Being a parent is far from being a long, quiet river. While Montessori pedagogy, a positive and benevolent educational method developed by the Italian doctor Maria Montessori at the beginning of the 20th century, is acclaimed, it does not only have followers.
So much so that videos parodying the Montessori method, sometimes deemed too lax, multiply on social networks. In opposition to the work of Maria Montessori, some mothers promote the “ghettossori” method, a contraction of ghetto and montessori. We explain this new trend to you.
Tired of perfect parents?
The Montessori method relies on the autonomy of the child. Thus, this benevolent education method is centered on listening and taking into account the emotions of the child. Some parents point to the supposed laxity of this method, which would let the child act as he pleases and without framework.
Today, some parents want to defend the right to imperfection. This is the idea behind the “ghettossori” method on social networks. This trend was launched by content designer Jessicafrenchriviera on Tiktok a few months ago. Through parodic videos, this mother mocked the principles of the Montessori method. On his Tiktok account, Jessicafrenchriviera brings together nearly 185,000 subscribers and accumulates almost 13 million likes. By wanting to break with the myth of perfect parents, the words of the content designer seems to have resonated for many parents who simply do their best.
Yes, ordering a pizza when you don’t have time to cook or not have the energy to play with your child after your working day does not make you a bad parent. This is what the “followers” of the “ghettossori” method defend. And it is this decualization that speaks to Internet users on social networks.
But like everything, there have been drifts. At the beginning, the “Ghettossori” method consisted gently mocking the Montessori method. This trend becomes a pretext for assuming problematic behaviors, such as the trivialization of violence or the pounding of the patriarchy. Finally, the “ghettossori” method advocates hard education, with use of threats or fear. If the need to play down and make parents’ guilty is necessary, it is essential not to endorse behavior that will have considerable consequences on children.
