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Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children. —Walter Elias Disney Going on a family vacation is an exciting prospect, especially when the destination promises to be the “happiest place on earth.” When planning a visit to a theme park like Disneyland, remember to think of the trip from your child’s perspective. It is a thrilling, high-energy, and stimulating experience — and a very different environment than your Montessori child is accustomed to at home or school. Consider how you can make your theme-park adventure fun for everyone in a Montessori way. Here are some tips to get you started, using Disneyland as an example. Montessori Away From Home: Family Theme Park Vacation — Following the Montessori Child at Disneyland Adjust your pace. You may have a detailed and down-to-the-minute plan on how to ride every ride in the park, but your child might decide that the carousel is the only ride he wants to try. Stop and look at the experience through your child’s eyes. The th...

Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a Store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more! — Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas When I was growing up, my mother and grandmother had a little impish elf among their holiday décor. He sat quietly on the shelf, watching the holiday festivities, without being an interactive part of our holiday. Today, the popular ‘elf on the shelf’ that appears at the holidays is used as a sort of secular advent countdown to Christmas. Often, children are told that the elf is there watching for their good behavior. While the elf is supposed to ensure that the children are behaving well, he is notorious for getting into mischief himself. Children wake up daily to see what kind of trouble the elf has gotten into overnight. Modeling Kindness During the Holiday Season The elf’s antics may seem harmless to adults, but what message are we sending the children? We ask children to be on their best behavior during a time that can be stressful...