My nephews lived around the corner from us until about a year ago. Then they moved to a city a plane flight away. I would love for my nephews to always feel close with me, so though they’re quite young and far away, it’s a priority to me to be a presence in their lives. After almost a year of working at this, these are some ideas I’ve been using to maintain the long-distance bond.
- Connect in real time – quantity over quality. Use FaceTime, Skype, or regular phone calls to “visit” with them often, even if you’re just a background presence on speaker at supper or bedtime. I love to read picture books via FaceTime while my nephews eat at their kitchen table.
- Make visiting a priority. I’ve learned not to underestimate the value of time spent together. Nieces and nephews are awed by their important adult aunts and relish the personal attention. Though it can cost time and money to go out there, life only gets busier, so invest in the relationship now.
- Keep tabs on their special days. Call them on their birthdays or the day they have a school performance.
- Surprise them with snail mail. Everyone loves receiving cards, letters, or postcards, at any age. (Remember that with little kids, the bar is pretty low. You don’t even have to go out and buy a card in order to make their day).
- Give a gift that keeps on giving. Sign them up to receive subscription activity kits or magazines at regular intervals. (I ordered National Geographic Little Kids for my five-year-old nephew, and I love the look of Kiwi Crate).
And…my kiddos are coming in to visit soon. I can hardly wait.
Do you have any suggestions for staying connected long-distance?
