Grandparenting – 15 Ways To Stay Connected With Your Grandkids
Want to WOW your grandkids with grandparenting? Here are 15 ways to stay connected with your grandchildren.
Let’s chat about grandparenting today.
When it comes to grandparents staying connected with their grandkids, this is an important topic to me.
In fact, I feel so strongly about grandparents having close contact with their grandkids, that my husband and I even built a granny flat behind our house so that my kids could see their grandparents every single day.
Now much has been said about how COVID-19 affects the health of older generations, but family relationships are one the biggest concerns too.
Many seniors feel cut off from one of their greatest joys in life, which is obviously their grandchildren.
While sleep-over visits and hugging may be too risky for a while, there are other ways to stay in touch with your grandchildren.
Brush up on the modern rules for supporting healthy and safe relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.
Without further ado, here are the best communication tips for Modern Families:
GRANDPARENTING TIP
1 – Explain the facts.
Your grandchildren probably miss you too just as much as you miss them, especially if they were used to seeing you frequently.
Provide age-appropriate information about why seniors have to take extra precautions during this period.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
2 – Set boundaries.
Family members may disagree about COVID-19 precautions but you get to set boundaries that feel right to you.
What are boundaries you feel comfortable with?
GRANDPARENTING TIP
3 – Create a schedule.
Routines help us to cope with uncertainty, especially during times of uncertainty.
This is why it is important to come up with a plan for how you spend your days.
Make sure to schedule a weekly virtual gathering with your grandkids or even a plan to send them a daily text with a riddle or a new vocabulary word.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
4 – Show empathy.
It’s important to show empathy and support each other through these difficult times.
Don’t just dismiss the fact that your grandkids might be really, really missing you.
See if you can help your grandchild to put their feelings into words and let them know these are totally normal feelings to feel.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
5 – Explore resources.
It may help to talk with other grandparents in similar situations.
Join an online forum where you can discuss common challenges of staying connected with your grandkids.
You might discover some reliable sources of information and guidance.
Activities You Can Still Share with your Grandchildren:
GRANDPARENTING TIP
6 – Make video calls.
Don’t we all love video calls!
It truly is one of the gifts of the modern world, that you can see ANYONE YOU LIKE, even if they are on the other side of the world, via Zoom and Facetime.
If you aren’t sure how to use it, make sure to look up a quick tutorial that will walk you through the basics or ask another family member to help you set up an account.
Then make as many video calls you like so you can say I LOVE YOU face to face with your grandkids.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
7 – Write letters.
I still personally love the feeling when I receive a letter, though this happens so rarely nowadays.
Old school communications however still do work so feel free to pull out a pen and paper and write your thoughts into a letter.
Your grandchild will be so excited to receive a letter or card addressed to them.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
8 – Share videos.
You can also create lasting memories with videos.
Feel free to record yourself describing a story from your family history or reading your grandkids a picture book.
Ask your children to do the same and capture some moments from your grandchild’s day.
These are so beautiful to share!
GRANDPARENTING TIP
9 – Send gifts.
Presents can make staying at home way more pleasant.
Maybe your grandchild can use some educational items that will enrich their home learning.
Maybe the whole family would appreciate a subscription with healthy ingredients for home cooked meals.
See if there is a business online that will deliver to their home; otherwise try Amazon for traditional gifts.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
10 – Celebrate milestones.
There’s a good chance that a special occasion like a holiday or birthdays will happen during lockdown.
What then?
If it’s too risky to gather indoors, you may still be able to have a party online (Zoom party!) or outside with distancing and masks.
Just make sure to celebrate the milestone anyway from afar, rather than ignoring it.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
11 – Give tours.
This is such a cute but special idea.
You can put together a virtual tour to show your grandchildren what you’re doing as you go about your day.
You can include footage of your summer vegetable garden, cooking inside your kitchen or a quick tour of your bookshelf.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
12 – Watch movies.
Apps like Netflix party are the closest thing to sitting on the same couch.
Have you ever tried out the Netflix party app?
If not, you need to give it a go.
Pick a film the family will enjoy and once it is done, you can all discuss it afterwards.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
13 – Play games.
Did you know you can also play video games online?
There are also multi-player app games online like Scrabble.
Ask your grandchildren to teach you about their favorite games and then join in on the fun!
GRANDPARENTING TIP
14 – Read stories.
When is the last time you read to your grandchild?
Schedule an evening video call to share a passage from a book they love.
Even if your grandchild is too young to understand the words, they will still love to hear the sound of your loving voice.
Older children can take turns reading to you.
GRANDPARENTING TIP
15 – Eat together. Family meals can be virtual too.
While we are taking advantage of Zoom, Facetime and video calls why not use it to have meals together.
You can teach your grandchildren how to make macaroni and cheese or chocolate chip pancakes even if you are in two separate kitchens.
You can also pretend you’re dining at the same table, if you are chatting face-to-face via a video while having dinner.
All in all, even once COVID times have passed, I want you to know that there are ways that you can stay touch with your grandkids from afar.
Even though the pandemic has changed our daily routines, you can still shower your grandchildren with lots of love and attention.
You need it just as much as they do!
I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.