Connecting with
grandchildren in
today’s tech world…
T
oday’s grandparents might find
that it’s harder to connect with
their grandkids. With the rise
of technology, grandchildren
would rather spend their time staring
at the screens of their phones, iPads,
and computers than spend quality time
with their family. Although it may seem
counterintuitive, if you want to get more
bonding time with your grandkids you
might want to embrace technology the
way they do. Here’s a little bit on how
and why:
A Grandparent’s Importance
Grandparents have been around a while
and have accrued a lot of life experience
along the way. They know the things that
matter in life, as well as the things that
don’t. Conversely, children, especially
younger ones, think everything is hyper-
important. Their constant exposure to
social media and other online platforms
means that they are more likely to fall
prey to the vitriol lurking everywhere
on the internet. To a child, a nasty
comment from someone online may feel
like the end of the world, and if they
get too many of them it can seriously
harm their self-esteem. Grandparents can
use their broader worldview to explain
that a mean comment from a stranger,
while hurtful, doesn’t matter in the
grand scheme of things. You can use this
situation to explain that anonymity does
not mean it’s okay to say mean things to
others and that they should be nice and
civil, even if no one knows them online.
After all, if you wouldn’t say it to a
person’s face, then don’t say it online.
In general, this new generation of
kids receives too much peer socialization
through texting and computers and not
enough one-on-one time with mature
adults. Children develop higher self-
esteem and better emotional and social
skills, including the ability to withstand
peer pressure, if they have a caring adult
they can rely on. Your real life presence in
your grandchildren’s lives will help keep
them in the real world. With your help,
they’ll develop a better sense of who they
are, where they come from, and what kind
of people they want to be.
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em
So if too much screen time is the problem,
why should you learn to use digital
media too? For starters, keeping up with
technology means you are better able
to stay in touch with your family and
understand the world they face. Many
grandparents live hundreds of miles away
from their grandkids. By emailing, texting,
Skypeing, or maybe even Snapchatting
(for the extra hip grandparent) with your
grandkids, you are able to keep a regular
dialogue with them and be more present
in their day-to-day lives. Even if you don’t
live far away from your grandchildren,
they are more likely to communicate with
you through online and social media than
anything else, which means they are more
likely to open up to you if something is
troubling them.
Teenagers and school age kids pick up
on technology effortlessly and they are
often eager to show off the skills they’ve
learned. Zero in on a few things you
would like to learn how to do, such as
downloading music or maybe learning
a game your grandchild loves, and ask
them to teach you. As they explain how
the programs work, your grandkids will
be honing their knowledge as well as
developing a greater sense of confidence
in themselves. They will feel like they have
an important role to play in the family.
Even if you don’t grasp things completely,
the time you share together can be
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
enjoyable and your willingness to learn
their technology will make you the
“cool” grandparent.
Shared Sharing
Your willingness to understand the world
your grandchildren are growing up in
means they are more willing to learn about
the one you grew up in. Introduce them to
games you used to play as a kid or to your
favorite card games. Show them how you
used to listen to music before the age of
iPods or show them your favorite
old movies.
In a world that’s become instantaneous,
there’s still something thrilling about
getting a letter or care package in the mail.
Whether you live miles away or just down
the street from your grandkids, set up a
pen pal correspondence and send them a
funny letter. It’s especially great practice
for kids who are learning how to write and
they’ll have a great time waiting for the
next letter to arrive.
By sharing the interests, skills, and
hobbies of your youth, or ones you still
have today, your grandkids learn new
activities and ideas that help them gain a
better sense of their place within history.
They may find that they have a new
favorite game, movie, or genre of music
that they’ll want to share with their friends.
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