I have four grandchildren, and they are of course all super adorable. Like all grandparents, my vision is not at all skewed on this fact. I absolutely love spending time with them. The hard thing though is that they all live over 1,000 miles away from me. BOOOOOO! What’s a grandma to do? Fortunately, despite the distance, there are great ways I can connect with them.
Video Calls & Videos
It is incredible to be a grandparent right now with all of the technological advances we have. I love that my grandchildren see me often (even when it is just via a video call) and even recognize me. It’s so sweet when my one-year-old grandson gives me a virtual kiss. I recently got a kick out of my four-year-old grandson commandeering the phone, launching into an explanation of the animals in their home and then introducing me to the chicks they had just gotten. Because we video chat often, my grandchildren know who I am which I love. In addition to video calls, you can also create videos for your grandchildren and they can create some for you too!
Grandma Packages
Everyone loves to get something fun in the mail. A “grandma package” is a wonderful way to help your grandchildren feel your love. You can send a package that is holiday themed or centered on a season or you can just send fun, random activities. You can find inexpensive craft projects to send or create your own project to ship off. Treats are a great item to add to a package as are simple decorations or small toys or games. A friend of my shared with me an online resource for shipping things for a reduced price over going to UPS or the US Postal Service. It’s called Pirate Ship. Check out next week’s tip of the week for more info on that.
Books & Reading
One of my favorite things to do with children is to read good books. I have so many books at my home that were my and my children’s favorites. I love reading those favorites to my grandchildren when they visit. I have gotten some of those exact books for my grandchildren so they have them at their own home. I recently discovered a new book that was super cute and wanted to give it to my grandchildren. So I hopped onto Amazon and ordered it for them. It was a hit!! (In case you want to get it too, it is called The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz.) In addition to providing great books for your grandchildren, you can set up a time to read to them on a video call. For minimal adult help on your grandchild’s end, it works well for each of you to have a copy of the book so that the camera doesn’t have to be positioned a certain way. You then let your grandchild know when to turn the page. You can also point your camera at the book and read that way. In addition to reading on a video or phone call, you can also make a video or an audio recording of you reading. I came across an informative article that details various apps that you can use to read or create stories for children. Check it out. You might find something there that strikes a chord with you.
Individual Time
Visits with grandchildren are the best!!! A great way to build your relationship with your grandchildren is to spend one-on-one time with them. You don’t have to do anything spectacular. You can read a book, go for a walk, or play with their favorite toy together. If you want to do something bigger that’s great too. Some additional ideas are to make a craft together, go out to a movie, cook or bake something, do chores, go shopping, or whatever else that suits your fancy.
Gifts
Everyone loves receiving a gift. One way that my aunt connects with her grandchildren is through something that she calls “The Grandma bag”. This bag only comes out at her house. It includes inexpensive items from the “dollar store” or Wal-mart like simple crafts they can do together, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, bubbles, sticker books, a dollar or so to go buy something, small stuffed animals which are great for little ones to snuggle when they are away from home, you get the idea. She says the kids love it. I am going to create a grandma bag for my grandchildren when they come visit. It’s a fun way to add a little mystery and excitement to their stay.
Grandparent Camp
While I haven’t done this yet, I think a grandparent camp sounds like a fun thing to host for grandchildren who are more independent. (Waiting until grandchildren are about 7-8 years old to do this sounds like a good age to me.) Some people might also call this “cousin camp”. Grandparent camp entails hosting grandchildren for whatever length of time you desire, without their parents, and providing various activities for them to do. The sky’s the limit as you decide what your camp will entail. This can be a great time to teach new skills to your grandchildren or share activities you love with them. You can do a service project together, put on skits, play sports, hike, sing, dance, play musical instruments, do crafts, hold a talent show, play games, visit museums, historical sites, natural wonders, etc., etc.
A few more ideas:
In addition to the above ideas, here are few more ways to connect and strengthen your relationship with your grandchildren:
- Create challenges for them to complete and then have them call to tell you when they finish it.
- Help them study.
- Teach them piano or some other skill virtually or in person.
- Write letters to them and have them write you back.
- Share stories with them about when you were their age or memories that you have of their mom or dad. You can also share stories about other family members and ancestors that have passed away.
Grandchildren are a tremendous blessing. They add such a fun element to life. It is so worthwhile to spend time and energy on building a relationship with them. We all need as many people in our corner as we can get. By connecting with your grandchildren they will know how much you love and care about them and that you are someone in their corner that they can count on. I would love to hear how you connect with your grandchildren. Add a comment below so we can all learn from you.
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