Generational Learning on Grandparents Day
One of our favorite events of the school year takes place on the last day of the first quarter. After two months of learning, growing, and adjusting to new teachers, new classmates, and new classroom subjects, we take a day to celebrate and appreciate the fact that learning isn’t confined to the walls of a classroom; it extends beyond generations and across lifetimes. Much more, the nuclear family is a precious gift bestowed on mankind from the very beginning of God’s creation. We see lots of attacks on the family in our society today, and it’s those attacks that keep children from engaging with their parents and grandparents, and therefore building those lifelong memories and lessons that a classroom simply cannot replicate.
I think of the line from “The Household and the War for the Cosmos”, written by C.R Wiley, where Wiley emphasizes the absolute necessity for us, as believers, to tend the garden of our family relationships: “That little tune your household sings is in harmony with the music of the spheres, and that harmony restores many of the things that the enemy has perverted.”
The primary goal of Grandparents Day is to invite all our students’ grandparents and special family members to our campus to help our families see what a day of learning looks like for their child. At the same time, we want our students to see that learning doesn’t begin or end in a classroom. Our school verse this year is Proverbs 16:6, which says: “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”
What better way for our students to see the value of wisdom over gold than by seeing it in the faces of their grandparents?
Most of us can think of a significant life lesson we learned from our grandparents, or from a friend or family member who’d seen more of life than we have. We see Biblical promises of long life and prosperity to those who obey God’s commands, and it’s on Grandparents Day, and in all the interactions children have with their elders at home, that our students see the fruits of a Christ-led life.
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)
“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” (Proverbs 16:31)
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” (Psalm 103:17)
Lest we forget the 5th Commandment, which explicitly promises a long life to those who honor their father and mother. It’s not a stretch to say that applies to grandmothers and grandfathers too.
Beyond the lessons of patience, gaining wisdom, and respecting our elders, we learn more about our families’ origins on Grandparents Day. We’re blessed to have families from all corners of the globe in our community. Our grandparents visit us from all over the nation, and even from countries overseas, like India, Taiwan and Indonesia. Even grandparents who drove 20-minutes down the road to visit us on Grandparents Day can share stories of how their grandparents and great grandparents first immigrated to the United States.
These are only a few of the things we hope our students learn in this short half-day to end the quarter, and we hope they provide opportunities for you and your family to talk about the inestimable value of loving and honoring your grandparents. Above all, this event is an opportunity to foster a sense of community, bridge generational gaps, and create lasting memories. Through this special day, we aim to instill values of lifelong learning, appreciation for wisdom, and pride in our school community. We believe that by connecting the young and the old, we are not only building a stronger PCA community but also contributing to the growth of God’s Kingdom on earth.