Grandmothers Group Proves You’re Never Too Old for After-school Fun
Grandmothers are typically awash in photos of their grandkids and Betty Brinkley Harrison is no exception. With ease, she produces shots of grinning youngsters playing in the backyard, enjoying a swim party or goofing around on a trip to the local fire station; tousled heads, missing baby teeth and suntanned faces capturing a magical age.
Technically speaking, only a couple of the grinning mugs in this particular stash of photos are Harrison’s grandchildren. But like the other members of the Grandmothers Group, she claimed them all as her own a long time ago.
“Like my little granddaughter, I guess she started when she was 3 or 4 and yesterday I sat next to her and now she’s 10 and almost as big as me,” Harrison said. “All the grandmothers, we just have so much fun being a part of things.”
Ever since Harrison’s friend Melanie Lamkin came up with the idea for the play group five years ago, a motley assortment has shown up every Monday afternoon to share some quality time between the school dismissal bell and suppertime.
“I have a swimming pool in my backyard, so I invited one of the grandmas and a grandkid over,” Lamkin said. “Then I asked another grandma and her grandkids who were about the same ages. I think it kind of started from there.”
A core group of five grandmothers have racked up nearly perfect attendance since the activity began, with four more dropping in whenever it works into their schedule. All together, there are 19 grandkids who are part of the group, although not all attend every single week. But no matter how many show, there’s a spirit of family among them that’s palpable.
“I love the camaraderie of the grandmothers and the way the kids have bonded with friendships at all ages,” Harrison said. “That just warms my heart. They just enjoy each other. The big ones kind of take care of the little ones and it’s just precious how they’ve all become good friends.”
If you ever needed an argument for the way things used to be — when kids on average spent more time with and learning from their grandparents — the Grandmothers Group is just that. The philosophy is simple and draws from a slower, easier time. If the weather’s nice, go to the park. If it rains, stay inside and do crafts. Dish up some snacks. Love on them.
Lamkin herself is surprised at how well low-tech entertainment such as scavenger hunts and Halloween costume parties go over in this high-tech age, particularly as grandson Wesley and others in the original gang turn 10.
“We thought the kids were going to kind of get sick of it,” she said. “But my grandson is like, ‘Where are we going for grandmas’ day today?’ They look forward to it. I look forward to it.
“I don’t know how long this group’s going to last. It’s just become part of my life to look forward to the activity and just do so much fun stuff. It’s nice to have that these days.”
The Grandmothers Group isn’t looking to grow its numbers, but it’s not hard to get your own play group off the ground. Here are some tips:
• To form a group, approach people you know to keep personalities and goals compatible. “If you have a group of friends who talk about their grandkids, it’s easy to start with them,” Lamkin said “It will grow by word of mouth.”
• Don’t overthink; fresh air, exercise and activities in a loving environment never go out of style. “Grandmothers group gives me a chance to play with friends and do different things every week,” said Harrison’s 9-year-old granddaughter Savannah. “I suggest going to all kinds of different places like parks and pools. Take good snacks.”
• Make interactions more meaningful and stay active by getting in on the fun. “Instead of just sitting and watching them, we do things with them,” Harrison said. “We love to do that; we try to come up with crafts and things for them to do and then really get involved with them.”
• Mix in a change of scenery. A trip to the zoo, local firehouse or other amusement keeps things from becoming stale, particularly as kids get older. Lamkin’s grandson Wesley, 10, recommends, “having enough kids who are close in age” and lists “Larry’s Pizza, War Memorial Park and the Skatium (skating rink)” as particular favorites.
