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Being
a Long Distance Grandparent
Grandparents
are very important to their families. Even if you live miles away, you can be
a source of comfort and stability to your grandchildren. Here are a few ways
to spice up your relationship with grandchildren who live at a distance:
- Send
postcards and letters. Young children especially love colorful picture postcards.
When you write letters, send pictures of yourself, your pets, scenes from
a trip, or pictures of the child from a previous visit. You can also sprinkle
your correspondence with trivia questions and riddles.
- Send
audio or video cassette tapes. The children can play them over and over again
and a taped "letter" is easier for a young child to understand than
a written one. Young children can reply with their own tape. Ask the parents
to interview the child on tape. The child might also play a piece recently
mastered on a musical instrument.
- Use phone
calls for special occasions, if you need to watch your budget. Sometimes events
that are occasional, rather than regular, take on special significance.
- Invite
one grandchild to visit at a time. It prevents sibling rivalry and will help
assure a relaxed time for both of you. Limit the first visit to no more than
a week, in case of homesickness. Before the visit, make some plans with the
child, by letter or phone. Plan something special to do early in the visit:
a trip to a museum, an amusement park, or a fishing spot. Teach a grandchild
how to embroider, use tools, make a favorite recipe, or plant a garden. If
possible, arrange time for play with other children.
- Take
a trip together. Go to a lake, a state park, historic places, or stay at a
motel with a swimming pool. Be guided by the child's age and changing interests.
To be important to your grandchild, you don't need everyday contact. You can
maintain emotional contact from a distance. And when you're together, they
thrive on the undivided attention you can give, the unconditional love that
grandparents are so good at providing, and the opportunity to learn new things
about this interesting world.
Reviewer: Dan
Lago, Ph.D., Penn State Extension Aging Specialist, Penn State College of Agricultural
Sciences
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