Grandparents head back to school

By ABIGAIL CASPARI in Rotorua<
Grandparents' day is an important occasion at any school and for Rotorua grandmother Rhoda Shaw it meant dashing from one class to another.

While many of the 70 or so grandparents who attended the St Michael's School day had just one child to visit, Mrs Shaw had seven to spend time with.

It was no problem for the 68-year-old though. She's used to spreading herself around.

"It's a bit of deja vu. My six kids went through this school."

Mrs Shaw also went to the school but at that time it was known as St Mary's School.

The school split into two Catholic primary schools after she left.

She said school life had changed drastically since she was a young girl.

"We used to win the [Rotorua school] singing competitions every year. Everyone used to dread going up against St Mary's School."

Discipline in schools was vastly different now, she said.

"We got into trouble for a lot lesser things than they even think about today."

Mrs Shaw said Grandparents' Day was important for the children because it gave them a different perspective on life.

"It's quite a buzz for the kids."

Mrs Shaw's oldest grandchild at the school, 10-year-old Patrick Aislabie, said he had enjoyed having his grandmother at the school and there were no problems sharing her around.

"It's pretty cool with them talking about what they had done when they were young and all the games they played."

He reckons school is much easier now than it would have been for his grandmother.

"Especially when they were naughty they would get the strap. We just get told off. I'm glad I don't get the strap."

For Lauren Shaw, 7, having Nana at the school was great.

"It's so wonderful that we have Grandparents' Day and have fun in our classrooms with our nanas and our grandparents."

Lauren said her nana read her a story about Pompeii and she was surprised to hear that she had visited the city in Italy.

She admitted she had been slightly concerned her grandmother might not make it to her classroom, situated at the end of the school grounds, with seven visits to fit into the day.

Principal Greg Day said the school held Grandparents' Day on alternate years and it was a good way for the children, who were mostly concerned with the present and future, to have a link with the past.

"Grandparents are such a resource."