PR E PA R ATORY S C HO OL
Honouring our grandparents
Grandparents’ Day in the Preparatory School is always a very special day where grandparents have the opportunity to enjoy
a service in our beautiful Chapel, morning tea in the Dining Hall and then spend some time with their grandchildren in the
Preparatory School. One of our grandparents wrote the beautiful article below, in honour of Grandparents’ Day.
In Honour Of Guildford Grammar School’s
Grandparents’ Day 2018
Being A Grandparent
I have had the honour and pleasure of attending Grandparents’
Day for the last five years. It gives grandparents an opportunity to
show love for their children’s children, to help their grandchildren
become aware of the strength, information and guidance that older
people can provide as well. This is written from the heart for all our
grandchildren.
Many years ago all your Nanna’s and Poppa’s, Grandma’s
and Granddad’s and any other special names you call your
grandparents, all of us had the joy of becoming mothers and
fathers to your parents. Some children are not fortunate to have
their grandparents living in the same state or country as they do,
but often will have special older relatives or close family friends who
fill the role of “honorary grandparent”.
Being a parent was very special, lots of love, fun, joy and laughter,
lots of work and learning, it made a couple into a family. Then our
children (your mums and dads) married and started their own family
and along came you, our grandchildren, and our lives changed yet
again. Such a special occasion was the birth of our grandchildren,
whether it was one, two, three, four or more over the years, we
have adored you all totally, as you are so uniquely special, our love
just expands to surround you all.
So our roles in the family changed yet again, we were now helping
our children with their children. Babysitting, taking you out to the
park, the movies, having sleepovers, picking you up from school,
playing wonderful old-fashioned games and new technological
games with you, reading stories with you, looking after you when
ill, attending school assemblies, recitals, concerts, sports carnivals.
Even sharing our life stories with you, both stories about us and
your parents when they were children, sharing family history,
showing you old family photos and movies.
What a precious gift being a grandparent is to us. Just being able to
share in your lives, watching you grow from babies to toddlers, to
boys and girls and eventually teenagers and adults. Sharing in your
scholastic and sporting achievements, your ups and downs, sharing
confidences, helping you sort out problems, just joining you and
your family in the amazing, blessed journey of family life.
Being a grandparent is magical, filled with unconditional love and
boundless joy, much happiness and laughter, lots of humour, fun
and special family times. Grandparents just sprinkle stardust over
their grandchildren’s lives. We hope that along the way we can also
share our wisdom, our life lessons, our loving guidance and help,
provide loving arms to run to, our special home cooking of your
favourite foods, our home as your second home, our hearts and our
pride in you beautiful young people.
We may often remind you that you look like your mum or dad,
or love music like them, or are good at a particular subject like
they were, or excel in a sport like they did or even say you act or
speak like them too. This is the magic link that joins us all together,
that makes us a big extended family. We the grandparents may
have started this, but you the grandchildren completed it. If
having our children was a gift from God then having you precious
grandchildren was the ultimate blessing from God.
In fact if you hear from someone that a child is near perfect,
handsome or beautiful, never does anything wrong, is brilliant at
school and so on you are probably talking to a Grandmother or a
Grandfather.
May you all continue to include us in your lives, share your hopes
and dreams, your joy and your fears, your hearts and your love.
Thank you for making us into grandparents, it is so very special. We
love and value you and will always be here for you all.
A very lucky Nanna who adores all four of her grandchildren xxxx
Denise
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