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It will be hard not to see those little ones as often as you like. We also plan on relocating across the country from our 3 small grandchildren...we are retiring next year. We live about a 6 hour drive from our grandchildren now - we do fly to see them once in a while but usually drive because we have presents for birthdays or Christmas and need the car trunk for transportation.
I think you have gotten some good suggestions regarding keeping in touch with pictures, emails, cards, presents and of course look for those airlines specials so you can fly to see them often. It does get expensive flying - the cost of the plane tickets, hotels (unless your children have a guest room), eating out sometimes, car rental - it can really add up.
We will probably send our son and his family a little extra cash to help them with airline tickets to come visit us sometimes....they can stay with us and all in all, it is probably less money to help them with the tickets. I also think it is an important experience for your grandchildren to "go visit grandma and grandpa" in their own home....great memories.
I agree with yellowsnow - really make sure you have lots of activities that you and your husband can do together and apart - develop a circle of friends so you have girlfriends to go shopping and out to lunch with - take a class, volunteer - have a life outside your grandchildren.
I feel for you - I know you are going to miss those little cuties, but you will develop all kinds of neat ways to keep in touch.
We live in Texas and my daughters grandparents live in Tennessee and Alabama. She has an uncle in Belgium, one in California, and one in Washington. We use a webcam and it is the lifeline to her knowing them all. We all visit as much as possible too. There is a free service you can download and the calls are free if the other person downloads this program. DM me if you want to know the name, I'm not sure if I am allowed to post it here or not.
We live in Texas and my daughters grandparents live in Tennessee and Alabama. She has an uncle in Belgium, one in California, and one in Washington. We use a webcam and it is the lifeline to her knowing them all. We all visit as much as possible too. There is a free service you can download and the calls are free if the other person downloads this program. DM me if you want to know the name, I'm not sure if I am allowed to post it here or not.
Before my granddaughter was born I ordered a Logitech webcam for myself and for my son. You need a computer that is fast enough and broadband of course. We just use Windows Messenger for our video chats which is free.
I saw my granddaughter the day she was brought home from the hospital. Now at age 26 months she often points at the computer and says 'where's nana?' Aww....
This is my first "visit" to this section of CD and I wanted to thank you for your heartfelt responses to a question that was burning a hole in my heart. We will be moving 1,400 miles away from our 6 grandbabies next spring and I was dreading it....I want to move, but don't want to be away from them. I know I can't have it both ways! You've all given me great ideas and relieved my worry! Thank you all.
Grandparents who retire away should not expect their children and grandchildren to come and visit them much. Most working parents don't get that much vacation, it can be expensive to travel far even when driving because of gas prices nowadays. SO in my opinion, plan on visiting THEM mostly, because you are retired and you were the ones to move away.
Luckily, my father understood this when he moved to florida. We live in the midwest and we literally can only afford to (and have the time to) visit down there once every 5 years or so. And he does not lay the guilt trip on us about it, like some grandparents I hear about. Luckily, he visits up here once a year.
I live in Scotland and my 2 year old granddaughter lives in Michigan. We've been visiting with each other via webcam since her birth. It's fantastic!! I see her in person twice a year.
If the birth of a grandchild occurs after a grandparent moves, it is much easier, but if you have spent much time with that child since birth and then leave, it must be very, very hard.
Greetings from a grandma and an ex-Michigander! Two years ago my husband and I moved to NC from Michigan (you guessed it correctly - the economy was horrible and we had to, just to survive). All three of my children live in MI, and two grandaughters, with a third on the way. I saw my children almost everyday (one lived with us), and had my grandaughters almost every weekend, and yes, it was hard. But guess what I love it here, miss everyone but they do have their own lives.
I look for air specials and go back quite frequently, but realisticly speaking after the birth of this last grandchild I will keep my visits to twice a year. I save for these visits, and would not have moved if I could not have them. I also keep telling my children that the economy is great down here if they would just try it!
Anyway, to keep in touch, we all have the same service for cell phones, I honestly talk to them all almost everyday. Grandchildren not quite as frequently. The webcam is a wonderful idea and one I might explore for myself. Cards, little presents just to say I love you. They don't forget and they will still love you just as much from afar as they do one hour from you. When they get a little older I plan on flying them down for visits too. Although that idea really takes some saving for..........
You can do it, just get into your new life and make new friends, and spend quality time with your husband. Enjoy your new surroundings and explore the state, before long you will say "what a life".
Location: Official Missourian-Pray for the Natives
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Ozark Nana -
Webcams are the way to go. Our grown children are in different parts of the country. Our daughter-in-law was from Indonesia. Without webcams we could not have all "reached out and touched" one another. It is the next best thing to being there. Try it, you will love it.
My daughter and her husband moved to California last year and I missed my grandchildren terribly. When they lived in New York, I used to see them at least once a week and now it’s mainly just holidays. But just a few months ago, my neighbor told me about mygrandchild.com. I admit I was skeptical. I didn’t grow up with computers and figured any site that could let me talk to and play with my grandchildren would be way too technical for me, but it was so easy! Registration is simple and the site makes everything a snap. Now I get together with my grandchildren at least once a week. We play games and read stories together and I can even see them while we’re online together. I recommend it to all my friends!
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Mygrandchild.com has been a lifesaver for me!
