An Experiment That Worked Between
(As told to me by Sue Jacobson, Head
Teacher)
by Kathryn
Urick
Published August 1986
Vital Connections
The Newsletter of the Foundation for Grandparenting
“Eight senior citizens from the Nevada Long Term Care Facility, two in wheelchairs, were brought to the Lab school for a visit.
”The day arrived and it RAINED! But the kids immediately focused. They were interested in and involved with the
elder persons. We noticed that this
visit gave the children a sense of calmness and stability. The kids gave the seniors energy and vibrancy
which surprised everyone. WE could
hardly believe that after a hectic end-of-the-year time of stress, the children
were happy.
“’I never saw the kids so in control,’” remarked on of the graduate students. The elder persons seemed genuinely involved with life- not just sitting on the sidelines. They blew bubbles together and one child sat on an elder person’s lap.
“There are two days I’ll always remember– the other is the day when we took the children out into the woods behind the dorm and they dug in the dirt with sticks – this put them in touch with things in life that ‘endure.’”
It was extremely exciting to listen to Sue. Intergenerational Sharing has been on of my favorite topics. Sue’s personal experience conveyed her real feelings at the success of the experiment.
Magic happens when the old and young get together. It brings unique joy to all involved.
(This old world sorely needs to remember about things that endure.)