An important role that grandparents play in a child's life is that of a #teacher. Children can learn from #grandparents in many different ways and some of those ways can be facilitated virtually. One of these ways is supporting with #homework. Yes homework from afar!
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Five #tips for integrating #family virtually into learning #school tasks and homework:
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Does your child have a list of weekly #spellingwords?
1- ...
Jan 23

Hello?!? Hello?!? Where are you?
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How often does this happen to you during video calls with kids? You are "sitting" next them, you are chatting, they are #playing and they disappear from your view. You are staring at a #stilllife of the #family room or #play room, patiently waiting for them to return but also feeling frustrated you can't get them back to you. You call their name, you ask where are you? You can hear ...
Jan 9

Happy new year!
With ❤ from the #Belgian #Ardennes
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#granddistanceparenting #longdistancefamily #momblogger #snow #sneeuw #ardennen
#ardennesbelges #belgium #snowscene #sledding #grandchildren
Jan 2

Lighting some candles on this last day 2020. What are you doing today to let go of 2020 and welcome and prepare for 2021?
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Being far away from family has hit us big time this year. The most painful part of this #longdistance has been the loss of two very dear people in our family - my #grandfather and a great #uncle, and the limitations on travel due to #COVID.
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Given we were not able to travel to the #US this year (without...
Dec 31

Did you just become a new #grandparent to a #grandchild that lives far away from you? Or are you a new parent worried about how your child is going to develop a connection with family despite that you live far away from them and only see them once or twice a year? Get started here 👋👇
1. Write down for yourself what matters to you in regards to being able to connect with family. For example is it sharing in experiences, is it sharing ...
Dec 29

Hope you are all having a nice holiday season. Just a quick #shoutout to say thank you to all the #grandparents, uncles, aunts, #family and friends and #longdistancefamily that let all of us virtually join in on all of your #Christmas celebrations by unpacking presents together, laughing at the reactions from the kids, sharing simultaneously a first #cupofcoffee and a toast with an #aperitief if there is a time difference, or just because.
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Dec 26

Happy holidays and merry christmas! Who are you connecting with this holiday season?
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We are #stayingathome but still connected with family across the world! And missing being with family and in the #snow!
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#granddistanceparenting
#longdistancefamily #Christmas #covidchristmas #facetime #skype #grandparents #grandchildren #grandma #grandpa #momblogger #virtualchristmas
Dec 24

Do you have a time planned yet to chat with #family over the holidays? Some tips for your #socialdistancedchristmas call with small children:
1. Call when the kids have patience and energy to talk. Usually the earlier in the day the better. Or after a nap if the children are still napping (or even for grandpa). They don't call the #witchinghour (s) - the hours before bedtime, witching for nothing and that is not usually a great time to ...
Dec 23

Another idea for you to facilitate connection between #longdistancefamily and children - exchange stories of your favorite ornaments. Take pictures if your favorite ornaments and send an audio message with it via the messenger program or email that use to stay in touch with family. Share the stories around the #ornaments- when did you receive it?, did someone special get it for you? Why does it hold a special meaning for you? Have the child do ...
Dec 21

How did you connect with #longdistancefamily (or those nearby) virtually this week?
This morning we partook in a virtual #christmas #coloringcontest with the #family that has other little kids!
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We casted the call on the TV so the kids could see everyone's drawings and faces clearly. We gathered our drawings and also some snacks to help us sit patiently and listen carefully to the details of everyone's #drawings and...
Dec 19

What are you doing to stay connected this holiday season? Here are some ideas for interactive virtual calls with the family in the run-up to #Christmas (but can easily be adapted to other holidays you may be celebrating).
1- Plan a Christmas or winter scene #coloringcontest with your #family. Have the kids make a video inviting friends and family with some basic rules. Select a creative judge who will ensure that everyone wins a prize ...
Dec 18

Another list for you of #christmas and #winter inspired activities for your video calls with the #grandparents.
1. Make paper #ornaments together. This could not be easier- both callers get white printer paper, markers or crayons, scissors, string to hang on the tree and something to trace a circle. Trace your circle, cut it out, make your design and color it in, cut a tiny whole in the top and add your string and hang it up. Most ...
Dec 16

Baking with #Oma!;) and friends and #grandma; as making #lussekatter is an involved process from making the #saffron #cardamom dough, letting it rise, rolling it out and shaping it, adding the raisins, brushing it with egg whites, letting it bake and enjoying the tasty results. This gives you an opportunity to ring a number of different people throughout the process to see the kids actively assisting in the #baking of these beautiful buns!
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Dec 14

How do you integrate #family from afar into your holiday traditions? A short list of activities in follow-up to Christmas to inspire you:
- Decorating the #christmastree 🎄 together? Setup the device in front of the tree next to the box of ornaments and let the kids show #grandma their favorite #ornaments as they put them on the tree;
- #baking a batch of Christmas #cookies? 🍪 Get all your ingredients together, have a ...
Dec 12

A letter addressed to Sinterklaas from my son, aged 7, - "Beste Sint, Ik was lief."
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(In English- Dear Saint Nicholas, I was nice.) Don't you want to write anything else, I ask? "Nope, he just needs to know I that I have been nice."
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Let that sink in... being #kind that is the best gift we can give to each other in any season but especially during this holiday season with #COVID regulations limiting...
Dec 4

"Hi! How are you? I miss you." My son says to grandma's #dog. She replies with, "Hi! Where are you? On a #spaceship? Will you send your rocket this way?" I listen from the other room, smiling with delight that they are playing- #grandparent and #grandchild, as if we were right there, despite that we are on separate continents, in different time zones and talking on #videochat. I wonder how many others are like us, and how...
Nov 27

Enjoying these last sunny, dry, cool fall days before it quickly turns to #winter, by doing lots of #fallactivities and sharing our projects with #grandparents online.
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How are you spending these days as the season changes around us? We are collecting colorful leaves to make #nature #quilts, and #chestnuts and acorns for counting, making #pumpkin soup and #homemade roasted #pumpkinseeds, and #spiderwebs with friends from sticks and ...
Nov 20

Starting from #Halloween to the celebration of the New Year, we are in full celebration mode in this house. Normally this period is stressful for us #multicultural parents and the molding of traditions to accommodate #longdistancefamily into our calls and traditions; but these past two weeks, when we have been here in a second #lockdown in #Belgium, and the fall vacation was extended for children, all this hoopla has been a welcomed distraction. ...
Nov 15
