I want to talk about something we see every day we hardly give it a second thought. Picture
the scene: a parent is out and about with their child trying to get work or errands out of the
way. Then it happens, something upsets the child and the parent is caught in a precarious
situation in an attempt to simultaneously comfort their child, not disturb the people who
happen to be around, and not lose a beat in whatever they were doing. It’s a tough spot to be
in but this happens all the time and we even know how this story ends.
The parent inevitably summons the mighty iPad or smartphone to distract their child enough to
get the situation under control. We’ve all been witness to this scene it’s almost a cliché but this
is the reality of the world. And don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying iPads are bad. In fact,
they’re a great piece of technology that has done so much for a lot of people in ways the
traditional computer could not. But I’d like to posit that perhaps there’s another way to handle
our children in a more economical way that doesn’t rely on charged batteries.
Enter the Quiet Book. If you’ve never heard of a Quiet Book before, then you’re about to learn
of a great alternative to reaching for the iPad. And that’s not even the best part, they’re easy
enough to make at home that you and your child can bond while making one. They’re typically
made of stiffened felt, felt glue, thread (but only if you want to stitch it together), buttons, and
zippers. It’s basically a book of activities you can compile for your child to later work on either
when they’re alone and have nothing to do or when you find yourself in a situation where you
need to calm them down.
One of the best things about the Quiet Book is the fact that it’s something you can completely
control. You have complete freedom in how the pages and activities are ordered, and you even
have the ability to remove or add pages according to how it’s received by your child. If
something proves a hit and you’d like more of the same, simply add similar activities. On the
other hand, if an activity turns out to be too challenging, then you can take it out and set it
aside for when your child is ready.
The idea here is that you are giving your child something that they can work on that they
helped to create. They also get the benefit of using their fine motor skills doing and undoing
zippers, buttons, and knots and aren’t limited to simply swiping away on a piece of glass. And
you eliminate the distraction of notifications, banners, and alerts while also ensuring they don’t
end up clicking on something that exposes them to unvetted or inappropriate content.
If you’d like to learn more about Quiet Books and how to make your own, join us on 29
September 2018 at 10am in Smallville Montessori Katipunan. Please reach out to let us know
you’re coming by calling or texting us at +63 917 898 8374.