I am of the generation that remembers telephone party lines and black and white TV. So, when I have a computer problem, I call my five-year-old granddaughter for help. 🙂

At first glance, the technological chasm between the generations may seem unbridgeable, but, in reality, it is not. In fact, the technological chasm offers one of the best opportunities available to bond with your children and grandchildren in a way that will yield long-term results in strengthening your relationship with them.

So, how do we go about using technology to build intergenerational relationships? Here are a few tips that I’ve found successful:

1–Use FaceTime to talk with your little ones when distance separates you. For instance, a mother who works outside the home can face-time her little one at daycare. This is reassuring both for mom and child. The child senses that Mommy is nearby, and Mom feels less stressed when she can actually see her little one during the day.

2–Read books together on your iPad. While traditional books provide great “cuddle support,” ebooks can also serve as the center for special time together. Your little one can share the fun by scrolling to the next page or tapping on buttons in an interactive book.

3–Listen to read-aloud stories and then discuss them. Electronic devices provide exciting opportunities for parents and children to talk about life issues through the medium of story. Listening to someone else read a story puts both parent and child in the role of audience and engenders age-appropriate discussion that can serve as character-building opportunities.

4–Use Skype to share special time together. If you are a grandparent who lives far away from your grandchildren, use Skype to share regular time together. I know of one grandfather who is a math teacher and who offers a weekly math class to his home-schooled grandchildren in another state.

The ideas for using technology to bridge the generations are virtually limitless, but the goal is the same: building strong relationships that transcend the generations and unite them in bonds of love that last a lifetime.
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Copyright 2018 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Voted “Best Book in Juvenile Fiction” in 2017 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards

THE DANDELION PATCH by MaryAnn Diorio

When Yolanda Riggins discovers that the government plans to build a new highway through her beloved dandelion patch, she rises up in protest and asserts her God-given right to private ownership of property. Will she succeed against all odds to save her dandelion patch? Will tact, truth, and tough love win the day for Yolanda and the children who love her? Read this delightful book to find out.

What Readers Are Saying:

“Beautiful children’s book with excellent Christian life lessons.” ~ Carolyn Hill

“Mary Ann Diorio artfully weaves this delightful tale of how one community creatively ‘fights city hall’ and has a positive effect on their world. It is a charming story with an uplifting message along with colorful, appealing illustrations by Doina Paraschiv. The Dandelion Patch is sure to delight any young reader.” – Amazon Reader

“This is a unique subject for young children to learn about and the author implements it masterfully.” – Deb Piccurelli, Author