The young students that attend Soboba Tribal Preschool were excited and delighted to spend the morning with their grandparents and great grandparents at a special party at the Soboba Sports Complex, Sept. 5.
Each class performed two songs they learned especially for the Grandparents Day event, with each group singing “Oy Noma’max.” The Luiseño language lyrics translate to “I love you with all my heart.”
Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado welcomed the full room of guests. “Grandparents are the foundation of the family, and they make our family feel complete. They hold a special place in everyone’s heart and bring us all together. Today, Soboba Preschool honors all grandparents. We cherish the memories, moments, and traditions that you pass down, especially the art of storytelling. Wishing you the very best on Grandparents Day. Thank you so much for coming. NuSuun Loviqq Achama! (My heart is good, thank you!),” she said.
She then read a poem by Stacy Smith, titled “Grandparents Are Special People.” It reads: “Grandparents are special people, with wisdom and pride. They are always offering love and kindness and are always there to guide. They often make you feel so confident and strong. Their arms are always open, no matter what you did wrong. They try to help out in every way that they can. They love all their grandchildren the same, whether you’re a child, woman or man. They are always there to listen, and to lend a helping hand. They show you respect, and they try to understand. They give their love, devotion and so much more, that’s easy to see. Grandparents, what perfect examples of the kind of person that we should be.”
Before all visitors were treated to a delicious meal of barbecued chicken, macaroni and cheese, beans, corn, potato salad and more provided by Tribal Chef Anita Morillo, a blessing was given by Marian Chacon who was at the event with her grandson Brian “Cobra” Chacon and great grandson, Brian, 4.
She thanked the Heavenly Father for the “gift of the children who have brought such joy and happiness into the lives of us grandparents.”
The theme was evident throughout the gymnasium with signs made by children in each of the classrooms that paid tribute to their elders. A poster that read, “Thank you for helping us grow” contained cutouts of many types of flowers that were colored by the kids. “Thanks for helping us bloom” was written on cutouts of watering cans filled with flowers that the children had colored themselves. Another colorful poster read, “Love makes everything grow better.”
Along the walls were strung seed packets of different types of flowers and families were invited to take some home when they left. Each table was set up with an interactive craft the grandparents could do with their grandchildren. Containers of paint were set out for them to decorate small terracotta pots that each guest was given when they arrived. They can later be filled with the flower seeds they chose to take home.
The youngest students, who are in the preschool class and only three years old, completed the sentence, “I love my grandparents because…” with clever and honest comments shared on a wall poster. Talla Grant said, “They’re my favorite people ever.” Damian Mariscal said, “We watch Minecraft together.” Hunwut Castello completed his sentence with, “They give me ice cream all the time.”
Teachers and staff were dressed in their finest floral fashions, which blended in perfectly with the theme of the special day.
National Grandparents Day is celebrated in the United States on the first Sunday in September following Labor Day. Grandparents have a special connection with their grandchildren that is proven to both make grandparents live longer and also make children more emotionally resilient. Grandparents Day is an opportunity to treasure that connection and spend some quality family time together. Seasonal flowers are often given in appreciation to grandparents on this day with the official flower being the forget-me-not.
Photos courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
