What does it mean to have a memorable summer? For many of us, it’s relaxing on the beach or throwing backyard cookouts. But for our children, an unforgettable summer looks very different.

Mindfulness means being aware of the present moment, focusing on what’s happening now, and experiencing it in a non-critical, non-judgmental way. That can be difficult for a parent to do when you’re feeling stressed or tired and your child does something you don’t like or is being difficult. That’s when you need to take a minute and stay calm before reacting in frustration or anger.

Recently, my brother and I were laughing about when we were four and six years old, we would spend hours in our home’s bedroom hallway spinning in circles, chanting “China, China, China.” My mother asked why we did that. We replied, “We are drilling ourselves to China to build a castle.” My brother wondered who gave us that idea that we could dig to China. I said I don’t think anyone told us what to do, we were just having fun with the freedom of moving, spinning, and letting our creativity and imagination develop a story and purpose around what we were doing. We created our own unique activity and entertainment with some very simple, carefree movements.

With the start of the school year just around the corner, we’re willing to bet there is a bit of nervousness mixed in with the excitement. That’s understandable. Even if it’s not your child’s first year at school, it can still feel like a major change after the summer break.

Sometimes in our desire to be good, guiding parents we tend to focus on our child’s faults or mistakes so we can help them improve. It’s a natural instinct. Focusing on the negative is an innate human characteristic of our ancestry. Historically, our negativity or “negative bias” stems from an ancient survival tactic used to alert people of threats to their safety or imminent danger to their family or tribe.

Our families chose Apple because a Montessori whole child education matches their values. Our Parent Seminars were designed to further bridge the gap between home and school by offering topics in which our parents themselves have shown the most interest.

Even the littlest children are anxious to do something and are more anxious to exert themselves than those who are older. A good teacher will therefore look for some way in which even the tiniest child can be of help.” —Maria Montessori, Education in Movement

As good parents and educators to our children, we often strive to keep them occupied and engaged in educational activities, play dates, sports, and entertainment through television and digital devices. However, studies show that a dose of boredom can do your child a world of good in exploring their imagination and pursuing their own creative abilities to occupy time constructively. Often boredom or “quiet time” leads to cultivating life skills, interests and experiences for your child that they will enjoy well into the future.

My niece Hannah and nephew Graham love to cook. Since they were little, they have been building elaborate sand cakes at the beach and creating their own kitchen masterpieces at home—birthday cakes, cupcakes, and even freshly-made pasta. Not surprisingly, their favorite TV shows are on Food Network.

Tantrums are one of the most difficult things parents of young children have to deal with. They can happen over almost anything, no matter how small, from being handed the wrong picture book to what they can wear to bed.