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 […]

Although far from a new concept, multigenerational travel (trips involving three generations or more) is on the rise. On the one hand, multigenerational family households are increasing. As reported in this article, “57 million Americans, or 18.1% of the population of the United States, lived in multi-generational family households in 2012, double the number who […]

Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha Jaya Ganesha Pahimaam Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Sri Ganesha Rakshamaam I never thought I’d be waking up to the sound of my four-year-old singing this (or any) mantra, but that is just what happened yesterday. “At least one of us will be zen this summer” I thought, still drowsy, but with […]

My good friend, and the founder of Our Whole Village, Patricia Monahan, wrote a blog post for Our Whole Village last year titled “Parent Like A Traveler.” The post, with its focus on mindful parenting, inspired me and motivated me. But, if I’m being completely honest, I also felt a twinge of, “oh man, I […]

Although my husband and I love to explore other cultures with our kids, we don’t have the time, the energy or the finances to jet off every weekend. Luckily, we live in San Francisco where several ethnic neighborhoods offer the perfect fix for our cultural wanderlust. On a recent weekend we decided to “travel” to […]