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Grandchildren

Connecting with Grandkids in the Digital Age

by Jeff Dailey December 27, 2019

written by Jeff Dailey

We often get set in our ways. Social media and other forms of advanced technology didn’t exist a decade ago, so it can be difficult for some of us – particularly the older generation – to get used to Facebook, texting, Skype, and how apps work.

The good news is that, while some seniors may not immediately embrace technology, many of them find it fairly easy once they try it. A study was conducted by the Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking and performed on 591 participants with an average age of 68 years old. Of those, 77% percent found that technology was not difficult to use. In addition, 72% said that they were not opposed to learning new technology.

When used in moderation, social media also offers health benefits. That’s because socializing with others – particularly with grandchildren – can ward off boredom and loneliness in seniors, but this can be difficult for those with mobility issues. Seniors who use Facebook and other apps appeared to be happier with life and less likely to develop depression. They were also less likely to develop high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes.

This is good news for grandparents who live far away, but who still want to keep in touch with grandkids. Being open to technology can help grandparents strengthen the bond with even with their youngest grandchildren. Here are some ways to stay in touch with younger family members through social media and texting.

Apps to Try

Everybody has heard of Facebook. Facebook is a great way to connect with friends and family members all over the globe. It’s also easy to use. If you’re new to this popular platform, simply go to Facebook.com and create a few account. You can type in names of grandchildren, children, siblings – anyone else you know and would like to connect with – and add them as friends. When they accept your friend requests, you’ll be notified whenever they have updates. Be sure to update your page regularly as well. Upload photos and add status updates so that everyone can see how you’re doing.

Twitter is another popular social media platform. Your grandchildren will primarily have Facebook accounts, so check to see if they have Twitter accounts as well. If so, you can create your own free account and also communicate with them through Twitter. Just go to Twitter.com and “follow” your family members to have access to all of their updates.

Status updates are called “tweets,” which consist of 140 characters or less. This is what mainly differentiates Twitter from Facebook. Status updates on Twitter are short and sweet, whereas Facebook has no character limit. Twitter may seem a little more complicated, due to all the features. Just know that you likely won’t have to use most of them.

Instagram is also popular, but it’s different in that it focuses on photos, not text. Instagram allows users to share their world through photos. While you can comment on your family members’ photos, you can’t really do a lot of direct communication with Instagram. It is, however, fun to see photos that your grandchildren take throughout the day so you can see the world through their eyes. To get started, just go to Instagram.com and follow your family members to see their recent uploads – sometimes on an hourly basis.

Pinterest is another commonly-used app, but it’s different from the three discussed above. This social media platform allows users to “pin” items they’re interested in and store them all on an online board. Pinterest isn’t used as a communication tool, but it allows you to see what your grandchildren are interested in, which can helpful when it’s time to buy birthday and Christmas presents. Connecting with Grandkids in the Digital Age
For example, your grandkids may “pin” clothing items, entertainment icons, sports teams, animals, and more. You can create a free account on Pinterest.com and follow your family members to get an idea of what interests them nowadays.

Skype is another communication tool that grandparents should have. Skype is not a social media platform, but rather a way for you to make phone calls over the Internet. One important benefit of Skype is the ability to make video calls – if your computer or mobile device has a camera –which grandparents will enjoy.

They’ll get to see their family members in real time, which is great when the grandkids live far away but are constantly growing and getting big. Skype also offers instant messaging, which can allow you to keep in constant contact with family members throughout the day.

Texting Connecting with Grandkids in the Digital Age

Texting is also hugely popular among tweens, teens, and young adults. Texting allows you to send short messages to someone’s mobile device 24/7. Many people want to be in constant communication with friends and family members throughout the day, and texting offers this form of instant messaging. Unfortunately, many young people lack the patience required to wait for an email or phone call, so texting offers quick and easy communication that takes mere seconds.

With all the shorthand and emoticons, many seniors may avoid texting because they cannot understand the messages. While texting can take some time to get used to, it’s a great way to communicate with busy family members.

