Over the next couple posts we’re going to discuss some ideas for travel preparation and participation for the big kids (12+). Ours are still quite young but we do happen to have several nieces and nephews we can consider and even lean on to test out what might be of interest to them.
One of our top destinations we’d like to return to is Amsterdam. We were there in 2014 with an 18-month old and with our daughter on the way. The “Venice of the North.” Such a beautiful city. Charming people, quaint neighborhoods, museums all day long, and heaven for anyone on a bike. Home to Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
However, Dutch art can appear boring at first glance. Take 17th century artist, Johannes Vermeer. He is among the greatest western painters of all time. Little is known about him though his work continues to increase in value and reputation. To an uninformed teen, it appears that he just painted ladies in front of windows.
How might a parent address this high risk of boredom and inattention here?
This School of Life video below describes how Vermeer might be just what young people need in 2018. Instead of painting celebrities or dramatic war victories, he finds the glamour in the ordinary, in everyday life. i.e., the life most of us spend 99% of our days living. His approach is almost meditative but also done with such skills that the more one learns about him the more intriguing a figure he becomes.
So many family discussions can be taken from this basic idea of how the most meaningful things in life are often the most simple. How they spend most of their time. Who they spend their time with. What they read or watch?
However, not everything that appears simple is. Watch this Smarthistory video with your teen(s) and see what they think about the man in the hat.
What are his intentions? Is he a good guy or is he trouble? What elements of the painting make them think so? How much meaning can fit into a simple painting of a guy pouring a woman a glass of wine?
Depending on their age and interests you might also begin to discuss with them the role of the middle class in the Dutch Golden Age or even global business via the Dutch East India company and how that is evident in the art of the time.
So much to discover in Amsterdam and Dutch history!
talk soon,
Dan & Betsy