GRAND Magazine - March/April 2014 - (Page 46-47)
Cool tools for
staying connected
Today's technology + old-fashioned creativity = plugged-in grands
BY REMY AGEE
I
t's a given: You want to be part of your grandchildren's lives-whether they're nearby or far away.
Today's technology makes that possible. And it's
easier than you might think.
Here are a few clever, high-tech ways to connect
with your grandkids:
Take Skype and Facetime up a notch. Add
some fun to your video chats by donning a crazy
hat or funky glasses (Dollar Store), and wait for
their giggles. One of my five-year-old grandsons
said to his father, "Dad, look at what your mother
is wearing!" Now, my grands put on their own silly
Remy Agee, a retired communications director of a large family/
children government agency,
writes about school readiness and
early childhood development.
46 GRAND
MARCH APRIL 2014
hats, super hero masks, and dress-up clothes and
wait for my reaction.
Create a story chain. Write a story together
using e-mail, Google Documents, or even snail
mail. Start by sending one or two sentences, leaving a blank for your grand to fill in. For example:
One day, when we were walking
through the woods, we heard the
strangest noise. It got louder as we
got closer, until suddenly, right in
front of us was ____________________.
When you get the story back, add another sentence and return it to your grand. Go back and
forth developing the story until The End. This fun
way to interact with school-age grands encourages
creativity and may generate some laughs.
Set up a private family website. Create a
secure social-media network accessible only to
your family using a website-hosting site designed
specifically for that purpose, like My Great Big
Family and Family Crossings. Share photos,
videos, recipes, gift lists, grandkids artwork and
awards. Create a family tree. Record family history.
Chat and post announcements on message boards.
Coordinate calendars. Get birthday, anniversary,
and special event reminders. And more. Relatively
easy to set up, and tech-savvy grand teens can
help. Cost (free, monthly fee, annual fee) depends
on company and on package selected.
Cool deals for GRAND readers!
My Great Big Family: Save $20.00 using
coupon code MGBF20 on the checkout page.
Family Crossings: Get an extra 1 GB of storage
per month when you sign up for the Premium
Plan, using promo code "GRAND."
MARCH APRIL 2014 GRAND
47
http://www.mygreatbigfamily.com/index.php
http://www.mygreatbigfamily.com/index.php
http://www.familycrossings.com
http://www.mygreatbigfamily.com
http://www.familycrossings.com/familycenter/signup/setup.cfm
http://www.familycrossings.com/familycenter/signup/setup.cfm
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - March/April 2014
Contents
GRAND Magazine - March/April 2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2024winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020fall_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190304
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20180506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20100910_v3
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20100708_v3
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