Grandmas and grandpas...opportunity knocks! Ideas during COVID

Oh, she's so adorable. I'd love to see that little one and love her. She looks a lot like mine when they were babies. I just love babies--that's my thing. They just blab to me. My daughter got upset when her baby started smiling and cooing and talking to me. I was saying: "tell grandma all about it". She did. Just talked and talked. My daughter got upset and said: Mom, how come she talks to you like that and not to me". Well, babies know when you are crazy about them and you talk to them and smile. Babies love it. Just lie that little doll baby is talking to her grandma! I loved babysitting my great grandson when he was born and until he was two and one/half. I just fell in love with him. I can't explain it but I fell completely in love with my grandbabies! I love them so much! Some of them are adults. My one grandson wrote me a message saying: I have loved you since I was born and you give the greatest hugs.

Aren't our grandbabies just the most adorable, loving little precious angels when they are just babies! I fell totally in love with my grandbabies. They are no longer babies now and I miss having them as little ones. I LOVE BABIES!

Greetings again to all of the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. Are you already thinking about the holidays and remembering all the good times you have had with your grandchildren. They grow so fast. Unfortunately, this will not be the year to meet in person. We have spent a couple of weeks exploring options for physical contact and no matter how much we want to make arrangements, we just don't feel safe. Our two youngest live in Austin, Texas and we have decided that with the current rise in the COVID 19 spread, we will not want to risk infecting any of our family members. Our older ones have boyfriends now so it isn't easy to get their attention.

Do you have any ideas for how to have Thanksgiving and Christmas with little ones (1 and 3).......on a Zoom call. Would you like to share them with all of us? We need an activity that keeps their attention for more than 90 seconds.

Thanks......
Chris

Hi Chris - We have been distance communicating with our littles for 6 months every winter, and found a few tricks.

- We had success with a book on Zoom last winter - we each had a copy and we read to them, complete with sound effects.
- We have used a puppet to talk to them, practiced making silly faces together, and danced to kid music.
- One day we gave them a tour of our yard, another we just watched them play in the yard while we talked to Mom & Dad.
- Another day, Mom & Dad called us while they played in the ball pit in their playroom and let us watch them in action while the adults chatted. A kid jumped in to visit every few minutes.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not, we just roll with it. Sometimes we text ahead for them to have their favorite toy or recent project ready to show us. Sometimes Mom calls with just one on her lap and in a mellow mood for a little one-on-one visit.

If you are looking for a gift idea, we give our littles a subscription to Kiwi Company boxes (kiwico.com) - for 3 yo it is a Koala Crate and comes monthly, each has a theme & 4-5 age appropriate projects to do at home. For the 1 yo it is a Panda Crate and comes every 2 months. It spreads the joy, gives parent a tool on rainy days. We give a 6 month subscription to each for birthday and Christmas, and just a token wrapped gift like a puzzle or truck. This year they will get play cooking utensils and dishes, and a simple homemade "stove" as pretend cooking entertains them both for hours.

We found the best time to be right after breakfast on a "boring day" - they are too crazy on the holidays or special days to settle down. We have just learned to adjust our expectations to their development level.
Sue

Hello everyone! While I am not a grandparent, I did want to jump in here to reply to @artscaping and share an idea for those of you planning a virtual holiday for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas and want to connect still with your grandchildren. Recently, my oldest brother who has step-grandchildren with his partner, purchased the Portal Video devices and have had great success with them. You mount the camera on/near your tv and then the lens follows movement in that room, which is really helpful for the kids. Also beneficial is that you are all watching one another through your tv rather than a laptop/tablet/phone. It might make a great early holiday gift that you can use throughout the winter! Here is a link to learn more if interested: https://portal.facebook.com

I don't personally own one... yet!

Good afternoon Halloweeners. I hope you all had a great time. And it would be wonderful to share some of the costume pictures. How about yours Grandma and Grandpa? Who were you on Halloween?

Our children set up the house like a fort. You will see how our son created kid-sized doors from cardboard boxes in the family room. The sign on the floor says....Come to the Fort. And this is Milly. Her first Halloween (18 months) and she was just overwhelmed with joy and laughter. Here she is walking through the doors with a look that says...."Here I come!",

I guess the point is.....we can have fun creating make-believe for the grandchildren and for ourselves even though our NOW is a lot different.
May you have a day of comfort and ease.
Chris

Thank you @amandajro, those are very nice tablets ..... quite serviceable and showy.
Jay got a similar one for Christmas a few years ago. I think it needs updated photos. (Ha Ha......and so it goes).
Be content and at ease today.
Chris

Here are my puppies with Auntie and 2 of the dozen jack-o-lanterns she created. Mommy & I were jack-o-lanterns, Grandma was himself. The puppies and I played tag before supper. We had a picnic in the garage because the weather turned cold & a treat hunt afterward in the yard. We all agreed it was even better than trick-or-treating because the older one is very shy and approaching strangers is stressful for him.
We are so blessed!
Sue

@sueinmn, Love those costumes!! With that face mask I'm thinking your Auntie is a hoot 😊

You cannot imagine! She has been an EMT, Paramedic, 911 dispatcher, Surgical, jail, Pediatric & ER RN - now working remote telehealth. She is also a huge volunteer, with thing like the Polar Plunge, local Historical Society (gives ghost tours in Anoka), Minnesota Nurses Assn... all while living with ADHD, severe asthma & bronchiectasis. She is also a talented artist - clay, drawing, crochet, sewing, painting & dance. Oh, and on her "days off" she does Auntie daycare while their Momma works at home. I'm so proud of her I could burst.
Sue