You don’t have to have a reason to send a text. You can simply tell your grandson that you’re thinking about him. You may want to ask your granddaughter how she’s doing in school. Your grandkids will likely text you back quickly with updates. When you receive a text, you’ll want to respond quickly – at least by the end of the day but even sooner if possible.

Texting is an informal way of communication, so you don’t have to worry about proper spelling and punctuation. In fact, you’ll likely see numerous acronyms that don’t make sense to you. This handy guide lists more than 1,000 common abbreviations and acronyms used in texting. It can help you translate texts from your grandchildren and help bridge the communication gap.

With the apps and communication methods listed here, you’ll never have to worry about losing touch with family members ever again. Co
nnecting with Grandkids in the Digital Age
By Gary Simmons
Fun Apps for Elders

December 27, 2019 0 comment

Grandparents Sitting In Kitchen With Grandchildren Eating Breakfast Before Going To School

Life Lessons

Top 11 Things To Help Your Grandchildren

by Guest Blogger December 2, 2019

written by Guest Blogger

As a grandparent, you surely love your grandchildren. They are the little wonders of your children. A grandparent interacts the most with his grandchildren when their parents are ill, traveling or struggling to overcome life pressures.

Grandparents help their children raise grandchildren. You often step in to help your grandchildren, whether it is with knowledge or material support. Your grandchildren are lucky to have you beside them, making them laugh, craft or write their assignments for school.

Your physical proximity to your grandchildren and the frequency of interactions enhance the relationship between you and them. But how can you increase the quality of these interactions? How can you better help without spoiling them? We have compiled a list of 11 things you can help your grandchildren with.

1. Financial Support

There are hard times in every family’s life, so there will be times when financial support is appreciated the most. No grandparent likes seeing his children and grandchildren suffering. Especially when you know that you can end that suffering by providing financial support.

But this scenario is tricky. You do not want your grandchildren to grow into spoiled adults that have everything they want. Instead, you want them to be humans with principles, that do not harm them by abusing substances nor the others.

So, how to manage these situations? Focus on analyzing the context of that specific situation. Support financially your grandchildren when it is really needed. But keep in mind that you can help them build their character by not satisfying every wish.

2. Be There

A grandparent can help in small ways with his grandchildren. You can pick them from school, assist them while doing homework and being there when they are sick.

By doing these small acts of love you will teach your grandchildren a great thing. That you are there, by their side, whenever they need. In times of hardships, but also in times of happiness. They will know that they can come to you whenever they need.

3. Share the Family History

Some might think that this will only bore their grandchildren. But you just have to find the right way to tell these stories to catch their attention. Grandparents have a very important role within the family. They connect their grandchildren with their heritage.

The technology is constantly evolving. The cities get bigger and bigger and new ways of transportation are invented. For sure your young years looked very different from today’s life. Share your family history and help your grandchildren connect with you. They will appreciate you more.

4. Respect Traditions

For sure the family has some traditions that you are especially fond of. These traditions give your family a strong identity. Respect and share them with your grandchildren.

This will give them the sense that they are part of a large family with a strong identity. Traditions will help them be more secure and better connect with you. Feeling lonely and unconnected can harm one’s mental health.

5. Teach Them Skills Untaught

Do not think about Math or Chemistry, although if you have knowledge in these domains you can help your grandchildren when they have school assignments. Think about those skills that are often forgotten nowadays.

Think about knitting the tie, sewing on a button or airing up bicycle tires. Parents often have a busy and stressful life, so grandparents are the best logical choice to pass on these skills.

You have grown up in less mechanized time, so you have more skills than your children to pass on. Not having the technology to rely on made you learn a lot of things. Help your grandchildren by sharing and teaching these practical skills.

6. Provide Unconditional Love

Grandparents are known for loving and adoring their grandchildren. Although parents are the first source of unconditional love, their love is often mixed with expectations and hopes. Their ego might get in the way sometimes. We are talking about the genuine unconditional love a grandparent provides its grandchildren with.

