July 2025: Not Everyone Celebrates – Making Room for Every Family Story

The sky lights up with fireworks. Flags wave. Grills are fired up and neighborhoods buzz with parades and picnics. For many families, the Fourth of July is a day of tradition and togetherness.

And yet—for others—it is something else entirely.

For some, it’s a day they pass quietly. For others, it’s a day that surfaces grief, tension, or complicated questions. About history. About belonging. About what it means to be free.

At Montessori Makers at Home, we hold space for all those experiences. We believe that a Montessori home is one where every story is honored—not just the ones that appear on calendars.

Montessori Teaches Us to Observe—Not Just the Child, But the World

One of the foundational principles of Montessori is observation. We observe the child to understand their needs, their rhythms, their growth. But we also observe the world we are preparing them for.

When we do, we begin to notice that not all celebrations are shared in the same way. That national holidays can feel joyful for some, and painful for others. That history isn’t a single story, but many—interwoven, diverse, and often full of contradiction.

And when we make space for that awareness in our homes, we offer our children something powerful: the gift of truth, empathy, and curiosity.

Start With Curiosity, Not Correction

Children may have questions:

“Why don’t we go to the fireworks like our neighbors?”“Why do we have this day off?”“Why don’t some people celebrate the Fourth of July?”

These are not questions to avoid. They’re invitations.

Invitations to talk about freedom—not just as a word in a pledge, but as a lived experience that still isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Invitations to learn about Indigenous history, enslavement, immigration, and resilience. Invitations to ask: What does this day mean in our family? and What do we want it to mean?

You don’t need a perfect answer. You need presence. You need to be willing to say, “That’s a big question. Let’s learn about it together.”

Make Room for Every Family Story

Not every celebration needs to look the same. And not every national holiday needs to be celebrated to be acknowledged.

Maybe in your family, the Fourth of July is a day of reflection. Maybe it’s a time to talk about civic responsibility or ancestral stories. Maybe it’s simply a time to be together without red, white, and blue.

That is all okay. That is beautiful. That is Montessori at home.

Because Montessori homes are not replicas of classrooms—they are living spaces where values are modeled, questions are welcomed, and children are treated as whole people. With thoughts. With roots. With the right to see the world as it is—and dream of how it might be.

A Home That Honors All

As you move through this month, whether you celebrated the Fourth of July or chose not to, remember:

You are allowed to make choices rooted in your family’s truth.You are allowed to teach your child to think critically and feel deeply.You are allowed to honor the holidays that feel right—and to create new traditions that reflect your values.

The goal isn’t to shield children from complexity. It’s to walk with them through it—with compassion, courage, and honesty.

That’s how we build homes of belonging.

That’s how we raise children who listen, learn, and lead with love.

That’s how we—slowly, intentionally—create a better world.

With you in the journey,

Hannah