How to Help a Child with Long Distance Relationships

Families are separated long distances these days which makes it hard for young children to form bonds with family members. It has always been an important family dynamic to have multiple family members and generations in a child’s life… uncles, aunts, cousins and especially grandparents. But how can we achieve this in today’s world with sky rocketing gas prices, airline delays, and many of us recovering slowly financially? When we can make the trip, we don’t want to waste precious time with our families while our young children figure out that it is Grandma and Grandpa and they don’t need to fear them or be shy around them. What a great feeling for our parents to have a grandchild they hardly see run to them without hesitation and give them a great BIG hug!

One easy way to get children to become familiar with family members they are unable to see on a regular basis is through facial recognition. The simplest and less expensive method would be to print out 8x10 photos of the family members, individually (maybe with them and the child) on card stock paper. Place the photo in a sheet protector so that the child can hold it without destroying the photo. With the photos, you can play games: Who is this person? Or Find Grandma? When your child receives a card or a gift from that family member, get their picture out and show them who sent it to them. When they are talking on the phone, show them who they are talking to. It is so simple!

Another great way to keep young children familiar with family members is to use video phones. It may sound too technical for some people but there are a few models out there that do not require the use of a computer, just the internet connection and a Skype account so don’t be afraid to give that a try!

Keep your child familiar with family and have a great visit!

And that’s Just About It!