Source: Slotstad.nl

‘Grandpa’ and ‘grandma’ have waved at all the neighbourhood’s primary school kids for 10 years

Every morning for the past decade, Els and Aryan Sikkema have stood at their window in zeist, the Netherlands, and waved cheerfully to the local children on their walk to school, brightening everybody’s day for free.

Dutch ‘Grand Parents’ wave to school children each day for ten years

At 08:00 sharp, Els and Aryan Sikkema from Zeist, central Netherlands, are ready in front of their living room window. For the past  ten years they wave every morning to all the children who pass through through their stree on the way to school. They are now a household name in the area and many children call them the ‘wave grandpa and grandma’. — Slotstad.nl 

They noticed that there were many more children walking down the street, so they were waved at them too. After that they never stopped. “It puts a smile on everyone's face. In the hectic bustle of the morning, they are equally cheerful at the start of the day.”
It all started when Els and Aryan Sikkema’s own grandchildren walked past their house every morning to go to school. They noticed that there were many more children walking down the street, so they were waved at them too. After that they never stopped. “It puts a smile on everyone’s face. In the hectic bustle of the morning, they are equally cheerful at the start of the day.” Source: Slotstad.nl
“They are really a household name in the neighbourhood. The children are always very happy. When I'm cycling with my youngest daughter, she can't let go of the handlebars to wave. Then she always says: mom you have to wave extra for me” says a passing mother.
The waving does not go unnoticed. Everyone who comes walking or cycling is getting ready to throw their arms in the air as they approach Els and Aryan’s house. “They are really a household name in the neighbourhood. The children are always very happy. When I’m cycling with my youngest daughter, she can’t let go of the handlebars to wave. Then she always says: mom you have to wave extra for me” says a passing mother. Source: Slotstad.nl
“Children who go to high school and because of that don't come down our street anymore send cards to say goodbye and thank us for waving, sometimes we get flowers, two girls baked apple pie for us and a school project was even made about us what we got through the letterbox” says Aryan Sikkema.
That cheerfulness every morning is even rewarded with flowers, cake, chocolate letters and cards. “Children who go to high school and because of that don’t come down our street anymore send cards to say goodbye and thank us for waving, sometimes we get flowers, two girls baked apple pie for us and a school project was even made about us what we got through the letterbox” says Aryan Sikkema. Source: Slotstad.nl
“It makes us very happy every morning, but when you read such messages you notice that it is very special”.
“All those sweet thanks and messages move me enormously,” says Els Sikkema. “It makes us very happy every morning, but when you read such messages you notice that it is very special”. Source: Slotstad.nl
“We will wave as long as we can. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the children we waved at later when they are old also wave to other primary school children.”
The couple don’t plan to stop waving anytime soon. “We will wave as long as we can. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the children we waved at later when they are old also wave to other primary school children.” Source: Slotstad.nl
“Some people wave very exuberantly with big arms, others wave until they no longer see us and we always do gymnastics exercises with the children across the street.”
They even wave in different ways, says Aryan. “Some people wave very exuberantly with big arms, others wave until they no longer see us and we always do gymnastics exercises with the children across the street.” Source: Slotstad.nl
“We mirror the gymnastics exercises of the children across the street. That's a really fun thing to do every morning.
“We call this our mirror performance,” says Aryan Sikkema. “We mirror the gymnastics exercises of the children across the street. That’s a really fun thing to do every morning.” Source: Slotstad.nl

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