Montessori School

281-239-3400

Thanksgiving dinner with children

Thanksgiving Dinner – It’s the Process, not the Product!

Our friend and colleague, Clarissa, bought our first Montessori School in Sugar Land back in 2004.  The following Thanksgiving Dinner story is based on a school lunch experience as recounted by Clarissa and remembered by me.

Holiday time was coming.  At Clarissa’s school, a wonderful feast was planned for lunch.  Children helped prepare all the vegetables, washing and peeling.  They stuffed the holiday bird.   Clarissa had a big turkey roasting in the tiny school oven. Everyone looked forward to the beautiful dramatic effect this golden roasted turkey would have as it was presented on a platter and brought to the banquet table.

Lunchtime came and the turkey was not cooked!.  She cut and carved into smaller pieces to coax the parts to completion. By then it didn’t look like a Turkey at all.

Almost in tears, she blasted the oven temp and waited.  Finally, the parts reached the safe temp and out came the dismembered bird.

That day, the day of decorating, preparing food, sitting with friends and enjoying a rebuilt turkey was an example of what Montessori describes as ‘process over product.’ The joy and discovery is in the journey.

Clarissa thought the turkey was a disaster until ….

One of her little students came up and said: “This was the BEST DAY EVER!”

So, our wish for all families in the world is to enjoy time together, help each other and don’t sweat the small stuff.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Share this post