Montessori Motherhood Jennifer Shoop Magpie

Mother of Two: Emory (almost 4) and Hill (20 months)

The Fashion Magpie is a literary lifestyle and fashion blog founded and authored by Jennifer Shoop. Jennifer started the blog as a passion project while pursuing an advanced degree in literature in 2010, then while working for and eventually leading two non-profit organizations focused on educational access for underserved communities, and finally while launching an HR technology business with her husband.

The Fashion Magpie is a space for the freighted and the frivolous, covering topics as disparate and imbalanced as grief, motherhood, fashion trends, interiors, home products, gifts, marriage, and children’s wear. It exists to inspire and politely provoke women to live thoughtfully, well-curated, stylish lives and is sustained by the passionate, intelligent, thoughtful women who read and comment along.

As a mother running her own business and juggling 2 children during a pandemic, how are you staying sane and juggling it all?

It's been a challenge for all parents this year -- my goodness!

Two things that have brought acute relief: first, creating a "buffer" of fifteen minutes between the end of work and the start of my evening parenting duties so I can mentally shift gears. I wrote about the concept in some detail here, but I usually change outfits, throw on some mascara, put my planner away, shut down my computer, and then take a few minutes to center myself. It's been a tremendously helpful ritual in being more present as a parent. The other is re-conceptualizing chores, exercise, and admin tasks, which I used to think "got in the way of" living my life. Now I see them as a part of the architecture of my day. This has also enabled me to move through my day with more intentionality and calm.

As a Montessori child, can you share any memories or elements of Montessori reflected in your upbringing?

My mom ran our house like a Montessori classroom! Everything in its own place, at eye level and easy for us to access. Everything she did promoted independent learning and self-directed play. These are random, small fragments, but I have four siblings and recall each of us had a designated drinking cup in a designated color that we'd line up in a designated row on a designated ledge of our kitchen counter. She'd keep the cups full but it was up to us to help ourselves and put them back in place. She also kept a stepstool at the pantry sink so we could climb up to wash our own hands and, if the mood struck us, clean a few dishes (!) But mainly it was the emphasis on language acquisition -- specifically letter recognition -- that sticks with me. I remember doing a lot of "what in this room starts with the letter b?" and hearing her say things like: "Jennifer, pass me the banana. Buh-buh-buh-banana."

As a Montessori parent, have you or do you plan to bring Montessori into the home?

Oh, where to begin? First was working to make as much as possible accessible to and at eye level for her. We bought one of those Kallax cubby systems from Ikea, which is brilliant because she can access all her activities, toys, and books without asking for help -- and I stow her art supplies in a bin under her table. (I have an entire post on nursery organization, if intrigued!) Another is having reusable plastic trays on hand that I use to organize activities and help define her workspace. (And more of our favorite art and sensory play gear here.) Then there is the whole "independent choice" concept, which we weave into so much of what we do as parents. We try to give her as many opportunities to decide between options as we can, whether picking a flavor yogurt or selecting a toothbrush or determining the order in which we do things.

**Tell us something that is bringing you joy as a mother right now.**
Communicating with my son. He is 19 months old and watching him grasp what I am saying (even surprisingly complex things, with multiple steps, or clauses!) and respond or repeat or laugh is incredible. I also love the boundless silliness of my nearly-four-year-old daughter -- her joy is a centripetal force! You can't help but been drawn in.

What does your typical morning routine look like?

My husband and I joke that we are like silent ninjas engaged in parkour in our apartment during the morning and evening hours. We have a meticulously designed set of steps, and we just click into gear to get it done. We wake up between 6:30-7 and then black out for the next hour and a half, and suddenly our children are fed, dressed, brushed and the kitchen is tidy. One thing that has helped us get through the morning rush is to set out "activities" (puzzles, crayons and paper, plus plus tiles, magnetic sets, sticker books) for my daughter on her table the night before. That way, if she wakes up early, she can entertain herself -- and it also means she's usually preoccupied until breakfast is ready around 7-7:15. Then it's breakfast, getting dressed, brushing hair and teeth, bundling up to leave for school.

What do you do for self-care?

Reading (aiming to complete three books a month this year -- I chronicle my readership in a Book Club series) and running! I have been an intermittent runner since my early 20s, but I made a focused practice of it this past August and now I run every other morning, without fail. It has done wonders for my mind. I'd love to graft other types of exercise or calisthenics onto the routine so I can build up my strength, but the main objective is simply sticking with the running habit.

**What excites you most about raising your little ones during this time?**
I am loving watching their relationship as siblings develop. They will have one another *forever* and I'm so happy they've had each other during this strange time of isolation! Right now, we're in a sweet phase where my daughter will come barreling through the door after school, fling off her mask, coat, and shoes, and urgently ask to wake her brother from his nap. Usually he's just starting to stir when she comes home, so she'll say: "I hear little man -- I'll go get him up." (She's four, mind you.) Then I'll hear her go into his room, turn off his sound machine, and say: "Oh hey, cute little man! Hey cutie-cute! Did you have a good sleep?" in a sing-song voice that sounds just like...me.

What are your top 2-5 current favorite products used in your home?

Oh gosh -- I write lengthy blog posts on all my favorite finds, and I am something of a zealot when it comes to trying to find the absolute best of everything, whether its a running jacket (New Balance Heat Loft) or vegetable peeler (Kuhn Rikon). But I'll try to keep it brief: 1) Revlon One Step Hair Dryer and Styler -- literally life-changing. I used to hate drying my hair but then I felt so unkempt! Now I always have a salon-smooth blowout thanks to this tool. The trick is letting your hair air-dry most of the way and then it takes about five minutes with the Revlon to achieve a great hair day. 2) Ooly art products -- they have fantastic implements that are great for tiny hands, especially their chunky paint sticks, which even a one year old can use. 3) Clarins Double Serum -- makes my skin look radiant and youthful despite age, stress, lack of sleep, etc. 4) Apple HomePods -- we are always playing music at home. 5) Hill House nap dresses -- I'm not really a sweats kind of girl; these are so comfortable for hanging around the house, but enable me to feel dressed up and ladylike!

Any favorite local spots or activities you love to do with your children?

We live a block from Central Park and spend nontrivial amounts of time there every single week! Thanking God for that green space this year!