You already have experience raising your kids and you have learned something. That everyone has its good and bad moments. That everyone has hardships to overcome. That everyone can experience setbacks. That everyone might get demotivated, sad and hopeless from time to time. But having these moments does not mean that you will not succeed.

Family support and love can make a difference in these situations. And a strong relationship with his grandparents can make a child grow stronger and more confident.

7. Spend Time in Nature

Big city life can become overwhelming sometimes for your grandchildren. So why do not take them on an adventure? They will surely appreciate the peace and silence you can find in national parks. They will become more aware of their surroundings and the environment. Nature trips will only help them deeply connect with it. And we all know that the deeper the connection with nature, the higher level of happiness.

This is also a great way to teach them more about the history and geography of the parks or ancient cities you are visiting. And what better way to learn a little bit of history than by visiting the places where the action took place?

You can also opt for a weekend spent in the mountains. You can go hiking with your grandchildren and look for mushrooms. This way they will learn which are edible and not.

8. Play Games

There are a lot of old-fashioned games that are so much fun. Why do not play them with your grandchildren? You can choose from a lot of mind games like riddles and “river crossing” puzzles.

Choose games that incite and develop their way of thinking. If your grandchildren are big enough, you can teach them to play chess. Or, you can play cards with them.

9. Support Them with Homework Relevant Information

With their parents busy, a child can see its homework as being really difficult. This is the moment when you can help your grandchildren. Assist them when doing homework and explain all those complex concepts they are struggling with.

Grandparents have a lot of experience and have interacted with a lot of people during their life. They can adapt their way of communicating with the person they are talking to very easy. Schoolers often need help with their homework and grandparents can help them with all their experience and knowledge

10. Validate Their Feelings

One of the mistakes that parents do nowadays is invalidating their children’s feelings. Not being mature emotionally, children will often get upset by minor issues. They might lose their friends and cry. Or they might frustrate that someone took their toys at the kindergarten and cry.

Somehow people have come to think that if someone cries, it means that they are weak. Who had not heard the famous saying “Boys don’t cry”? Everyone. You, as a grandparent, know that crying is not a sign of weakness, but strength.

Validate your grandchildren’s feelings and teach them to accept what they are feeling and not repress their feelings. Support them in becoming functional adults.

11. Be Tolerant

When you have so much experience, it is easy to become a little bit rigid. You will see that your grandchildren are growing in a different world. The access to information is made easier than ever before. And every day there is a new item invented.

Do not critique them for their crazy ideas and do not forget that you also had your crazy period. Be tolerant and support them. This will help you strengthen the bond with your grandchildren.

Conclusion

Grandparents are an invaluable resource for every family. They commit to support their children and grandchildren at stressful times. As a grandparent, you can help your grandchildren by validating their feelings and being tolerant of their nascent ideas.

Through your life, you have gathered a lot of experience and knowledge. Put these resources to good use and share them with your grandchildren. How? By assisting them doing their homework, sharing the family history and traditions. You can also teach them skills untaught nowadays like sewing a button or knitting the tie.

Spend time in nature, provide unconditional love and play games. Financial support is appreciated in times of need, but be careful not to encourage dysfunctional behaviors.

by Eric H. Anderson

Eric H. Anderson is an editor and journalist at AustralianWritings. I like traveling and I have visited more than 100 countries around the world. You can find me Facebook and Linkedin

December 2, 2019 0 comment

Family History

Your grandchildren need to read the book of you

by Guest Blogger November 30, 2018

written by Guest Blogger

Author Thomas Cirignano maintains that “each of us is a book waiting to be written.” He adds that the book will result “in a person explained.” Your children and grandchildren may think they have a full explanation of who you are. But, without your memoirs, they will never understand the experiences that have shaped the person they think they know. Until you record the forces that created present-day you, your family will only have a partial picture of the family member they love. Your memoirs should be recorded—not necessarily for publication, but rather—so your loved ones will have a tangible record to share with future generations.

