Facebook Pixel

Strengthen the Grandparent-Grandchild Bond Even From a Distance

By HERWriter Blogger
 
Rate This
Strengthening the Grandparent-Grandchild Bond From a Distance Elena Elisseeva/PhotoSpin

A grandparent is one of the most important caregivers in a child’s life, next to the child's parents. Grandparents love grandchildren unconditionally and often have more time, patience, and money to share with them than they had with their children.

However, in today’s mobile world, living down the street, or even in the same town as a child’s grandparents is becoming less and less the norm. Keeping the grandparent-grandchild bond strong can be done, though, despite long distances between the two.

The AARP surveyed 2,800 grandparents age 50 and up by telephone. The results showed that grandparents are shouldering more responsibilities than in the past, due to the economy and generational differences.

These responsibilities, including financial ones, are helping to keep long-distance grandparents connected to their grandchildren. They are also staying connected in more substantial ways too.

A 2014 AARP survey found that grandparents are using the “old-fashioned” telephone to stay in contact with far-away grandkids. It found that more than 80 percent of grandparents reported talking on the telephone to their grandchildren at least once a month.

Despite the fact that many grandparents also have access to technology, the AARP survey found most of them do not use gadgets like smartphones and tablets to communicate with their grandkids. However, some experts think that this is changing and that technology will be used more and more by seniors to keep in touch.

Amy Goyer, the family expert for AARP, says “technology has been a great gift to the long-distance grandparent, offering new ways to connect and build relationships. It’s all about building a relationship through shared experiences.”

Goyer wants grandparents to know that if a trip to see the grandkids isn’t feasible, there are lots of ways to see and hear each other from a distance. Using video chats like Skype, Tango, or FaceTime, are good alternatives to in-person visits.

While technology is a terrific, useful way to stay connected when living away from grandparents, there are other decidedly low-tech ways to do that as well.

Jessie, a mom of one, wrote on Brighthorizons.com about creating a “face book” which has nothing to do with social media. It is literately a book of relatives’ faces, so that young children can get used to seeing their grandparents, despite not necessarily being with them.

A book of faces can help relieve anxiety children may feel when grandparents do visit. Hopefully, they will recognize them from the book and be less anxious.

While not every family has the luxury of having grandparents willing and able to stay connected to their grandchildren, for those families who do, every effort should be taken to create a meaningful grandparent-grandchild relationship.

In most cases, this relationship will reap a variety of benefits now and as the children grow into adults.

Sources:

Weatherforddemocrat.com. Web. 2 September 2014. “This Grandparent’s Day, Let Technology Bring You Closer.”
http://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/opinion/columns/article_ae4220d8-3316-11e4-844b-001a4bcf887a.html

Blogs.Brighthorizons.com. Web. 2 September 2014. “Helping babies bond with long distance grandparents.”
http://blogs.brighthorizons.com/familyroom/helping-babies-bond-long-distance-grandparents

Reviewed September 4, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Parenting

Get Email Updates

Parenting Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!