How to Connect with Your Family over Long Distances

For more reasons than one, you might not be able to stay in the same place as your family. It could be a job transfer on your part or your wife’s. It could also be because your child recently gained admission into a higher institution of study and has to leave the state. Regardless of what it is, you’ll need to be able to connect with your family over long distances.Now, this might seem pretty hard if you aren’t used to it ordinarily. It might even feel like a total separation to you where you get to see your kids less. However, it doesn’t have to be so. The internet provides us with such excellent opportunities that we do not have to go several months or even hours without talking to those we care about the most.As such, if you are looking to connect with your family over long distances, here are a few useful tips in that direction:

1. Ensure everyone is online

The internet allows for easy communication such that you can access everyone without having to go through too much of a hassle. However, you can only reap this astounding effect of the virtual world if you are actually on the internet.So, if you want to connect with your family over long distances, you must do well to ensure that everyone is on an online platform that will bring you all together. An excellent example that allows for proper communication is Skype. Now, if you are worried about your kids misusing the opportunity of having a mobile device, you don’t necessarily need to put them on the internet. If they live with their mother in a different state, you just have to ensure that she is online, and through her, you can speak to them as well.

2. Communicate often

It is not enough to create a common platform where every member of your family can come together. You must also make sure that you communicate with everyone regularly. Think of it as though all of you are still sharing a roof. If you were living under the same roof, would you go a day without talking to each other? No, you wouldn’t. So, regardless of the distance between you, ensure that you do your best to call and text them every day. Make sure that you remain consistent with it and encourage them to do the same as well so that you wouldn’t be the only one making all the efforts.

3. Create virtual bonding exercises

It is basically impossible for you to take a walk with your family with thousands of miles between you. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things you can do to bond with them at all. Even over long distances, you can organize family game nights where you all gather on one platform and play games via video calls or even with text. Do your best to drive participation and engagement.Alongside that, you could set aside a specific day of the week for all of you to talk. Now, the communication here would be more special than the regular “hi” and “how are you” that come along with everyday calls. The conversation here could be geared towards detailed accounts of how the week went. That way, you can all listen to each other and pitch in to help in whatever way you can.

Takeaway

Distance is the nonphysical wall that is able to come between many relationships. But, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. By following these tips and remaining consistent, you can easily maintain healthy relationships with your family.