Spain might have a king, but the kids are the ones who truly rule the country. Little ones are an intrinsic part of everyday life. And life seems to revolve around family. We lived in Madrid for four wonderful years. Yet, the cultural differences never ceased to amaze me. Especially when it comes to parenting. […]

Halloween is believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires, leave food and wine on their doorsteps to ward off the departed, and wear costumes to avoid being recognized by these ghosts. In the 8th century, the Christian church instituted All Saints’ Day, also called All […]

As if parenting weren’t demanding enough, raising a child today comes with an extra challenge. We’re parenting our children for a world that is seamlessly connected in many ways, yet deeply divided in fundamental aspects. Technology may bring us closer, but the psychological distance is more evident than ever. The world craves peace, harmony and understanding. […]

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 […]