Grandparents are some of the most special people on the planet. They are absolute gems, fussing over their grandkids and making sure they’re always happy and well-fed.
Your grandparents might be feeling lonely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, having been forced to stay at home as they are more at risk. Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do to keep their spirits high in the midst of a global health crisis. Here are some of them.
Deliver food to them
While nothing compares to your grandmother’s cooking, even grandma must get tired of cooking her own food every now and then. Repay her for all the times that she plied you with food by sending her go-to dishes from her favorite restaurants. It’s a thoughtful gesture that she will appreciate, and will keep her tummy happy.
Share photos with them
Your grandparents always want to know what’s going on in your lives, especially during these days, when visiting is frowned upon. Frequently sending them photos will make their day and will make them feel loved and remembered.
Take it one step further by sending them a Nixplay Frame so your latest family photos are instantly displayed! Our Secret Sale is still going on, and you can get up to 30% off on selected frames until August 23.
Hop on a video call
If your grandparents are more tech-savvy, you can get on a video call with them. It’ll be nice to see their smiles and reactions through the screen as you tell them about the latest updates on your side of town.
Send them flowers
Flowers have a way of brightening anyone’s day. Surprise your grandparents with a beautiful arrangement every now and then to make their day better in a pinch. Don’t wait for a birthday or a special occasion–the best time to send flowers, after all, is when they’re least expected.
Mail them hand-drawn cards
Snail mail may be overlooked in favor of emails and text messaging, but handwritten letters and postcards will always be a delight to receive. Get the kids together to write letters and create cards for grandma and grandpa. You can expect their crafty masterpieces to be displayed for months to come!
The coronavirus pandemic has effectively corralled us indoors, forcing us to prioritize our health before anything else. This also meant doing as many things as possible from within the safety of our homes–including educating our children.
A lot of parents now have to play a more hands-on role in the education of their kids. Despite the many benefits of at-home learning, adjusting to the system can be a challenge for both parents and students. This can lead to frustration and anxiety, and might even cause students to fall behind their learning goals.
Here are some ways parents can make their homes more conducive to learning.
Set specific goals.
Homeschooling allows children to learn at their own pace. For first-time homeschoolers, it’s important to set short- and long-term goals that are aligned with those of the school’s. Parents should also consider non-academic aspects of a well-rounded education such as physical activity, arts and crafts, music, and extracurriculars. These should be integrated as safely as possible in the child’s schedule.
Follow a daily routine.
While homeschooling introduces flexibility and spontaneity to your child’s learning routine, sticking to a basic routine can add focus and direction and help build good habits. You can try an hourly timetable that sticks to the school’s schedule, or opt for a simple flowchart if you’d rather place the emphasis on productivity. It might take some time before your children find a routine that works for them. Don’t hesitate to try different processes and schedules, as long as the students meet their study goals.
Designate a learning space.
As anyone who’s had to work from home during the pandemic knows, living and working in a single space can lead to disorganization and stress. That’s why it’s important to create a conducive learning environment where your kids can concentrate while studying. Keep your children’s study materials organized in a specific area of the house. It doesn’t have to be a proper study room–the kitchen table or the study table in their bedroom would work, as long as schoolwork is confined to that single space.
Collaborate with the parents of your child’s classmates.
We’re living in unprecedented times, and never forget that you’re not alone in your situation. Get in touch with the parents of your child’s classmates, and exchange tips and resources with them. This will expand the students’ opportunities in and out of their virtual classrooms, making the homeschooling process easier and more enriching for all families involved.
Take the learning outdoors.
Learning doesn’t stop once you leave the four corners of the classroom (or in this case, your home). Try to incorporate “field trips” in your child’s homeschooling curriculum. You can head to the garden to study photosynthesis or go to the park for a simple physics lesson. Make sure to abide by government-mandated health and safety regulations when you do this: Wear masks properly avoid touching your face, and practice social distancing.
Giving is truly better than receiving. Just ask Harrison Ford Bulldog, one of our favorite Instagram-famous dogs. To celebrate his upcoming birthday, the perpetually grumpy pooch with a heart of gold partnered with Nixplay to help Patrick, a second-grade teacher at the poorest public school in Cincinnati, Ohio. Patrick would use his own salary to purchase school supplies for his pupils, sometimes even sending his students home with food as many of them experience food insecurity.