THE MATERIAL

For most seniors, getting started is the hardest part of writing a memoir. But the start need not daunt you. Here are recommendations for gathering your thoughts in the initial writing stages.

Walk around your old neighborhood

If it’s difficult these days to walk, you can take a mental walk around the streets that were part of your childhood. Make notes on the style of homes, the people who lived in them, the neighborhood oddities (including individuals), the places your family shopped, the schools/places of worship you attended, the spots where you played, et cetera. Talk with your siblings, and/or friends from your youth. You’ll soon have a notebook filled with memories to be edited.

Look at photos

You probably have a few of your own. If not, you (or a computer-savvy family member) can access photos online from the newspapers of the day. Let the photos stimulate your recall of people, places, and things that constituted your early years. Imagine you are telling a grandchild about the photos and record the most important elements of the voice in your head that is “talking” to a child.

Research time periods

You may not have or know how to use a computer, but you can still get books from the library or have someone get them for you. Skim a few books that cover the time/times of your life and plan to incorporate that background material into your memoir. It will be interesting for future readers to know the historical elements of the times through which you lived.

Do a timeline

Make a timeline, marking off every ten years of your life. In other words, the first mark on the line should represent your life from age 1 to age 10; the next, from age 11 to age 20; and so on. Then go back and fill in one or two of the most important events that you can remember from each decade. When you are ready, describe the events in full detail.

Talk to family members, former neighbors

Not all the memories in your memoir have to come from you. Talk with family members, former neighbors, classmates from those early years, to learn what they remember from the days you spent together. While their recollection might differ somewhat from your own, you’ll have fun discussing those differences. And, since your memoir belongs to you, you can select whichever version you think is closest to the truth of your youth!

Use the single-word stimulus

One of the easiest ways to gather material for your memoir is to write down a single word, such as “apple.” Then, let thoughts about that word incubate for a while. A few hours or a few days later, try pulling apple-associated memories from your life. If this word fails to stimulate memories, keep going. Our language has over a million words. A few of them are bound to elicit ideas you want to include in your life story.

Let songs stir memories

While a single word can evoke forgotten experiences, so, too, can songs. The younger members of your family will enjoy learning about songs that may have been popular during the war or songs to which you and your spouse first danced. You might even include details about the singers—Frank Sinatra, for example, and the bobby soxers who thronged him.

Gather sayings and guiding principles

Few things will be more valuable for your family that having you transmit the values and principles that guided you over your lifetime. Some of those may have come from your own parents. To illustrate, my father used to say, “Your word is your honor.” To this day, I remember that association whenever I make a promise. What are some of the sayings you have lived by? Record them and, if possible, tell the source of those quotes.

Remember how holidays were celebrated

Online shopping wasn’t always done at Christmas time. Things were very different when you grew up—not just at Christmas time but throughout the holidays of the year. Think about the celebrations you used to have and compare them to the ways in which those special days are celebrated nowadays.

Reflect on lessons learned over a lifetime

You are a walking compendium of valuable lessons learned through a lifetime of both success and failure, trial and error, poor decisions and wise ones, love earned and lost, problems and their solutions, and so on. Make a list of some of the events that most influenced you. Then, write about the lessons you have learned over the years. You just may help younger readers avoid some of the same mistakes or help them walk in your shoes on the path to a happy and productive life.

THE FUTURE DOORS

Robert Louis Stevenson was 54 when his cousin Graham Greene was born. We may not know the full extent of Stevenson’s influence on Greene, but we do know that he believed “there is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.” His writing future may easily have been determined by his cousin’s writing. Think about when such a door opened for you and share the revelation in your life story. Know that your memoir just might open the door to a family member’s future.

Dr. Marlene Caroselli writes extensively about education, leadership, self-improvement, and careers and has adjuncted at UCLA and National University. Applying Mr. Albert: 365+ Einstein-Inspired Brain Boosts, her 62nd book, will be released by HRD Press in 2018. Virtually retired, she often addresses seniors like herself on topics of mutual interest.

Oral History Questions

November 30, 2018 0 comment