The pleasure of being a grandparent was encapsulated perfectly by Acting Principal, Judith Dobson in her welcoming speech at the Girls’ School grandparents’ morning.

‘I had been told by others what a joy it was to be a grandparent but until you become a grandparent you never really understand the uniqueness of that role,’ said Mrs Dobson. ‘I was blessed with two wonderful grandmothers. Both of these women held a special place in my heart and whilst they have long since departed from my life I hold the fondest memories of them.

‘Children learn so much from the connections they make with adults from various generations. The world I grew up in is so very different from the one our grandchildren will inherit yet the need for human companionship and relationships will always remain. And the relationship is not about buying expensive gifts and spending lots of money. It is about being there and being interested in their lives, about listening without judging, offering wisdom and advice without preaching and being someone who is willing to share their own mistakes.

‘Children can absorb from their grandparents a sense of history, identity, heritage, and the vital connection with the past. The life stories will grow in value as the children become adults.’

The school hall was packed full of proud grandparents eager for opportunity to see their granddaughter’s school and what she has been learning about. Following Mrs Dobson’s heartfelt greeting, Head Girl, Moiralisa Aneru introduced each of the acts providing the entertainment section of the morning. Year 7 and 8 students performed gymnastics routines created as part of their physical education programme; Pippa Morris, Eva Colyer and Keeley Berkovits delivered rousing solo speeches; the Year 0 and 1 classes did an encore of their dance from the ‘Little Red Rockinghood’ show; and the Performers’ Choir sang two of their pieces from the Kids Sing competition.

The students then waited outside the hall to meet their grandparents, peering over the heads of their schoolmates to spot them. There was an overflow of emotion when the two generations were united, especially for those grandparents who had travelled from outside of Auckland. The girls gave their family members a tour of the school and their classroom, with the art studio, engineering laboratory and library being must-see highlights. Many of the students were keen to show off their latest work and introduce their teacher and grandparents to one another. There were also proud boasts of the successes achieved by their House!

The visit was capped off by morning tea with a hot drink back in the school hall. Neither the students nor the grandparents wanted the experience to end and extended their time together as long as possible.

Mrs Dobson had concluded her welcome earlier in the day with a challenge to the girls. ‘Listen to the stories that your grandparents share – in time those stories will become so important to you as part of your history,’ she said. The students had definitely taken the advice on board as they listened to their grandparents’ tales intently!

Our sincere gratitude to the grandparents for creating a special memory for the girls! 

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