Junnifa Uzodike
About Junnifa
Junnifa Uzodike holds AMI certifications for ages 3-12. She is the co-author of The Montessori Baby with Simone Davies. She is also the Founder and Head of School at Fruitful Orchard Montessori in Abuja, Nigeria. She has three children whom she has raised using Montessori principles from birth. Junnifa’s Montessori work includes guiding children at Fruitful Orchard, mentoring teachers and closest to her heart is supporting parents in implementing Montessori from birth. She inspires parents around the world to bring Montessori into their lives by sharing her Montessori journey and offering courses and other resources via her blog www.nduoma.com and her Instagram page @montessori_nduoma. Junnifa serves on the board of the Association Montessori Internationale.
Connect with Junnifa:
Website
School Instagram
The Montessori Baby book
by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike
A PARENT’S GUIDE TO NURTURING YOUR BABY WITH LOVE, RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING
Written by two AMI Montessori teachers and parents
The Montessori Baby is now available via any bookseller! The Montessori Baby book fosters a first year defined by love, respect, understanding, and a surprising sense of calm.
Maria Montessori observed that all children have what she called “an absorbent mind,” ready to drink it all in, and that the role of parents is to mindfully assist in their learning and development. With babies, that means less is more—a lot less stuff, for sure, but also less speed; slow way down, and avoid rushing through feeding, diaper changes, and the like.
It means establishing a “yes” space—where baby can safely explore absolutely everything, whether with hands or mouth. It means setting up activities to help promote baby’s movement and language development, but then to step back—the parent’s role is to prepare the environment, not be the entertainer. There are tips on how to set clear and kind boundaries, how to create a secure sense of attachment, how best to speak to baby, and even what kind of toys to use (mobiles especially)—all through the Montessori lens.
And like its predecessor, The Montessori Baby is that rare parenting book that’s a pleasure to look at—beautiful color illustrations and a bright airy design reinforce the book’s direct and jargon-free approach. It may also inspire parents to look at their own homes in a different way and use the Montessori aesthetic to create an environment of uncluttered calm. The whole family will benefit.
Beautiful illustrations by Sanny van Loon, book design by Hiyoko Imai, and contributors from all around the world practising Montessori (Nicole Kavanaugh, Raising Yannis, Forest Montessori, Montessorian by Heart, Montessori Chapters, Montessori in Real Life).