding the Human Being. She explains that if a child experiences complete resolution of each of these crises, then they should emerge from the period of infancy (the first three years of life) with a basic level of trust in the world, in themselves, and in their ability to function as competent and worthwhile participants of social life. The key for parents of young children is to know what the crises are, when they occur, the characteristics of each crisis and also, most importantly, how to adequately assist the child in moving through each stage, and on to their next phase of development. It is most important to understand that whilst we as adults may have a negative connotation attached to the word ‘crisis’, in the period of infancy, it presents a very positive opportunity for ...