Patrick’s generosity made him a deserving hero in Harrison Ford Bulldog’s eyes, and there was truly no better recipient for a birthday fundraiser. We got to chat with Harrison Ford’s mom, Sarah, about their fundraising activities and their life with a famous pooch. Read on!
First of all, we love Harrison Ford Bulldog and would like to send our greetings. For those who haven’t had the chance to meet him, please tell our Nixplay family a little bit about Harrison Ford.
Harrison Ford Bulldog is an English Bulldog living in Cincinnati, Ohio. We started an Instagram account for him in late 2015, and it has amassed almost 50,000 followers who tune in for his grumpy face, aggravated thoughts, and sweet disposition.
He’s pretty funny – it’s certainly not our photography skills that bring in the followers! We have a lot of fun sharing Harrison Ford’s funniest moments with our 50,000 internet friends.
Harrison Ford’s birthday is coming up soon! How do you usually celebrate it?
Harrison Ford turns 8 in 2 months. We usually celebrate that month with a big fundraiser of some sort and a bunch of prize giveaways to our followers. In the past, we have raised money for a Cincinnati dog rescue named Queen City Bulldog Rescue, our daughter’s school’s scholarship fund, and smaller events throughout the year for other bulldog rescues across the USA.
We did not expect to have this large platform on Instagram, and we try to use it for good – raising money and raising awareness. Fortunately, the bulldog community is tight-knit and is always game for a good cause.
Can you tell us a little bit about this year’s fundraising event?
This year, we celebrated Harrison Ford’s birthday a bit early to coincide with the start of the school year in Ohio. Patrick, a friend of ours, is a 2nd-grade teacher at the poorest public school in Cincinnati, and had told me stories in the past about how sometimes they don’t even have hand soap in their bathrooms and that he sends food home with his students because so many of them experience food insecurity. This is in addition to the huge amounts of school supplies he regularly purchases for his class of kids. I made a mental note at that time that our next fundraiser would be for his classroom.
This summer, we realized that not only would Patrick need the usual school supplies and food items, but he’d also need to purchase classroom safety items for teaching during a pandemic. Unfortunately, a majority of public schools in the USA are severely underfunded, and the responsibility of purchasing most things for the classrooms ends up falling on teachers. Our educators are not paid anywhere near what they deserve, so this responsibility puts a financial strain on so many.
I reached out to our favorite sponsors and companies ( Nixplay was my very first email!), and asked if they would consider donating a raffle prize. We collected 10 amazing high-value prizes from a variety of sources – corporate sponsors such as Nixplay, local Cincinnati companies like Rookwood Pottery, Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa and The Hand of Allhands, along with prizes donated by some of our own amazing followers.
Each $10 increment donation earned 1 entry into our raffle, with winners drawn by random. We raised $1500 in less than one week, with some people donating more than once. The average person in America recognizes that teachers are heroes. Teachers educate our children, they love our children, they counsel our children, they protect our children. They deserve to be millionaires. Raising $1500 so a second-grade public school teacher can feed his students felt like the right thing to do, and clearly resonated with our amazing followers.
It’s so heartwarming to hear stories of hope, resilience, and togetherness at a time like this. What’s your message to our Nixplay family?
Our family has been long-time users of Nixplay frames to keep in touch. Both sets of grandparents own Nixplay frames, and we’ve used them for years to send pictures and keep them up to date on our everyday happenings. Quite a few of our friends own a Nixplay frame, too!
With the pandemic occurring, our Nixplay frames took on a role of greater importance: They connected us when we couldn’t physically be together. We can immediately share our best photos and videos with our parents, and nothing is better than walking by one of our Nixplay frames and seeing a special memory from when my daughter was just an infant or young toddler. Rather than keeping photos locked up in a book to enjoy “someday,” we enjoy our memories flashing by every day on our Nixplay frame. It means so much to our family.
Starting university is a major milestone in a young adult’s life. While it’s an exciting time for the teen, it can be a cause of concern for parents, who would understandably be worried about their children’s welfare. Will their child be able to make friends? How will they cope if they need help with their studies? Will they be eating properly?
It’s important for parents to stay in touch with their children, especially when they live far from home. Finding the right balance between being supportive and being overbearing can be tricky, but it’s necessary. Here are some ways to do so.
Schedule regular video calls
Parents should be more open to all the possibilities technology offers. Video calls are a lot better than phone calls–they allow you and your child to see each other’s expressions in realtime. You can see your child’s mussed up hair, roll their eyes when you crack a dad joke, and get a glimpse of their messy dorm room in the background. On their end, they’ll be reminded of the things that make home special.
