This is a tribute to all the Grandmas who have
been fearless and learned to use the Computer….

The computer swallowed grandma.
Yes, honestly its true!
She pressed ‘control’ and ‘enter’
And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.

I’ve searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I’ve even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Jeeves
My searches to refine.
The reply from him was negative,
Not a thing was found ‘online.’

So, if inside your ‘Inbox,’
My Grandma you should see,
Please ‘Copy,”Scan’ and ‘Paste’ her
And send her back to me.

~ Author Unknown ~

More and more grandparents are using Skype video calls (videoconferencing) to stay in touch with their grandchildren, but there are many more that haven’t tried it. If you are one that hasn’t tried Skype video calls to your grandchildren, I recommend you try it. 

Skype Video Calls

What you’ll need for each home is to download Skype onto your computer or laptop, the Internet, a good quality web cam (under $80), and a mic. Skype is free to download and use for computer to computer local and international video calls. If you aren’t familiar with Skype or how to use it for a video call with your grandchildren, Skype has an easy step by step instruction page to help you. You can download the software from that page. They also give you step by step instructions on the screen. Skype recommends the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 for Notebooks and the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000.

Why Others Like Skype

To give you more than just my opinion, I conducted an informal survey at school among my fellow teachers. Many of them use it to stay in touch with their parents, siblings, and friends. They all tell me it is easy to use, even for their parents! 

• Mike W., math teacher age 28, actually uses it to check on his grandparents. It gives him ease of mind that he’s able to see his grandparents are in good spirits or sometimes discovers something may be bothering them from his observations during their video call.
• Jonathan S, Programming and Web Development teacher age 33, says his wife who is from Columbia uses it to visit with her mother and brother. They are able to ”visit” with Jonathan’s two little girls often. If it weren’t for Skype, they wouldn’t see them more than once a year.  They do miss the hugs and kisses, but they are grateful for the opportunities to visit often using video calls.
• Val G, uses Skype to visit with her 6 siblings that live in various parts of the world, including Ireland. Her brother and his family arrived for Thanksgiving with their daughter. Val and her niece didn’t have those awkward, get to know you moments because they had been video calling regularly.

Just download Skype, plan on dates and times to visit via video calls and you’re good to go. Enjoy your grandchildren…it’s the second best thing to being with them.

Grandma’s in the Computer!

When our children were young, they would visit with their distant grandparents via the phone. After the call was finished, they looked into the phone and asked how grandpa got in the phone. It was a difficult concept for them to figure out. They could hear his familiar voice, but they couldn’t see him. We’d have to place a photo on the table in front of his grandchildren, but it didn’t help much.

Our grandchildren are able to see and hear their grandparents in a virtual visit during video calls, but still they are confused about how Nana and Poppy got inside the computer!

Video Call Fun Activities

You can help your young grandchildren be assured it is really you and that you’re not inside the computer…

1. If you are using a laptop, spend time in several different rooms during your video call, pointing out pictures of your grandchildren and some of their artwork or gifts they’ve sent you - things that they will recognize that were once in their house and are now in yours.
2. Show them some special items that you have collected and will mail to them the next day from your house to their house.
3. Point the web cam out the window to show your grandchildren the weather, trees, your car, etc. so they will see there is more to where you are. It will give them a better sense of placing you inside your home instead of inside the computer.
4. Ask your grandchildren to show you a specific item that you sent them or gave them the last time you visited.
5. Invite your grandchild to show you around the room in their house where the computer is. Then you do the same with the room you are in in your house. If they’re in a room in their house and not in the computer, they may be able to understand you aren’t in the computer but also in a room in your house.

Plan fun activities you can do together during your video calls. Show your grandchildren that you can see them just as they can see you. Make your Skype video calls memorable moments…

• Play copy cat - you do the same move as your grandchild
• Play Simon Says - same idea but they can trick you which will make them feel proud
• Have snack time together - arrange with their mom to have the same snack as the children
• Sing a familiar song together - this can be arranged ahead of time, also - maybe a new song the children have learned
• Read a favorite story to your grandchildren - you could send it to your grandchildren the week before your video call
• Plan a fun food science or nature activity.

Video calls with grandparents and grandchildren provide for great opportunities for pretend play…the possibilities are endless. You can make them special moments for those in between visits.

Don’t forget to throw hugs and kisses to each other at the end!

I Love You to Pieces

Open this gift of a loving memory,
When you find you’re missing me.
This gift comes with extra kisses,
Please remember I love you to pieces

A photo puzzle is a great way for grandparents and grandchildren to stay in touch! It can also be a wonderful, unique holiday gift…or for any other occasion, too. I know you must have digital photos of your grandchildren, yourself, or a scenic view from a memorable outing. Using your own photograph, a unique photo puzzle gift can be made for you and your family to enjoy. Even if you aren’t tech savvy, digital photos are easy to upload - just follow the easy directions.

