The Rice Lesson: Mastery, Mess, and Montessori Life
Because sometimes growth looks like scooping rice for 25 minutes straight.
There’s a classic Montessori phrase:
“Don’t interrupt the child’s work.”
I repeated that to myself like a mantra while watching my 4-year-old spend 25 full minutes pouring rice from one bowl into another… and also onto the table, the floor, and eventually into the folds of her clothes. Because of course.
Every part of me wanted to jump in.
To tidy up.
To suggest another activity.
To stop the madness before we were finding rice in our shoes until July.
But I didn’t. I let it ride.
And here’s why:
To her, it was work.
Focused, intentional, and deeply satisfying.
She was practicing motor control, precision, sequencing, and independence—all without me saying a word.
That’s the Montessori part.
But here’s the Emotional Intelligence part:
I had to regulate myself first.
Because it’s not just about giving our kids freedom to explore.
It’s about noticing when our discomfort with the mess is louder than their joy in the process.
🌾 The Real Lesson Beneath the Rice
EI says:
It’s not about the mess. It’s about the mastery.
The confidence that builds when we let them try, fail, clean up (sort of), and try again.
Here’s what I’ve learned from all this spilled rice:
✅ Montessori kids work like little scientists.
They repeat until it clicks—and “click” might look like “dump rice and laugh for ten minutes.”
✅ Interrupting their flow says: I don’t trust your process.
But staying quiet says: I trust that what you’re doing matters.
✅ I have to hold space for the mess so she can grow.
Which means… yeah, sweeping the floor after. A lot.
So no, this isn’t just a funny rice story.
It’s a daily reminder that:
🌀 Montessori teaches the child to lead.
💛 Emotional intelligence teaches me not to get in the way.
Even if it means I’m crunching across the kitchen like I stepped on a granola bar barefoot.
💬 Your Turn:
Do your kids have a “weird little ritual” that drives you wild but clearly lights them up?
Drop it in the comments. Let’s normalize the messy magic.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this edition of The Montessori Dad
For this project to succeed and have the greatest reach, I need your support:
Share this project with your friends and family, or someone you think could benefit.
Support our work by becoming a member of the Fragile Moments Community HERE
Feel free to reach out via email: storytellingpods@gmail.com
Thanks for trusting me with your email,
P.S. - you are always welcome to say hello and BOOK A FREE CHAT with me HERE (I love connecting with people).