Being Grandma Today

One of the pillars on which the OveHum is based is the value of Humanity. We understand that society is being dehumanized for various reasons. Family structures and their roles, social dynamics, and communication patterns are loaded with desensitizing aspects that affect adults and children. Despite this, we always find experiences that slow down these processes, and fill us with hope.

One of these initiatives belongs in a very particular type of language, the one that happens between grandparents with their grandchildren. Children see their grandparents from a very different perspective compared with their parents … and of course grandparents provide a type of LOVE different from the one they have lived with their children. In this post, written by Inmaculada Martinez – a grandmother, who also focuses her work as a coach on personal growth and the development of consciousness – we bring to OveHum a beautiful experience, with the added value of proposing a new activity in the classrooms to be able to work values, education and humanity. Thanks Inma

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 Over the years, the grandfather-grandmother concept has had different meanings. On the one hand, it is parental, we are a familiar figure that in childhood we recognize as a senior who loves us and spoil us much more than our parents. From kids we learn to love grandparents and grandmothers, to feel protected in their company and as we grow if we are lucky enough to continue having them, we are observing how love expands in admiration for their qualities and their wisdom.

There was a time when elders were the bearers of the wisdom of the family and the tribe, their opinions were respected and taken into account.

As we evolved as a society and became more independent from family ties, grandparents and grandmothers stopped being consulted and began to be a burden. The society that gave importance to production removed from its system of preferences those who did not contribute production or resources.

HOW ARE WE TODAY GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDPARENTS?

As everything follows a spiral of evolution it has not been long since, once again, we have begun to be in the front line in news and families. Some are caregivers of grandchildren and, also in many cases and because of the crisis, in many families an economic support.

We have also begun to live longer, with better health, better training and desire to be in full physical and social activity. From my point of view, we are creating a time-of-life space where we can contribute values to society and to the families.

In my personal experience with only a 7-year-old granddaughter and a 6-year-old grandson, who also live at a great distance, which I do not see frequently, the moments I share are intense, dedicated to love and to communication in all aspects, individual, cultural or social

WHAT ROLE CAN WE PROVIDE FOR CHILDREN?

I want to deeply thank Castroverde school in Santander, Spain, for providing the opportunity for grandparents and grandmothers to participate with these children in some way.

I attended an open classroom where I told a story in the 2nd grade of primary. I chose “AMI, CHILD OF THE STARS”, by Enrique Barrios, a story for adults and children, with great teaching about love.

It was a beautiful personal experience, to return to the classrooms, to be with the little ones, to prepare the story and explain it, to leave the message of cosmic love that this story reveals. I left excited, full of vital energy and willing to continue doing joint activities.

There were many questions… I’m not used to this audience and I used words that were not frequent for them and they asked the meaning… that taught me to pay attention to what I say according to who I’m talking to.

Their full attention, without being distracted, interested in the meaning, in broadening the vision of the story, was a gift for me.

WHAT INTEREST DO OUR CHILDREN HAVE TODAY?

There are activities that keep them attentive, however with other activities the effort to stay attentive overcomes and they get distracted, it changes in each case, on different interests.

I saw the difficulty of the teaching staff to organize this matter, not because of the subject they learn but about the way it is taught. Motivating to learn with joy and creativity is an incredible challenge. Many tanks also for how they carry it out.

There are those who need to be constantly moving and enjoy sports and outdoor games, but whoever is more mental and desires knowledge prefers quietness.

They asked me about traveling in time and space, also through black holes, if the history was credible or not… How curious they were! I left amazed for the interest and the level of managing the concepts.

Lucia, 9.- I liked it a lot – the experience of a grandmother going to tell a story – and we all loved the story, it was also a surprise …. It was the first time that a grandmother came, the story we liked all. (…) Last week another grandmother came; and in addition to telling us a story he sang a song!

WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO IN EDUCATION?

I bet on a future where the wisdom we have developed and the knowledge we have is a valuable resource, and where we create spaces to offer it for the good of society. An inclusive society considers all human potential and develops a more evolved vision of life and the use of resources.

Being a grandmother has given me open-mindedness, I can see the world with the eyes of today’s childhood, they nourish me with each one of their life discoveries, their way of expressing, of seeing, of changing every month.

Being a grandmother is another gift I receive from my children. I have gone from being afraid to old age and to be taken care of, to be fully present in what I can transmit.

Author: Inmaculada Martinez, Coach