An essential "how-to" book for grandparents, whether near or far.

Are you missing your grandchildren during Covid?
In this book, Mary explains with step-by-step instructions and illustrations how she is staying in touch with her grandchildren during Covid using the phone or computer.
She has many tips, techniques, characters and plots to keep your grandchild amused for up to an hour.

During the current pandemic Mary, like so many other nanas and grandads, found it very difficult to be separated from friends and loved ones, especially her grandchildren. Adults can always pick up the phone and chat for as long as they like, but it is challenging to keep a child engaged in a telephone conversation. Unless you can put some play into the phone call, it will usually fizzle out after a few minutes.

As Mary is 66, she had to self-isolate and could not visit her three grandchildren aged 3, 5 3/4, and 13. She was able to have meaningful conversations with her 13-year-old granddaughter on the phone, but had to devise methods for keeping the younger children engaged with a phone conversation. After a few months, Mary could chat and play with the five 3/4 year old for up to two hours, but the three-year-old only lasted about five minutes. However, those five minutes were full of laughter and kept Mary emotionally connected to her grandson.

In this book, Mary shares some of the methods she is using to stay in touch with her younger grandchildren. These include reading books and playing games but especially engaging in imaginary play. There are also chapters on technical equipment and using your computer, laptop, or iPad for playtime.

As the book includes a lot of props she shows you how to accumulate enough " puppet characters" to keep your grandchild happy playing for at least an hour and what games appealed to the different age groups. Over the long months of isolation, she found UTube an endless treasure trove of craft tutorials. She includes photos of some of the Sock Dolls she learned to make from UTube and some of the Felted Dolls and Animals. Most are simple to make, and links to these sites are at the end of the book.

For the session to go smoothly, you have to stay upbeat, and the teddies and monsters must be lively and feisty. They also have to be interested in what your grandchild is saying and doing. Plenty of comments such as, "Wow, look at that," "That is really cool," "You are very clever" are essential to keep the child excited and engaged.

Take care and stay safe