It is sometimes difficult to keep in touch with your grandchildren, especially if they leave the family cocoon to study. Fortunately, today, new technologies and the many means of communication make it easier to keep in touch.
“When grandchildren move away, grandparents often feel deprived,” explains Béatrice Copper-Royer, clinical psychologist and co-author of the book Grandparents, the strong link, quoted by Notre Temps. The departure of the grandchildren often puts an end to all these moments of complicity that punctuated the life of the grandparents.
To compensate for this lack, it is possible to set up regular meetings with your grandchildren on Messenger, FaceTime, Skype or even WhatsApp. These videos will never replace a good hug, but it’s better than nothing. “Of course, I only see Adrien twice a year, but we talk to each other every Sunday,” explains Annie, a retiree whose grandchildren now live in Vancouver, Canada. She can on these occasions take news of them and tell of the family who remained in France.
It is also becoming easier to share activities thanks to technology. Facebook’s Portal TV smart camera, for example, automatically follows the caller, allowing them to speak and move freely. Via Skype, Annie, for example, introduces her grandchildren to baking through virtual workshops.
If the computer tool wants to be more and more simple to use, it remains an insurmountable obstacle for certain seniors. It is then always possible to call each other and send letters or parcels. These mailings can be an opportunity to exchange photos, videos and little surprises.
Regardless of the means used, the main thing is to maintain contact with the grandchildren. “Even far away, grandparents still represent a center of stability and emotional security for [the grandchildren]. They allow them to be part of a family history,” says Béatrice Copper-Royer. And for grandparents, it’s a comfort that nothing can replace.
