Field Tripping with the Next Generation

When my kids were growing up, one of the benefits of working night shift was my ability to participate in many school activities.

Among my favorites were school field trips. From the time my oldest child was in preschool until my youngest child graduated from high school, I was happy to serve as a chaperone for many field trips.

This past week, I was delighted when my schedule worked perfectly to accompany my daughter and my youngest grandchild on a preschool field trip to Johnson's Orchards.

Also known as "the apple porchard" by my granddaughter, Johnson's Orchards is a favorite school field trip destination.

On the day we went to Johnson's, there were quite a few field trip groups also touring the grounds.

Not much has changed about school field trips in a generation. The parents and grandparents are still more interested in what the guides have to say than the kids.

It's still impossible to get a group of kids to all smile or even all look the same direction at the same time for a group photo.

The kids still find excitement in things that aren't part of the field trip. At Johnson's Orchards, the little train next to the Johnny Appleseed statue was the first thing that drew the kids' attention.

Kids still hear what some, but not all, of what is said during the talking portions of the field trip. A comment about painting with apples is what drew my granddaughter's attention the most during part of the field trip.

She asked numerous questions about painting with apples in a very excited voice as the tour guide tried to get kids to talk about what you could do with apples.

Like her mom before her, my granddaughter loved the farm animals. Some day, she may report that the animals were the best part of the trip to the apple orchard.

There's nothing like being a grandparent to take you back in time to the days when your kids were younger. I could almost hear the excited chatter of my own kids in the background as I listened to the group of preschoolers.

Field tripping with the next generation may even be more fun. Unlike some school field trips in my past, I wasn't assigned to the unruly group.

Fun memories are always waiting to be made in the land of grandparenting. The joy of being a grandparent is an adventure I don't want to miss.

Until the next memory is made, I'll take what I can get when I can get it and do the best I can to face each day with a smile on my face, a prayer on my lips and a song in my heart.

Blogging Grandma Sandy, signing off for now.