Story Time: How My Toddler Taught Me I Was Teaching Her

There’s something quietly magical—and slightly terrifying—about watching a tiny human soak up the world like a sponge. Maria Montessori called it “the absorbent mind,” that mysterious power children between birth and age six use to unconsciously absorb their environment. Language, behavior, culture—it all gets downloaded straight into their developing little brains without them even trying. It’s like they’re running on some kind of auto-sync with the universe.

I’ve seen this firsthand with my 14-month-old daughter. Lately, she’s been doing this adorable thing at dinner: she takes a deep breath, looks at me, and smiles. At first, I thought, “Well, that’s weird and adorable, but… where did that come from?” My husband jokingly blamed daycare (classic move), but then it hit me. That’s exactly what I do when I know food is about to fall off her spoon or tomato sauce is about to claim another outfit. I breathe, smile, and let her figure it out.

Without even realizing it, I’ve been modeling behavior that she’s now reflecting back to me. That’s the absorbent mind in action—kids don’t just learn what we teach them, they learn what we are. It’s a humbling reminder to be more mindful of the little moments. Because in those tiny, ordinary exchanges, something extraordinary is happening: a human is being built.

This is just an example of what Dr. Maria Montessori called The Absorbent Mind.