Don’t have digital photos? No problem. You can scan them onto a CD and mail them to jigsaw2order.com.

Read further for creative gift ideas…

How can you resist these photo puzzle gift ideas? A picture puzzle is definitely worth a thousand “I love you”…

A photo puzzle can be made from any image or artwork such as a photo, painting, sketch or children’s drawing. Seeing your own creation made into a photo jigsaw, makes puzzle making even more fun.

Photo Puzzle Gift Suggestions:

• Take a family photo and send a photo puzzle to distant grandparents.
• Turn your family Christmas photo into a jigsaw puzzle to be enjoyed for many years to come.
• Know someone who is about to propose? Suggest he do it with a jigsaw puzzle!
• A photo puzzle is a great way to announce an engagement or a new baby to those special people in your life.
• Make a collage puzzle with many photos celebrating each of your grandchild’s birthdays.
• Upload or mail pictures of all your grandchildren to be made into a photo collage puzzle.
• Create a picture puzzle of your child with Santa and give it to grandparents on Christmas.
• Grandparents, give a photo puzzle to your grandchildren to keep you with them.
• Order picture puzzles from any of your favorite pictures as gifts…but remember to keep one for yourself!
• HINT: Grandparents would love to have a photo puzzle of their grandchildren…(hope my family reads this!)

The difficult part? Deciding which pictures to use for those very special photo puzzle gifts!

Order a Personalized Photo Jigsaw Puzzle
 

We are lucky to be grandparents in this wonderful, sometimes frustrating, technology age. We can still stay in touch with our grandchildren whether we are around the corner, around the world, or somewhere in between. With online scrapbooks, digital photo albums, webcam sites, interactive games and more, grandparents and grandchildren can stay in touch, stay connected, and visit often just with a few clicks. (more…)

National Grandparents Day is celebrated every year on the Sunday following Labor Day. Grandparents Day is meant to be a family day bringing the generations together enabling the younger ones to appreciate their grandparents and their accomplishments. Some families enjoy small, private gatherings while others hold family reunions and celebrate their heritage.

During the preparations for Grandparents Day and during the day itself, be sure to record all with your digital camera capturing everyone interacting. Remember, we all are grandchildren so this is a great day for everyone to get involved!

Then when it’s all over, create a Grandparents Day Memory Photo Book using the free software at Picaboo.

For Grandparents Day, include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in planning activities such as storytelling, board games, scavenger hunts, and crafts. Grandparents Day also presents a great opportunity to share old family recipes, stories, songs, dances and other talents, teaching the young to carry them on to future generations. Be sure to record each activity with high quality digital photos for your Picaboo Memory Book.

Picabooprovides you with the free online software to create your family’s personalized Grandparents Day photo memory book using digital photos taken during your Grandparents Day celebration. You decide on the amount of pictures, page layouts, color scheme, backgrounds, etc. When you’re happy with the results, order your new Grandparents Day digital photo album and Picaboo does the rest. Picaboo will mail your digital photo memory books to you.

Grandparents and other family members will certainly enjoy their Picaboo Grandparents Day Photo Memory Album keepsake for a long time into the future.

Last week I received a request to write a poem from a grandchild to her grandmother (Nana). The grandchild and her family must move away because her Daddy is in the Navy. Her Nana will miss her terribly, as we can all relate to her despair. Being a distant grandparent can be a challenge, but also fun too with the use of technology that is available to us.

This poem, Nana, I’ll Miss You, reassures Nana that her grandaughter won’t forget her because they can visit each other using their computers and webcams making it possible to still have some special moments together. Today’s technology is great for distant grandparenting.

Present the poem and grandaughter’s picture in a frame with a webcam; Nana will be able to feel more connected with her grandaughter and visit with her as often as possible.  Add a digital photo key chain, too, for all those grandchild pictures you’ll send her…she can take it everywhere with her and show everyone easily without carrying a big photo album in her bag!  (click here for my post on web cam and digital key chain information)

For a free webcam program that is very user friendly (use it myself) visit my post Grandparents and Grandchildren Get Closer Together with Eyejot. Visit with each other as often you like using Eyejot! This is great for parents serving in the Armed Forces, too.  Read below the poem for many Distant Grandparenting ideas on staying connected with your grandchild. 

Nana, I’ll Miss You

Far away we must move,
It’s what my Daddy has to do.

The distance shouldn’t matter,
‘Cause our love won’t ever shatter. (more…)