GROWING A FAIRY GARDEN FOR LONG-DISTANCE GRANDKIDS

There are few things as enchanting to both children and adults as a fairy garden. It’s a magical mix of fairy tale, doll house and nature, set in a miniature garden. Each person’s imagination guides the design. When I decided to create one, I knew that my long-distance grandkids wouldn’t be able to see it in person. But guess what? The magic translates well to the video chat screen. Both of my long-distance grandkids ask to see it each time we talk, giving commentary as the little fairy garden grows. And who wouldn’t be thrilled to hear a granddaughter describe my fledgling efforts as, “The Fairy Garden of Love”?

What I hadn’t anticipated when I started this all, though, was just how addictive this craft could be. So I’d like to give you a little heads-up along with a smile. With apologies to Emily Dickinson and other real poets, I share the following: Read more

July 27, 2020

COOKING TOGETHER WHILE APART

During virtual storytime last week with one of our grands, I took out a cookbook we made for her mom’s bridal shower. As you can imagine, it’s full of old family recipes and precious photos. I showed them to my granddaughter. We talked about favorite soups, salads, ingredients and food shopping. It was like a virtual memory tour of loved ones and yummy treats. Inspired by feedback from our readers, I began to think about how we could cook together while we are apart. And, I’ve called it: Parallel Cooking!

What is Parallel Cooking?

Think about how toddlers play together. They sit next to each other, but do their own thing, right? And, they are having a blast. Well, Parallel Cooking is the same idea. Read more

July 20, 2020

LONG-DISTANCE GRANPARENTING BLOOPERS

We’re delighted to introduce the first in a continuing series of, “Long-Distance Grandparenting Bloopers.” That’s bloopers, with an “s”. Clearly, there’s more to come, so stay tuned!

And now for this week’s post. The reality is that for all our good intentions and preparation, there are just going to be times when things don’t go so well on video chats. In this case, it turned out to be quite a cliff hanger.

A little background – years ago I created and performed puppet shows with a few friends. Along with their pet dog, the puppet family (including grandparents) began their lives as socks. All were lovingly homemade. In addition, it should be noted that our shows at community centers were well received. I share this fact, because it’s highly relevant to this post’s blooper. Read more

July 12, 2020

BUILDING RESILIENCE IN LONG-DISTANCE GRANDKIDS

These days I’m reminded of a saying my mother loved to quote: “A tree that bends in the wind doesn’t break.” For my mother, the mark of living successfully was being resilient. Through the years, I came to understand her wisdom. As my children grew, I shared it with them. Now, as a grandparent, I want to help my long-distance grandkids build resilience, too. Because of the pandemic, it seems more important now than ever.

So what can we do to foster resilience? There isn’t just one answer. It’s really a combination of actions. I’m going to focus on the ones I thought we could do best from a distance. You’ll find the ideas below. Just remember – kids learn by doing, over and over again. As my yoga teacher says, “It’s a practice!” Read more

July 6, 2020

VIRTUAL STORYTIME WITH YOUNG GRANDKIDS

Like many long-distance grandparents, the last time we visited with our grandkids was in the winter. That is, unless I count yesterday’s virtual visit with our granddaughters. Both virtual visits included storytime using video chat to read Pete the Cat, The Incredible Avocado and Goodnight Moon. In fact, each grandchild followed every word and giggled along as I tilted the phone to cover the key parts of each page.

To try virtual storytime with your grandchild, here are some ways I keep it simple and special for different ages. Read more

June 28, 2020

GARDENING VIRTUALLY WITH GRANDKIDS

My friend Carol, a long-distance grandparent herself, is growing vegetables in her garden.* (Check out her fabric pots above). I caught that “grow-your-own food” bug, too. Not in a big way, mind you. It’s more like a “dip your toe in the dirt” version. Still, I’m in awe of how each plant grows. My grandkids get excited about this, too! While gardening virtually with my grandkids, I hope to help them discover new ways to appreciate the wonders of nature. With a long distance between us, my creativity is being put to the test!

There’s lots of information online about gardening with kids, so I’ve taken a different approach. Instead of trying out random activities, I focused on ideas that would hold a child’s screen interest. Most of the ideas below can work with the simplest of gardens: from pots on a windowsill to a large backyard garden. Your grandchild might also have a home garden. If so, then try some of these together! Read more

June 18, 2020

REACHING OUT TO OUR GRANDKID’S PARENTS

As long-distance grandparents, we look forward to precious video chats with our grandkids. In fact, we’d probably be thrilled to Facetime almost daily! But each video chat needs parents’ help to set things up. These days, parent(s) are strapped for time and juggling more roles then ever. So how can we connect with our grandkids, when their parents have such challenging schedules? For one thing, we can try reaching out to our grandkids’ parents and start a conversation.

But before you call, think about how hard it was to raise kids. We know how demanding it can be. When parents talk, try to listen. Really listen. How could we ever have imagined what parenting would be like for them now? Read more

June 12, 2020

THE MAGIC STARTS AT HOME

Your home is a magical place. Believe it or not, it’s a wonderful world to explore. No need to buy anything or do lots of planning. You already own plenty of stuff to share with your grandkids! So, how do I know that kids would enjoy a magical house tour? Because my granddaughter told me, of course!

Our first tour began during one of our video chats. All of sudden, my granddaughter noticed something on the wall. It was a colorful, framed print. She asked, ‘How did you get it? Who made it? What is it about?’ Before I knew it, we were walking around the house. With cell phone in hand, we made several stops. Some she chose, others were my suggestion. Along the way she was full of questions. All in all, it was a hoot! Read more

June 8, 2020

WELCOME TO SMILES BEYOND MILES

We’re delighted you’ve found us! When you stop by Smiles Beyond Miles (SBM), you’ll find ideas to help you connect with your long distance grandchild. As time goes on, we hope you’ll get to know us better. We’d also like to get to know you, too. So, if there’s a SBM post that speaks to you, click on the post title. The comment area is on that page.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

June 8, 2020

SMILES BEYOND MILES : THE JOURNEY BEGINS

DAWN AND CARRIE

Dawn’s Inspiration
The journey to visit my grandkids begins in an airport. Being a long-distance grandparent, was not what I had envisioned. I imagined weekend visits and celebrations together. But that’s not how it worked out. So how could I create a special connection with my far away grandkids?

I needed a role model and lucky for me, while growing up I had one. She was my “Grandma from Chicago” (yes, that’s what we called her). Grandma was one-of-a kind. She was zany, outspoken and always on trend. You could talk to her about anything! Because she was a long train or plane ride away, visits were infrequent. But they were always memorable! In between visits, she even made our phone calls fun. Read more