If the grandparents live far away, it can be difficult to establish an intimate connection between grandchildren and grandma and grandpa. Visiting once a year alone is not enough for either party. What can be done to bring grandparents and children closer together, even if they live far apart?

Grandparents find joy in the little everyday things in their children's lives, things that are rather insignificant for the parents, because they experience them every day. For grandma and grandpa, the small world of their own grandchildren is a journey back in time to when they were caring for their current parents, but without the stress associated with bringing up children. So despite the geographical distance, it is important to let the grandparents be part of the children's lives.

An obvious option in the age of technology is, of course, regular communication via webcam, provided that grandma and grandad are not technophobes. Through the small window of the webcam, they can experience live scenes from the children's everyday lives, receive photos and videos and stay informed.

Children are not yet used to talking on the phone because they cannot see the other person. This is why even open-minded children usually become shy and reserved, and phone calls with grandma and grandpa tend to be disappointing. It is a little easier to switch the phone to loudspeaker so that the children can continue playing and talk to their grandparents "on the side". Everyone present can take part in the conversation and avoid awkward pauses, as children usually answer in monosyllables.

It's nice to give children a camera with which they can take photos of their own environment for their grandparents as they wish. Everyday things, which are the children's "treasures", will otherwise not be seen by the grandparents. When sending the photos, it is of course useful to briefly explain what you can see.
And don't forget to show the children photos of grandma and grandpa from time to time so that they don't forget what they look like.

From an early age, children can be encouraged to draw pictures as gifts for their grandparents. This encourages them to think of them often, even when they don't see them. Children love to colour, and painting a piece of art with a purpose is especially nice for them.

Grandparents can also read bedtime stories to the children via telephone or webcam. As soon as the child is old enough to read for themselves, they can show off their newly learnt skills and read for themselves.

Of course, birthday or Christmas parcels are also nice when exciting presents arrive from grandparents. Parents should not forget to keep telling the children who sent the presents. Conversely, the children can also make small presents and then send them.