With more than 20 years of experience working with children, educators and families, Gemma Ellis is passionate about helping parents better understand their children and feel more confident in their parenting. As a qualified teacher, Montessori educator and parent, she understands how overwhelming it can be to navigate the wealth of parenting advice available today. Through Montessori Instinct, she offers practical, personalised guidance that helps families embrace Montessori principles in a simple and realistic way, focusing not on perfect homes or expensive materials, but on observing the child, supporting their development and nurturing independence, confidence and connection. Here, she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind Montessori Instinct, the challenges she has overcome along the way, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The Passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
My passion for Montessori began long before I started Montessori Instinct. Montessori has been part of my life for many years, both personally and professionally. As a qualified teacher, Montessori educator and parent, I have seen the difference that understanding a child and respecting their development can make.
I created Montessori Instinct because I saw how overwhelming parenting can be, particularly with the enormous amount of parenting and Montessori information now available online. There is so much advice, but it can be difficult for parents to know what information to trust, what is developmentally appropriate and what is actually right for their individual child and family.
I wanted to create a place where parents could receive practical, personalised Montessori guidance, rather than having to spend hours searching through conflicting information and trying to work it all out themselves.
Montessori Instinct is about helping parents understand their child, build confidence in their parenting and bring Montessori into their home in a simple and realistic way. It isn’t about creating a perfect Montessori home or buying lots of expensive materials. It’s about observing your child, understanding what they are showing you and making small changes that can support their independence, confidence and connection.
My goal is for parents to feel heard, supported and confident, knowing they don’t have to figure it all out alone.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Montessori Instinct grew out of my many years of experience in Montessori education, rather than starting as a completely new direction for me. I have spent more than 20 years working with children, educators and families and have always been passionate about helping people understand the child behind the behaviour.
When I decided to create Montessori Instinct, I wanted to take that experience and make it available to parents in a more personal way. I started by developing my services, creating resources for parents and connecting with local mothers’ groups and communities.
Starting a business has been a learning experience in itself. I have been learning about marketing, social media, creating resources and building a website while also working out how I can best support families.
Rather than trying to build everything at once, I have been taking small steps, listening to what parents are asking and allowing the business to grow organically. Some of the most valuable opportunities so far have come through conversations with parents and local community connections, which have helped me understand what families are looking for.
The Innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
My biggest breakthrough has been recognising that parents don’t necessarily need more information; they need help making sense of the information they already have.
There is so much parenting and Montessori information available online, and while this can be incredibly valuable, it can also leave parents feeling overwhelmed. They may be wondering whether they are doing things “the Montessori way”, what is appropriate for their child’s age or which advice is actually right for their family.
I realised that my greatest strength is not simply teaching parents about Montessori. It is helping them understand their individual child and then showing them how Montessori principles can work within their real home and family life.
That shift has really shaped Montessori Instinct. It has moved the focus away from having the “perfect” Montessori home or buying the right materials, and towards observation, understanding the child and making simple, practical changes that support independence and connection.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
For me, balance is about recognising that family and work don’t always have to be perfectly balanced at the same time. There are seasons when work needs more attention and other times when family comes first.
As my children have grown, I have had more opportunities to explore my own ideas and build Montessori Instinct. I am also still working in Montessori education, so I have had to be intentional about how I use my time.
I try to work on my business in the spaces that fit around my life, rather than allowing it to take over. I have also learned that I don’t need to do everything at once. Taking small, consistent steps has allowed me to build Montessori Instinct while still making time for the people and things that are important to me.
I think that is something I also bring to my work with parents: there is no such thing as a perfect balance or a perfect family. We find what works for us, make adjustments and keep going.
The Drive: What challenges have you overcome?
One of my biggest challenges has been moving from working within Montessori education to putting myself and my own expertise out into the world.
I have spent many years working with children, educators and families, but starting my own business meant learning a completely different side of the industry. I have had to learn about marketing, social media, websites, creating resources and communicating what I do in a way that parents can easily understand.
Building something from the ground up can be challenging, particularly when you don’t immediately see results. But I have learned to focus on the relationships I am building, the conversations I am having with parents and the opportunities that are beginning to develop.
For me, the drive comes from knowing that I have something valuable to offer parents. I want to keep sharing my experience and helping families feel more confident in understanding their children.
For Better or Worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
One of the biggest advantages of running my own business is having the freedom to shape it around what I genuinely believe parents need. I can choose how I work with families and create services and resources that reflect my Montessori philosophy rather than following someone else’s model.
I also love the opportunity to connect directly with parents. Hearing their questions and understanding the challenges they are experiencing reminds me why I started Montessori Instinct in the first place.
The challenging side is that you are responsible for everything! From developing the services and creating content to websites, marketing, social media and all the little things behind the scenes, there is a lot to learn, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming when you are doing it all yourself.
I have also had to learn to be patient. Building a business takes time, and it doesn’t always happen as quickly as you imagine it will. But I am learning to enjoy the process and celebrate the small steps along the way.
Hopes and Dreams: What next?
My hope for Montessori Instinct is to reach more parents and help them discover that Montessori doesn’t have to be complicated or hard.
There can be a perception that Montessori means having a perfect home filled with expensive materials, but to me, it is much simpler than that. At its heart, Montessori is about having a greater respect for the child, observing them, understanding their development and recognising what they are capable of.
I want to help parents bring these principles into everyday family life in simple and realistic ways, without feeling overwhelmed or judged.
My dream is for Montessori Instinct to become a trusted place where parents can receive practical, personalised guidance and feel more confident in understanding and supporting their child.
Ultimately, I want parents to see that sometimes the simplest changes – slowing down, observing and giving a child the opportunity to try – can make a real difference.
Visit the Montessori Instinct website to find out more, and connect with them on Facebook.
