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| Long Distance Grandparents: How to Bridge the Gap Helping Your Child Form Close Bonds With Long-Distance Grandparents by Elizabeth Pantley
Two weeks after I learned I was pregnant, my mother called me in tears — not tears of joy, mind you, but tears of sadness as she pondered the 2,000-mile divide that would separate her from her soon-to-arrive grandchild. Since moving back to Florida wasn’t in the works, I realized that I needed to get creative so my parents (and my husband’s) could play an important role in my child’s life. So, how do you keep grandparents involved when you live in different time zones? Visit Often: Make trips home a priority and encourage your parents to also visit frequently. There is no substitute for face-to-face time. And since airlines don’t require a ticket for children under the age of 2, there is no cheaper time to fly. Communicate: Did your adorable rugrat take his first steps? Call grandma. Did he catch a fly ball at little league? Brag to grandpa. Remember, your co-workers will tire of hearing little Sammy’s latest achievements, but his grandparents never will. Talk About Them: Tell your child stories about his or her grandparents. They are the connection to the past, and your child will probably love hearing stories about your childhood and theirs. Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures: E-mail, snail mail and distribute photos regularly. And this goes both ways. Make sure you show your child lots of pictures of their grandparents as well. Encourage Letter Writing: Have grandma send a postcard from her condo in Florida, or have your daughter write a letter to grandpa telling him about her day. Let Technology Work For You: Modern technology makes keeping in touch even easier. We use a Web cam in our home so my son can see and talk to his grandparents face-to-face. Walgreens allows you to upload photos to their Web site that can be picked up at any of their photo labs, a feature the grandparents seem to love. Get a Family Web Site and Update Often: This sounds complicated, but it can be as simple as getting a free site through www.blogger.com. A Web site provides a portal to provide updates, new photos and even videos of your child’s life. This is not only a great tool for grandparents, but we find friends and other extended family enjoy checking in, too. When You Visit, Get Out of The Way: Yes, I know. You miss your parents and you like spending time with your kid, but take advantage of their presence and get some quality time together as a couple. Not only will you feel refreshed, but grandma will enjoy the babysitting. Involve Them: Why not invite them along on a trip to Disney World or send tickets to your daughter’s ballet recital? If your child is doing a book report on the Vietnam War, why not have her interview your father? Once my son arrived, I better understood my mother’s feelings about the distance. I would love to be closer to our parents, but unfortunately that is not possible right now. So, in the meantime we do everything we can to encourage the relationship. When I see my son smile when his Nana appears on the Web cam, I feel that our efforts are paying off. What are some ways you help your children bond with their long-distance family members? | Top | Share Your Thoughts... Be the first to comment on this article! |
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