Dear Maria, 

I have a First Year student. My child used to be so sweet, cuddly and helpful! She used to want to do everything together! In the last few months, it’s like her personality has changed -  she started talking back, continuously questioning everything we do, and most of all, she is suddenly so messy! What has happened to my little sweety?! Is this the bad influence of older children in her mixed-age class?

Sincerely, 

I Miss You

Dear I Miss You, 

Don’t worry, this is a normal change you often see when children enter the Second Plane of Development (around age 6). You will soon learn to love this new thinking, questioning child! Elementary-aged children begin questioning everything, it is a part of their developing intellectual independence. Montessori talks about this stage of childhood as the prime time children develop their skills of reasoning and intellect, when they begin to think for themselves. 

In addition, they are experimenting with language! Have your children started to think it’s funny to “take things literally” and do exactly as you say? They are showing you that they understand how language has nuances and words have many different meanings! 

Read more on this topic in Maren Schmidt’s lovely article, “The Age Of Rudeness”: https://marenschmidt.com/2015/01/beware-the-age-of-rudeness/