Connecting with grandchildren

One of the saddest things I am finding for me during this time of social distancing is being physically cut off from my grandchildren. I know that Skype, Duo, Signal etc allow us to communicate electronically, but I realised that I needed more, and came up with the idea of sending daily episodes of a story about a doll, Marilyn (that used to belong to my daughter) that my 2 yr old granddaughter fell in love with at Christmas time (but then thankfully chose to leave at Gran's house). Any toy loved by your grandchild would do.

This has had added bonuses, like being able to send messages to my daughter daily when I attach Marilyn's next adventure, keeping my creative brain functioning, giving me something positive to do/ think about every day and creating a lovely connection between myself and my granddaughter (she asks to see Marilyn when we have Duo sessions).

Marilyn helps me with daily tasks and sometimes goes out with Pa to do farm activities -- all I need to remember to do is to photograph her helping with a task, and then create a simple story around this. I often try to include a photo of my granddaughter doing something similar at the end of each episode. The episodes range from 4 to 6 pages.  Here are some themes:

Cooking

There is a lot of mileage in this one, and I have photographed her helping me to make dishes for dinner, hot cross buns and Easter eggs, chai latte mix, a tart etc, and have plans to have her help me make yogurt, bread and anything else I decide to cook.

Gardening

Once again, there are lots of opportunities here, from sowing seeds, checking seedlings, weeding, harvesting vegetables, fertilising beds, to adding mulch. 

Household chores

What a way to make vacuuming, washing, washing up and dusting etc more interesting and enjoyable!

Sewing

Marilyn has helped me with both hand and machine sewing.

Playing with toys

I began with Marilyn playing with some of the toys that my granddaughter has loved when she has visited us, but then included her in the making of new toys and, in particular, a mouse house with car, furniture and a mouse family that I will eventually give to my granddaughter for her birthday.

Farm tasks

It was important to include Pa in the stories too, and to have Marilyn doing some of the things that my granddaughter enjoyed when she came to stay.

Celebrating special occasions

I will photograph Marilyn with a wooden birthday cake on Sunday to acknowledge my son-in-law's birthday, but so far we have celebrated Easter, and there will be more opportunities to come, like my youngest grandson's first birthday.

A complete story

Here is a complete episode, so that this all, hopefully,  makes more sense.

Remember: It's your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. Rumi