The importance of grandparents

Your child is bound to meet dozens of teachers over the course of their education.

But the most important teachers might not be found in classrooms. They're the people who taught you – grandparents.

That's something we've noticed about the Maasai people in Kenya. With Free The Children, we've spent a lot of time working in this region of the world helping to build schools for the communities. The kids are eager to learn. The standardized education system allows them to gain many valuable skills in schools across the country. But the learning doesn't stop when they return home.

The Maasai children have a number of chores to perform. This includes gathering firewood and fetching water. All the while, the elders are there to guide them.

When gathering wood, the grandparents often point out which botanicals have medicinal properties. When the children return with the water, they tell the oral history of hills they just crossed. These are stories of the culture, the people and the traditions that are so important to the tribe.

Connect with the family
Here in Canada, we have our own tribes too – our families. These families are not so different from the Maasai people in Kenya. We each have our own history, culture and traditions. Often, those stories are kept by our elders.

Grandparents have a wealth of knowledge. Most of it can't be taught in school. Whether you’re from Kenya or Kenora, this knowledge is equally important in helping your children understand who they are and where they come from.

Sadly, the kind of education that is so integral on the Maasai Mara is fading here in Canada. Kids tend to rush home to video games or television shows rather than learning family, tradition and the wisdom of elders. They end up learning who won the latest edition of American Idol, instead.

One of our fondest memories as kids comes from 'helping' our grandfather rake leaves in the yard (i.e. he raked, we jumped). While he diligently worked to keep his yard clean, we got covered in dirt and listened.

Page 1 of 2 - on page 2: what grandparents can do for your kids!