Being a Long-Distant Grandparent
Sometimes, parents relocate with their children. Concurrently, when children are old enough they are taken off to far off boarding schools. While other returns home when schools close, others choose to stay on. The consequence of this is that they are removed from their grandparents, parents and even siblings. Grandparents play a crucial role in the lives of their grand children. Like parents, they are there to offer guidance and a shoulder to lean on when time gets tough. However, distance puts a wedge between the grandparents and their grandchildren. For one they are not able to communicate as frequently and as easily as before. Accordingly, since sometimes the grandchildren may not live within driving distance, the shared bond between them fades and sometimes dies off completely such that when the children return home after years of absence they are strangers to their grandparents. It is for this reason that the grandparent – grandchild relationship is likened to a plant. Without frequent nourishment, plants dry up and die off. However, there are ways in which grandparents and their grandchildren may be able to keep the shared bong alive and strong.
Technology and specifically the Internet have revolutionized communication. Grandparents no longer have to use snail mail (posted letters) to communicate and chat with their grandchildren. Real-time chatting is available and helps grandchildren keep in touch with their grandparents. More, over, with web cams they get to see each other. There are sites on the Internet that have been developed for the sole purposes of enabling communication between grandchildren and their grand parents. Sites such as fambooks.com offer email reminding services free of charge. Once a week, an email message is sent to remind a grandparent to perform a certain specific long distance activity for their grandchildren. There are numerous activities on offer. They include, buying chocolate boxes, placing little sweet note inside and sending them to the grandchildren or playing Internet games such as Sin city or checkers. The aim is to keep the communication lines open. However, grandparents have to register for such services.
In order for the relationship between grand parents and their grand children not to die off, communication has to be ongoing. Other than on-line chatting and sending emails, video and audio tapes may also be used. Cameras and tape recorder are may be used to establish and maintain communication between grandparents and their grandchildren. Telephone calls are also important. A live voice at the end of the line is sure to make a child feel special and loved.
Still, the most important point to remember is that hay should be made when the sun is shining. That is, grandparents should make maximum use of the time they have with their grandchildren when they are young. The memories made when the grandchildren are young and the time spent together, for example during parties, holidays, recitals and graduations, are what they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. It is what they will use to guide them on their darkest days. Communication is the key to strong long distance grandparent–grandchildren bonds.
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