62 years old. That is about the age you can expect to retire.
It’s the day you’ve planned for your entire life: road trips across America, traveling to Europe, scratching off your bucket list. There’s only one tiny issue.
How will you stay in touch with your grandkids? You don’t want to miss out on hearing their little voices tell you about their day or what they’re doing in school.
Luckily, you don’t have to! No matter how far away you go, these are a few ways you can keep in touch.
Keep Connected
Simple Phone Calls
Stay in your grandkids life with a simple phone call. Schedule times that work for you and your family and don’t miss out!
In the age of cell phones and WiFi, you will be able to make contact with your family as often as you’d like! If you can’t make a phone call work, try texting.
Texting is a great way to send photos back and forth, keep the conversation going regardless of where you are and preferred by your older grandkid.
Video Chat
There are a few different forms of video chat you can use to see your grandbabies face-to-face:
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Skype
Skype is one of the more popular video chat apps. It is adaptable to a laptop with more capabilities.
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FaceTime
For Apple users, consider FaceTime. It’s included on your iPhone or iPad and allows you to have a video conversation with anyone who also has an Apple product.
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Facebook Messenger
If you or your grandchildren are on Facebook, you can request a video chat if you go through the messenger app!
These are a few options for grandparents and grandchildren who want to stay connected.
Games and Apps
If your grandkids are old enough to use their iPad, cell phone, or other devices, consider different apps to stay in touch.
There are hundreds of online games that allow two or more players to interact with one another, such as Words with Friends. Ask them what games they already play and then play together!
For younger kids, the app Readeo allows you and your grandkid to read together no matter how far apart you are. Even more immersive is Keepy, an app that lets you keep and save artwork, school projects and more!
Postage
There is nothing that will top a hand-written letter/postcard or gift in the mail.
As you budget out your retirement plan, think about what you can send back to your grandkids as little pieces of where you are and where you’ve been.
Keepsakes and being able to have something physical from you will help bring you closer to your grandchildren as you explore your retirement.
Long Distance Grandkids
Retirement is a time for you to focus on all the things you’ve always wanted to do. You shouldn’t feel like you can’t travel or move to a new city without sacrificing the relationship you have with your grandkids.
When you use these tips to stay in touch, you won’t lose anything.
Want to learn more tips and advice on retirement? Find more articles here!