(Three of the Participantsfrom Me, Myself, I  lead the workshop looking at issues on growing older)

The children had already worked with the photographer Emmett McSheffrey in producing their own photographic works which then formed an exhibition in their school on 9th February. On 24th March, they came to work with the participants and on the exhibition itself. They had completed some preparation work before the visit and had filled out two interview forms; one which was about themselves and their lives today and another form whereby they had to interview an older person and talk about their lives as children up to fifty, sixty even seventy years ago. They discovered that older people as children played mainly outdoors in very active games; running, jumping, playing ball, hide and seek. On rainy days they played "house" and used board games. Today most of the children used technology as their main source of play. Food was simpler over fifty years ago and consisted of champ, bacon and cabbage, homemade soup whilst today the children eat from a more international menu; chicken curry, pizza and burgers.  However there was also common ground. For example, they were all afraid of the same things; the dark and big dogs. The same things made them sad; someone they loved or a pet dying or when they fought with their friends and importance of family remains the same today with both older and younger siting this as their main source of what makes them happy. Here are some other interesting comments from the intergenerational conversations.

In response to what age is OLD

Group 1

30 – 39 maybe

40 – 49 kind of old

50 – 59 getting there

60 – 69 old – my granny

70 – 79 very old

80 – 89 really ancient

Sinead  Devine (LAP DO) looking at some of the worksheets with the children

In response  when they hear the word :OLD

They can still be an artist – yes                                                      

Cream + white hair

Smell like flowers / pears soap / Atrixo hand cream

Wrinkly hands

Hairy chest

Balding

Grandas

Pinkly (Skin – the colour and the wrinkles together makes them pinkly)

Grey hair

Brown eyes

In response to Are Older People Useful?

Oh, yes (resounding answer from group)

They love you

Baby sit

Give you gifts

Wash the dishes

Buy you things

Dvd’s / presents                                                                                                                                                              (The children working hard on their images)

Ice-cream

They are your daddy’s or mommy’s Mommy or Daddy (so you cant shove them off the bus) as the song tells us

They tell you stories

Group 2

 In response to what age is OLD

30 – 39

40 – 49 bit old

50 – 59 old

60 – 69 old – granny age

70 – 79 old-age but grannies don’t look old

80 – 89 very old

In response to Are Grandparents fun?

Grandparents great fun because they take me to:

Swimming + Fiorentini’s

Garden centre

Park

Shop after school buys me sweets

Granda works but Granny plays & takes me places after school

Buys DVD’s

Cares about me

In response to Old People just complain a lot?

 (One participant shows off his Self Portrait)

Old people complain sometimes but…..

            Might have sore back

            There is nothing that my granny doesn’t like

            Don’t see granda

In response to Do older people cost too much to look after?

Old people cost too much because they need a lot

They can’t run

They might break their back and want money

They need walking sticks

They need to go to doctors because they’re really sore

They need to go to doctors more than other people

They need more stuff to take care of themselves.

( Some finished art works)

Generally Old people:

            Cook

            Throw out rubbish

I think old people smell

            Don’t wash themselves

            Sometimes younger people can smell too

When you grow old you get up to Heaven

I never want to get older because I want to play with toys

I want to stay 20 so I don’t get older and don’t turn in a Granny

I want to stay young and handsome and while I still have my hair

I don’t want to turn into a large granda

I want to stay 19 because I don’t want to get old

I don’t want to get old because I want to keep dancing

                                                            --To be a superstar

                                                            --Super model

Don’t mind getting old because I want to enjoy my life.                                              

                                                                                                                                                (Sinead Devine and participant show off the finished artwork with pride) 

After much discussion the children then worked on one of the four themes of the exhibition to complete an artwork of their own. The themes were;A Self Portrait, My World, Tranisitons and My Dreams. The work produced was really colourful and full of imagination. WEA would like to thank the children and staff from Rosemount Primary School for all their support and hard work in making this a really wonderful project.