About Me:

Hi there— I’m Mary Sue.

I'm so glad you’re here!

I feel as though everything in my life has led me up to this offering. Through a lifetime legacy of nurturing children in the classroom that bloomed into supporting the adults that love them, I have arrived at a place ready to offer specialized and individualized support for your parenting journey based in 25 + years in the classroom as a teacher, as a curriculum developer, a consultant, and eventually as a head of school .

My philosophy is born out of experiences rooted deeply in the framework of peace education.

I believe that within each person is a teacher, including especially the children we love and care for. Within each person is an individual spirit — a teacher for us all — that requires from us specialized support and tools. In parenting, like most things in life, there is no one size fits all.

In Montessori pedagogy, we are taught to “follow the child”.

Hello!

Together, I want to empower you to do just that. There is no specific series of practices or a strict regiment to follow, and while there are many tools and techniques that can help, you and your child deserve support to implement tools and techniques in a way that fits your family just right.

My goal is to help you come up with the right questions to ask for your child or student as you stay available to seeing the human in front of you … so you can help build the right structures for them that are constant and compassionate rather than frightening and punishing.

That is hard work and that takes support and self reflection as well as compassion for yourself and a desire to see yourself as a student. This is where I come in! To be that support for you on this spiritual and transformative journey that is parenting.

Professional Experiences:

Formal Education: I have obtained multiple educational degrees and certifications, including a pre-primary Montessori certification through MECA (Montessori Education Centers Associated), a Bachelor of Science in Education Communication from Ohio University, and a Master’s of Arts in Pastoral Theology from St. Meinrad College/Seminary.

Roles and titles: I have served as a Head of School for Montessori Private Academy in Rockford, Illinois and Rock Prairie Montessori School in Janesville, WI; a Director of Montessori Curriculum and Development for Natures Classroom Montessori School, Mukwonago, WI; a Director of Montessori Curriculum Education with United Unitarian & Universalist Society of Mukwonago, WI; a Montessori Field Consultant with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS); a Montessori Lead Teacher for Columbus Montessori Education Ctr. in Columbus, OH and Montessori School of Greater Lafayette forWest Lafayette, IN, and an ongoing Family Programming Consultant / Parent Coach across many cities and states.

 There is a nature to the nurture,

but focus on nurturing

who your child is,

not who you think

the child should be.

My Introduction to Montessori:

I started many years ago at a Montessori school as an intern. I was drawn to the philosophy but had yet to see it in action. My role was to assist a teacher at Indiana University. One of my early experiences was with a child who was struggling. His parents, progressive in their approach, contacted us, and we went to observe him.

The child was not speaking to anyone. His head was tilted, and he was sitting in a corner, crying. He was just four years old. My initial thoughts were that this child had severe needs. When I compared my observation notes with those of my mentor, I was astounded. Despite seeing the same things, our observations were entirely different. While I focused on the child's behavior, she was observing the environment. She looked at what the environment needed to be for the child.

To my surprise, she said we would welcome the child into our classroom. The boy did not speak initially, but we discovered he loved firetrucks. Within two months, he began to say the word "truck." In the third month, he added the word "wheel." By the fourth or fifth month, he was saying, "I love trucks, they have big wheels." By the end of the year, he was reading books about trucks.

That child went on to graduate from MIT and is now a professor at a university in Washington, D.C. He embodies the philosophy that every child can thrive when in the right environment— it’s okay to grow at your own pace, and it’s okay only say "truck" for a while. What I witnessed was the profound impact of an environment tailored to support the child in front of us. This experience transformed how I viewed myself, the environment, and everything around me. I went on to have many more students, each reinforcing the Montessori belief in observing the child and adapting the environment to their needs.

Montessori means watching a child unfold before us, removing preconceived notions, and seeing what truly is. I realized how much we are products of our environment. Initially, I identified so many problems in the child, while my colleague saw only the issues in the environment.

After our initial assessment all those years ago, that teacher that changed my perspective asked me: “Did you see how those teachers stood over him and expected him to say something?” highlighting the unfair expectations placed on children.

It was in that moment when I realized, Why would I think that children have any fewer rights than I do? This revelation was pivotal. It reshaped my understanding of education, emphasizing the importance of respecting and nurturing each child's individual journey.

You might be wondering,“Has any other parent or teacher ever been challenged by ‘…’?"

Take heart. The answer is almost always YES! While there is no one else out there like your child, the challenges we face in parenting are often shared by our community. There are some challenges that are old as time itself, and there are others that are more modern presented by navigating the world we live in. Some common challenges include:

F.A.Q - Common Challenges

  • bedtime routines

  • sibling rivalry

  • managing different personalities of children

  • making it work with two household families

  • toileting independence / potty training

  • behavior and developmental stages that challenge a parent

  • when discussions become arguments

  • cell phone boundaries

  • defiant behaviors

  • when does teasing become bullying?

  • peer pressure

  • creating home and classroom environments that inspire instead of overwhelm

  • biting (why? what to do?)

  • aggressive behaviors

  • parent fatigue

  • empowering children to express emotions without screaming and tantrums

  • I am available to facilitate a variety of workshops based upon your community or household’s particular needs. To see some examples, visit here. Don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s a topic you don’t see listed that you would benefit from.

  • Each Whole Child Parenting session is tailored to the needs of your particular community. These classes are great for:

    • teacher’s continuing educations requirements

    • your school’s staff, teachers, and administrators

    • parenting groups

    • community groups

    • faith communities

    • and beyond!

  • I operate a sliding scale flexible model. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly and once I learn the duration, scope, and anticipated participant quantity, we can work together to find a price that works within your budget.

  • The seminar’s and workshop’s can be facilitated either in person at your location or virtually! A hybrid option is also available so your attendees can attend virtually if unable to make it in person.

FAQs

FAQ: Pedagogy and Practice

What is “Montessori”?

At a glance, Montessori is “Montessori is a child-centered educational method that emphasizes hands-on learning, independence, and self-directed activity. It was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, in the early 1900s. Read more at the American Montessori Society.

What is “positive discipline”?

Positive discipline is a parenting approach that focuses on teaching children appropriate behaviors through a kind but firm manner, emphasizing encouragement, clear expectations, and building a strong connection with the child, rather than relying on punishment or rewards to control behavior. Read more from Dr. Jane Nelson.

Meet the Team

  • Mary Sue Reutebuch

    FOUNDER, PARENT COACH

  • Zoë Hazen

    CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, DOULA

  • A bit about Zoë:

    Zoë supports the web design and marketing Whole Child Parenting along with managing communications and business administration —to help support Mary Sue to have as much time with parents as possible. With a professional background in tech and design, teaching experience in early childhood Montessori Education, and a passion for helping connect families to the support that they deserve, working with Whole Child Parenting was a perfect match. Zoë is also a doula practicing in Madison with a focus on empowering and protecting autonomy in the birthing process while nourishing the unique and multifaceted spiritual and practical support before, during and after one of the most transformative experiences in life. In her free time, you can find her art-making, medicine seeking (aka: reading), spending time with her partner and dog, or sending out snail mail. Connect with her: zoe@wholechildparenting.org