Last year I started a "Montessori Basics" series on my Instagram account. It was very popular, so I have decided to bring it here and to elaborate on some of the terms.
Have you heard of "False Fatigue"? False Fatigue is the point in the work period when children seem to lose interest in what they are working on. They might even say they are bored...they might show signs of restlessness...BUT THEN, if the child has the right work, they will redirect themselves and go even deeper into their work!
Often this restlessness will come 45-60 minutes into a work period for children who are in preschool or elementary school. It’s normal to want to interrupt the children, redirect them or get frustrated that they are wiggling around! If the adult can wait it out, breathe and observe, the children will find the work that calls to them.
My daughter, Layla, will often complain that she is bored when playing, but if I leave her for a few moments...she will become refocused and will play uninterrupted for a while. It’s amazing. Letting children work through false fatigue helps build their attention span as well as develop problem solving, perseverance and determination skills.
Of course, waiting it out won’t work all the time. You also need to ensure you have a prepared environment and that there are activities that are developmentally appropriate and interesting.
Have you noticed your child having false fatigue?