Share photos with each other
This is an easy way to keep your college student updated about what’s going on at home. You can agree with your child to send each other photos on a regular basis–maybe once a day, or once a week, no matter how mundane your schedule might be. Finding beauty in the mundane is a great way to hone your photography skills.
Sharing your photos will be more fun with a Nixplay Frame. This way, all your photographs will be displayed instantly without the need for USB drives, memory cards, or other devices. Now’s the best time to buy a Nixplay Frame: With our Secret Sale, you can get up to 30% off selected frames, only until August 23!
Visit as often as you can
Phone calls and video calls and care packages are great, but in-person visits are way better. If you have some free time, try to make a trip to your child’s campus. Nothing can replace the thrill of seeing your college student in their second home, where they’re hopefully learning, growing, and thriving. Make sure to tell your child of your plans to visit so you’ll both have something to look forward to and plan for.
Send care packages
A care package filled with food, supplies, and other dorm room necessities would be greatly appreciated by your child. You’ll brighten your kid’s day in a pinch, and you’ll help them save some cash during their next shopping trip. Make your care package more meaningful by adding a letter, a sweet note, or printed photos among the items so they’ll have a meaningful reminder of home.
Military families miss crucial moments together. Here are a few ways to feel close when you’re apart.
Care packages with a taste of home
A care package done right is worth its weight in gold. While often reserved for deployments or holidays, the impact is even bigger when it’s a random surprise, and nothing beats coming back from a long training cycle to find a box of goodies reminding you of home.
If your service member is stationed stateside, remember what’s the priority — FOOD! Restaurant options on the post are typically lacking and all the local chains begin to blend together over time. While you can’t go to your service member’s favorite spot from home and ship them a plate of lasagna, you can get creative. Ask the local restaurants what sauces, seasonings, or other sealed items they can provide. When your loved one uses the ingredients, they’re not eating in the barracks, but rather in your living room.
Those deployed overseas are going to be looking for very specific items, so it’s best to ask. When I was in Iraq in 2009, my hometown was kind enough to send care packages to my platoon. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that hard candies and disposable cameras were at the bottom of the wish list, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Ask your service member what would make life more comfortable for them, and if you have extra to spare, send enough for their battle buddies to use. Baby wipes and deodorant are always a safe choice, but asking rather than guessing will go a long way.
Photo frames 2.0
Growing up, I remember being in awe of the photos of my grandparents who served in the military. Shots of them out with the boys, or looking stoic in their graduation photos made me feel closer to them. The photos brought me to that moment in time, and it’s a large reason why I joined the Marines.
With Facebook and Instagram, it seems easier than ever to share photos with loved ones, but there’s not much magic there. From deployments and time overseas to being back stateside, there are plenty of moments that should hold the same weight our grandparents’ photos did. Also, let’s be real, we all have an aunt that just doesn’t get “the Facebook,” or gets it way too much. A lot better she keeps that awkward middle school photo of you off the internet and on a digital photo frame for her eyes only. To bridge the generational gap and keep your moments personal, products like the Nixplay digital photo frame are key. I gifted one to my parents after moving. With pandemic travel restrictions, it’s nice for them to feel like they’re connected to my day. It certainly came in handy after my recent engagement – my parents were able to watch the proposal video on their frame just minutes after!
Nixplay frames are also a great way to stay connected to deployed service members, as long as they have a WiFi connection. You’ll be able to send them photos and videos that will appear in their frame, giving them something to look forward to each week. The frame even comes equipped with a motion sensor so you won’t be disrupting their sleep when you’re 12 hours apart. Keep your service members in your everyday moments so they don’t feel so far removed from home.
Share experiences with games and apps
With user (and grandparent) friendly mobile apps, it’s easy and fun to stay connected through online gaming: Scrabble for the parents, Call of Duty for the siblings, or a trivia app for the grandparents. The light-hearted competition will provide something to talk about next time you’re on the phone instead of just sharing the usual updates.
Deployed service members can also use apps to play games with their kids, or record themselves reading a bedtime story. Military kids living far from grandparents or friends from former duty stations can play games together, use fun video chat features, or play online challenges to stay in touch. Look for lists of age-appropriate games or apps that will help you stay connected in your current situation.
Send a care package, share a photo, or just spend an hour playing some mobile games with your family. The point is there are plenty of ways to keep connected. It doesn’t matter where you’re stationed or how far you are from home: shared moments always bring us closer.
