Donna Martinson, I.C.A.R.E.  Board Member

In the last 18 months I’ve witnessed the magic of intergenerational relationships. During that time I’ve been a child care provider for my almost-2-year-old granddaughter Josslyn. She is a people magnet who brings smiles to nearly everyone she meets.

You may have experienced Josslyn’s magic if you have been within waving or hollering distance as she rides through stores or parking lots in a shopping cart. She will wave to every she sees and call out “Hi!” If she can see you, she assumes you will be as thrilled to see her as she is to see you.

In fact, Josslyn is so persistent about making sure you know she is trying to greet you that she will keep waving and calling “Hi!” until you look her way. Often something deep in thought will be coaxed into acknowledging her. I’ve seen furrowed brows relax and grimaces turn to grins once Josslyn got their attention. In turn, they see a child beaming at them as if they were the most important person in the world. Josslyn accepts everyone as her friend and that attitude is indeed magical. Her innocence draws out the best in people.

Nowhere is the power of intergenerational boding more evident than at Country Place Assisted Living residence where my mother lives. Since she was six months old, Josslyn has regularly visited her great-grandmother and the other residents.  Before she could walk she crawled from resident to resident when they gathered in the dining room for lunch. The residents encouraged her effort and helped me make sure she stayed safe. Now that she can walk she joins their game of keeping a big ball in the air during their exercise class. She takes her yellow plush puppy to show her friend who has Alzheimer’s and makes sure the lady in the wheelchair gets to see her fuzzy horse Bluebelle.

In turn, her friends at Country Place have knitted her cozy hats and sewn teddy bears for her to cuddle. Occasionally they treat her to animal cookies. Always they talk to her with kindness. Josslyn is excited just to see her friends. Naps are usually out of the question because there are many friends to talk to and so many things to tell and ask her great-grandma. Not surprisingly, she is usually asleep within a few minutes once we start the drive home.

The powerful influence a child can have on people of all ages and the influence they have on her is heartening. Fortunately, that power is not limited only to certain children and adults. Regardless of our age, we can learn from those who are younger as well as those who are older than we are.

In a society that tends to segregate groups, I.C.A.R.E.’s goal is to build positive relationships between youth and older adults. The magic of simply being together for fun, work or conversation can enrich the lives of all involved.

Reprinted from Intergenerational Clearinghouse and Resource Education Center (I.C.A.R.E.), May 2011