Old is a relative term. To a kid, parents are older, siblings can even be older. For this topic I am talking about our kids chatting with older people who could be their grandparents or even great grandparents age/ages. There is a wealth of knowledge that comes from life experience, and people love sharing that knowledge with eager listeners.
Talking with older people is a great way to build a relationship and form a great bond. Kids can be great conversationalists with tons of imagination. Learning from an older person can further that imagination. Talking with an older person is a great way for kids to glean knowledge and life skills. There is a wealth of knowledge behind the experience that comes with age.
I love when my kids strike up a conversation with my grandparents, their great grandparents. The joy that I see on my grandparents face when a child takes an interest in them is heart warming. Sometimes I wish their interactions lasted a bit longer. I am hopeful as my kids grow up and mature conversationally they will be able to ask some more meaningful questions and learn from their elders.
Talking Builds a Relationship
Sometimes kids can be a little nervous around new people. If your little ones are meeting a grandparent or great grandparent for the first time or see them less frequently take some time to get comfortable. Get out a few toys or favorite books and have your child and play with them a little before being held or sitting close. Most kids have a warm up period when meeting new people or entering a new environment. Each one of my kids have a different warm up period so we try not to rush them. Have your child get comfortable in the room and new environment.
If your child is older or when ready try a few icebreakers to get your child comfortable having a conversation. Good icebreakers can help us find common interests that further conversation. A few icebreaker ideas:
- What was your favorite class in school?
- What is your favorite game?
- What’s your favorite animal?
- Do you have a favorite superhero?
- What’s your favorite book?
- What is your favorite movie?
As your child is more comfortable and interested in maintaining conversation or building a relationship have your child start asking more open ended questions about current life or about past memories. Questions they may find interesting to hear answers from could be:
- What it was like when you were a kid?
- How the world has changed since you were little?
- What major life lessons have you learned?
- What were games like when you were little?
- What family life was like?
- Who lived with you and what was your house like?
Generally some talking tips when talking with older people are to speak in a regular volume, and speak clearly. Keep a focus on the person talking and have fun building a relationship through conversation and sharing.
Talking Can Further the Imagination
Kids are great at being imaginative and creative when playing and talking. When my grandparents were younger there were no smart phones, no internet, and television may have been black and white only. Entertainment has come a long way in the recent years to provide us with mind numbing ways to watch and be entertained. Growing up in a time with out entertainment at the ready means our grandparents came up with their own ways to entertain and play. Hearing some of their ideas and experiences can inspire you and your little ones in new ways. Talk about what it was like playing with friends, playing with siblings or playing in the back yard.
Talking to Gain Knowledge and Learn Life Skills
Family lives were different when our grandparents were kids. Evening entertainment centered around the family gathering at the radio or TV and enjoying it together as a family. Now more families are disconnected and on their own entertainment sources, personal phones or tv’s in separate rooms. Work and home life for older generations was different as dads usually worked a 9-5 job and moms were home with the kids. In today’s work and home life most parents both work, there are many one parent households and some parents work remotely from home because of technology advancements. I find the difference in lifestyle pretty interesting as did my daughter when taking with her grandparents. May daughter has grown up with internet and smart phones and doesn’t quite get the idea of not having it. Most of her great grandparents come from large over six kid families with tons people to play with. Learning from her grandparents and great grandparents about how life was when they were younger helps her learn about technology and how quickly it evolves.
Older people also know a lot of different life skills that we don’t know now a days. When I need something I usually look online and buy it or find a shop that can fit a problem. Take your conversation with an older person a little farther and learn a few life skills. A grandparent or great grandparent can probably help you:
- Learn to sew
- Learn to knit or crochet
- Learn about canning fruit or making homemade sauces
- Change the oil in a car
- Fix a flat bike tire
- Learn to bake or cook family recipes that you wouldn’t find in a recipe book
Have your little one learn a life skill from a grandparent or great grandparent and they will both enjoy the experience. Your little one will also remember that activity or lesson as a fond memory when they are a grandparent some day.
With age comes experience.
Nicole Berry
Learn From Life Experience
With age comes experience. As we get older we make numerous decisions. Our little ones can learn from these decisions as well. When your little ones need to make some choices encourage them to ask for some advice from an older person. An older person has a grander perspective and have probably seen some good and bad results over the years. They can give a perspective a peer would not have.
Encourage your children to take a relationship with their grandparents and great grandparents seriously. People are in and out of our lives in every season and we never know how long we have with one another. Use the time while we can.