With the world becoming smaller with air travel and the Internet, many children are moving away from where they grew up and consequently are raising their children far away. This may lead to grandchildren not feeling very close to their grandparents. Here are some ideas for how to keep children close even with geographically you live far away from your parents.
Keep Lots of Pictures
Be sure that there are plenty of pictures nearby that your kids can look at of their grandparents, especially pictures of them with their grandparents. Even if they don’t remember the visit, at least the pictures will remind them that they had fun with their grandparents.
Talk about Grandparents Often
Share stories about your parents with your kids. This could include things that happened to them while growing up or stories about their last visit. Knowing more about your parents will help your kids feel closer to them.
Chat Online
With web cams, you can have your kids chat with their grandparents through Skype and other online programs. Being able to see their grandparents while they’re talking will help them feel closer and recognize them the next time they come to visit.
Let Grandparents Have One-on-One Time
When the grandparents visit, or when you go visit them, be sure that your parents get a chance to be with each child one-on-one. This could be a simple thing like going for a walk or going out to dinner. Just by making cookies together, when you’re not around, the two of them can bond.
No matter the distance, be sure to make an effort to develop relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.
