The power of tales and short stories in our children’s lives and upbringing is immense. Stories are magic. They teach us about the world, its people and cultures. They help us make sense of ourselves and the world around us. Earlier this year, I heard the beautiful story of Indra’s Net, a traditional Buddhist and […]

At Our Whole Village, we certainly love traveling. But we’re equally passionate about discovering other cultures through music, books, art, crafts and food. During the summer, while planning our move back to the U.S. and setting our intentions for the new school year, the girls and I talked about how we want to cook at […]

by Mary Grace Otis “It’s not wrong, it’s just different.” I can’t tell you how many times my high school German teacher repeated those words to us on our class trip to Germany the summer after 10th grade. She said those words to try to help us process all of the things that we were experiencing that […]

What better way to teach our kids about the world and raise their awareness than by celebrating multicultural and ethnic festivals and holidays from around the world? We’re loving this 2016-2017 Diversity Calendar, a month-by-month, thorough collection of holidays around the world, put together by Becky Morales of Kid World Citizen. In addition to festivals and […]

The definition of family has evolved significantly over the years.    There is no right or wrong, there is no “normal” or “typical”.  Just family- your family! No matter how family is defined or what person(s) make up a family, each family is uniquely shaped by its very own culture. Culture is often thought of […]

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” Mother Teresa had a point. But it can be tough to feel all that love when we’re tired and overwhelmed and our children just won’t listen…. We require a little extra motivation. We need purpose and a consciously defined family culture. […]

I love all things paper. But I love trees even more. Every year it’s the same dilemma: should we send out holiday cards or not? Don’t get me wrong. I love receiving cards from our family and friends, especially the ones far away. Those I don’t get to see all year. It puts a smile […]

Can you believe it’s December? 2016 is just around the corner! To inspire a sense of joy and wonder for the new year I’ve asked 12 family travel bloggers to tell us about their most unforgettable family experience. Their experiences take us from Iceland to Hawaii, from Africa to Asia, winter through summer. And they’re […]

Hiking does not require access to forest trails or mountaintops, nature preserves or valley fields. These are all great places for a trot through nature, but cities can offer some of the many same advantages when hiking with the kids. Commune with nature. The right route through a city can offer beautiful neighborhood gardens, grassy parks […]

“What is the most important quality you want your kids to have?” We asked Our Whole Village’s awesome community this question and the answer was… KINDNESS. Closely followed by COMPASSION. And I couldn’t agree more. In the words of no other than the Dalai Lama, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If […]