Technology can bring grandparents and grandchildren closer together. Stay connected to your loved ones! Download these fun and easy apps now.
The bond between grandparent and grandchild is special. Free from the responsibilities of parenthood, you can focus on the sheer joy of being together and supporting each other.
With society’s increase in technology, many people fear we are losing the important face-to-face interactions that help us connect. Although spending quality face-to-face time is important, for grandchildren and grandparents who are separated by geography and unconventional family structures, connecting online via social media and other communication tools is a great option.
Grandparents who choose to understand their grandchildren’s lives need to know that, for teens, speaking thoughts and feelings aloud is not a communication method they typically embrace. Today’s teens and tweens report feeling much more at ease sharing their thoughts and feelings via text and social media. Once they have done so, a door to a live conversation may be more appealing. Just keep in mind, technology provides a unique opportunity to meet them where they are.
70% of teens say the computer increases the quantity of their communication with family members living far away, and 67% say it increases the quality of those communications.
So, first, congratulations on being a digital grandparent!
Second, you’re not a technology guru? That’s okay. Here are some fun, easy apps to download now. Stay relevant, and stay connected to your loved ones!
Skype, Voxer, ooVoo, and Rounds
These apps allow you to send photos and videos and to talk and text in real-time.
Lifecake and Tinybeans
If you need a way to keep up to date on the most adorable pictures of your grandkids, especially precious baby pictures, consider asking their parents to set up a profile for the entire family. They can share photos of the kids privately with the people they actually care about.
Keepy
Share art-work, school projects, and other things that grandparents love to put on their fridge (but don’t have room for).
Readeo’s Bookchat
This app lets grandparents read books aloud to far away grandchildren while they turn pages together online. There is another feature to share reading a book when grandparents and grandchildren are together.
Kodable
Kodable is great for science and math inclined youngsters ages six and up, as it helps them explore the basics of coding in an approachable way. You can visit the curriculum section to help the kids learn.
Words With Friends
Words with Friends is a Scrabble-type game in which players compete by taking turns arranging words horizontally and vertically on a board. An extra perk? There’s a chat section, so you can share quick updates or check in to make the interaction less transactional and more rewarding.
Wheel Of Fortune
This is a popular game app that grandparents and grandchildren of all ages can play together, no matter the distance.
FaceTime
FaceTime can easily add another dimension to routine grandparent-grandkid catch-ups. Try using FaceTime to connect with each other face-to-face, or simply text a funny meme to your tween/teen grandkids to put a smile on their face.
In Conclusion
At the end of the day, technology is just a tool, not an end in itself. Your relationship with your grandchildren is still a fundamentally human connection. Computers and phones shouldn’t ever replace that; but, if you use them well, they can augment it. The whole family benefits when grandparents get online and maintain relationships between grandchildren and grandparents.