'How're [your kids] as teens/young adults/adults now?': 20+ Women Share Their Experience as Mothers Who Sent Their Children to Montessori Schools

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Dec 1, 2024 1:00 PM EST

Montessori schools base their education on a child-led practice. At these schools you see children discovering new lessons and doing problem solving on their own. Sure, they have the guidance of chaperones and teachers, but overall, the children are doing the teaching. For some children, this is a game-changer. Children who have trouble listening because of whatever reason, maybe they just have too many thoughts to fit someone else's in at the moment or they are just hyper-independent, tend to thrive in Montessori schools. But then there are children who need a bit more guidance, ones that are extremely shy or have trouble focusing, who might not do as well with a self-led education. Then there are children that you just don't know where they would call on the scale of whether or not a Montessori education is best for them. Parents have to do their due diligence in figuring out what type of education is best for their little ones. So where do you start, as a parent already overwhelmed with making the proper educational choice for their kid, in your research? Well, getting real-life advice from mothers who have already made the decision for their children can help, and Reddit is a great place for that! See what experienced mothers have said about their children who have already been or are currently in Montessori schooling below. 

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  • 01
    Moms who have sent their kids to Montessori, how're they as teens/young adults/ adults now?
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    catniagara Better than their peers. They have more social skills, better communication skills, and they understand hygiene better than 99% of their peers. Their grades are better and they know how to problem solve without whining. The only people who don't like them are sad adults who have nothing in their lives except wanting kids to need them all the time. But they don't rate in my opinion.
    via catniagara
  • 03
    tniats We had a terrible experience. My son's a genius and autistic (formally diagnosed). We tried Montessori for 2 yrs, they let him play by himself in a corner with the same blocks everyday the entire 2 yrs bc it's 'child-led'. We ended up going to a regular preschool (Bright Horizons) and it was MUCH better. He still had lots of 'child-led' time plus lots of group activities and class lessons, now he's at a test-in gifted public school.
    via tniats
  • 04
    When he left Montessori both his socialization and education were at its worst. Now he's got a best friend and is being challenged academically. He's also extremely self-led and creative so nothing was lost there.
    via tniats
  • 05
    likestotraveltoo My daughter was in Montessori from K-6th grade (that was the highest level of the school) then went to public after that. She's in her first year of college and doing extremely well.
    via likestotraveltoo
  • 06
    marthini11 Mine is doing ok and has an apprenticeship in the trades. My observation is that he was happy and thriving at a Montessori school, but when he transitioned to public schools in 6th grade he was far behind in subjects that didn't interest him and had virtually no study skills. He never caught up, and high school was very difficult for him. As an adult, he can't spell, has terrible penmanship, can't do basic arithmetic, etc. He can tell you anything about history, politics,
    via marthini11
  • 07
    wars, weaponry, philosophy and a few other subjects. He can create and design very well. He's no dummy, that's for sure, but he is completely lacking in discipline and has no ability to persevere through something that isn't fun or interesting. I believe this is because he never had the chance to practice this stuff in school as a child.
    via marthini11
  • 08
    lojomama Mine was in Montessori from preK- 8th, then went to a very academically demanding high school without a bump in the road. They did great both socially and academically, was active in extracurricular activities, and now has the confidence to try anything, ask questions, be independent, and think critically about the world around them. It was a good path for us.
    via lojomama
  • 09
    fuzzy_snark Thriving. I have one college freshman and one high school sophomore. They are independent learners who are confident when asking for help and happy to help those around them. Mine have had the opportunity to be in Montessori schools pre-K through highschool, so it's really only now in college that I'm seeing the difference from their peers.
    via fuzzy_snark
  • 10
    They are ready to live independently and navigate college classes with so much higher ability than their classmates. I didn't realize all the 'soft skills' they were getting alongside excellent academics. It really has set them up for life as an adult. And as a reminder (warning?) ... Any school can claim 'Montessori', so look for one that has trained teachers and/or are accredited by either AMS or AMI.
    via fuzzy_snark
  • 11
    mailord... I went to Montessori and a Waldorf-style school from. kindergarten through high school. I've always been independent, entrepreneurial, and solutions oriented. I currently work as a design strategist and trend. forecaster for a large corporation in the USA but I grew up in SEAsia. The school I went to also catered to kids who were gifted and had special needs. I was observed to be a slow learner at first, but towards 3rd or 4th grade, I was one of the top kids in class, and won an acad
    via mailorderbridle
  • 12
    works well on some kids. At least for me and my peers it did. My son is currently in 4th grade Montessori here in the US. He's independent, respectful, friendly, and makes friends easily. He's also an excellent speller, is very. knowledgeable of geography, and he loves to make things and tinker. He wants to be a robotics engineer and a boba tea cafe owner or own a makerspace.
    via mailorderbridle
  • 13
    My classmates are also doing well: doctors, lawyers, politicians, psychologists, business owners, etc...I think overall, going to a Montessori helped raise independent thinkers and entrepreneurial folks. Based on what I've experienced and observed, it's been good for many.
    via mailorderbridle
  • 14
    TeaWithKermit They're both lovely people in their early twenties. One got a full-ride scholarship to college and the other decided that college wasn't for them. Both are super kind to each other and everyone around them, comfortable talking with just about anyone, and are able to interact with people very different from themselves. But if I'm being honest, I think that I would be saying all the same things about them even if they hadn't gone through Montessori.
    via TeaWithKermit
  • 15
    And if I'm being really honest, it was a great fit for one kid and an awful fit for the other. Having that much freedom of choice in how to schedule your work can be exceptionally difficult if you have severe ADHD. I still think that it was a magical school and was definitely a special time in our lives, but I don't think that it was responsible for many outcomes with our kids.
    via TeaWithKermit
  • 16
    Bergenia1 Montessori was a life saver for us. Our daughter had some difficulty in managing her impulses and sitting still. Montessori was willing and able to deal with that in a gentle and supportive way. My daughter is now a self sufficient and creative professional artist. She has friends, she has relationships, she lives independently. She looks back on her Montessori days fondly.
    via Bergenia1
  • 17
    donttouchmeah My daughter left high school at 16 to attend college and finished her masters in library science at 21. She loves being a librarian. My son has autism with severe cognitive deficits and finished high school but was unable to keep up in college. Both began elementary school with academic advantages.
    via donttouchmeah
  • 18
    Ancient Iron5723 Great. Best decision we made. She's independent, confident, well-adjusted, and has enjoyed learning ever since. She just got into her first college choice with a scholarship. Make sure it's authentic Montessori teaching principles though. There are lots of strip-mall type Montessori places popping up these days.
    via Ancient_Iron5723
  • 19
    Sodds All three of our kids (9,9,10 now) went to a kindergarten where they used Montessori techniques with other approaches in a mix. They have more empathy, they are more understanding, scarily independent (which can be an issue when they try to stand their ground vs teacher), grades are better...
    via Sodds
  • 20
    Now in elementary (public) school they also use some Montessori techniques in first 5 grades (ages 5/6-10/11) and it builds up from the kindergarten. They are very different from their kindergarten peers who went to a "usual programs" school, and their school peers change/improve a lot from grade 1-4/5. Of course, parenting is also a big part of it.
    via Sodds
  • 21
    belleweather My kid just transferred into Montessori when we moved, and he's in the 7th grade. It's amazing comparing how much more. independent minded his friends are to our older kids similarly aged peers. It's great... but 'playdates' are kind of like herding cats.
    via belleweather

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