How to Help Children Connect with Siblings, Cousins and Friends Across Long Distances

There are many reasons why children may be separated from siblings, cousins or best friends that used to live across the street. Military families that move often, job relocation, marriage, divorce or medical reason are just a few situations where children are separated from each other.

Whether children are trying to say connected after a move or they have never met in person, there are ways to keep the friendship going.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. One of the oldest ways to keep children connected is as Pen Pals. Kids love receiving and sending mail. Sharing stories with cousins, grandparents or best friends after a move as Pen Pals is so much fun.

2. Set up a private blog for your child and list all the cousins as authors. The kids can share their lives with each other through posting and comments. This can be done with children and divorced parents as well. If your child has a delicate medical condition and can not be around large groups for the holidays or birthdays, setting up a blog is a great way to share with the family.

3. Web cams with video conferencing software like Skype or Google Voice and Video Chat can connect kids face to face. If you can't make it to a family gathering, you have computers set up with web cams in the main area of the family gathering. Every one can connect face to face and the kids can get together and "play".

4. Let them pick up the phone and call their friends. Unlimited long distance on cell phones makes chatting with their favorite cousin easy and affordable without running up huge phone bills.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay attention to activity of young children on the internet.