I must admit that sometimes, I am a little jealous of you moms whose parents or in-laws live nearby. Some of my fondest memories are spending a week in the summer with my grandmother, who only lived an hour away from us, and going to her house for Sunday lunch.
Those of you who can just drop off your kids with your parents for date night or can call for help at the last minute — count your blessings. Take them out to a niiiiice lunch for Grandparents Day, which is coming up on September 7.
For those of us who live far away from family, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate and make sure the grandparents in our children’s lives get the honor they deserve.
Take Advantage of Technology
Even the most technology-averse grandparents seem to leap at the chance to connect with their favorite little people. So sell them (then tutor if necessary) on the beauty of Skype, FaceTime, or texting–however your kids like to communicate. We have a weekly Skype session set up with my dad, and it’s such a fun time for all of us.
Texting grandparents pictures or checking in on Facebook can also help them feel like a bigger part of your day-to-day lives.
Don’t Neglect Snail Mail
You know that 15th picture of your kid’s handprint that the teacher sent home? Put it in the mail to let them know you’re thinking of them. (And, grandparents, you can totally throw away the 15th one we send you, too.) While you’re at it, print out some of your Instagram photos, and send them along with a handwritten letter.
Pay It Forward
Both of my grandfathers had passed on by the time I was born, but I have so many happy memories of forming relationships with older couples at my church as well as my fantastic step-grandfather. If your kids don’t have grandparents in their lives (or even if they do), maybe think about “adopting” a senior or two at church or a local retirement center.
Not only can this help grandparents whose grandchildren live far away feel more connected, especially if your kids are similar in age to their kids, but it also reminds your children that senior adults have lots of life experiences to share and some of the BEST stories.
Other Resources
Of course, there are multiple resources online (hello, Pinterest) with more specific ideas and projects you can do to celebrate the grandparents in your life. Two links that are also helpful:
http://www.grandparents-day.com
The nice thing about these ideas is that you don’t have to wait for September 7 to roll around, and you can celebrate Grandparents Day year-round!
How will you and your kids be celebrating Grandparents Day this year?
[…] Grandparents Live Far Away — “Thank goodness for technology! What did people in this situation do before Skype and Face Time? However, these seemingly quick […]