You’re not alone. A lot of grandparents have the same problem (and question): how to stay close to grandkids who have busy schedules of their own?
It can be hard for grandparents to find time to spend with their grandchildren. But there is a way to avoid this. There are plenty of ways you can stay connected with your grandchildren without sacrificing your own time or energy—and still, make sure they know how much you love them.
Here are some tips on how to stay close to grandkids who have busy schedules:
Plan regular times together.
If you can take a vacation or even just plan one day during the week where you spend time together, it will help your grandchild feel like they have a special relationship with you.
For example, if you live in the same town as your grandchildren, try making a weekly date to get together and do something fun together. If you live far away, try scheduling larger events like holidays or birthdays so everyone can come together at least once a year.
Schedule regular phone calls with them.
Make sure that you keep up with their schoolwork and homework, even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone and calling their teachers or school counselors to make sure everything’s going smoothly for them academically!
You can do this by setting up a calendar and having them sign up for it, so they would know when to expect your call. You can also use these calls as a time for them to share what’s happening in their lives—good news or bad news—so that you’re always plugged into what’s going on in their lives.
Send them letters or postcards whenever you can.
This is a great way to stay close to grandkids who have busy schedules without actually having to see each other in person. Even if it’s just a quick note, it will let them know that they’re on your mind and that you care about what’s going on in their lives.
Even if they don’t write back right away, they’ll know that you’re thinking of them and that they have someone who cares about them even when they’re too busy to talk on the phone—or even if they just don’t feel like talking at all.
Send gifts and care packages from time to time.
If you don’t live nearby, this is also a good way for your grandchild to know that you still think about them even though you’re not around all the time—and it can help them feel like they still have something from home when they’re away from home.
Care packages are great for grandparents because they let your grandchildren know that you care about what they’re doing and thinking about, even if it’s just for a few moments at a time. Try sending care packages with things like snacks or gifts—anything that shows how much you care about them!
Don’t judge them for their choices or decisions.
Grandparents are supposed to be supportive, not critical—so don’t let yourself get down on them when they make a mistake or go through something difficult. Instead, just be there for them when they need you most!
Everyone makes mistakes and learns from them—don’t make it worse by making judgmental comments about their choices. Rather, you could ask questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “What advice would you give someone else who was in this situation?”.
Remember that these are just kids—they’ve not fully formed adults yet! They might do some things that seem weird to us, but chances are there’s an explanation behind those actions, and we should give our grandchildren the benefit of the doubt.
You can be a part of their lives.
If you’re a grandparent who would like to keep up with your grandchildren and has tried everything, then the best thing you can do is follow your heart. Show them how much you love them and how important they are in your life by spending as much time with them as possible.
This way, you’ll be able to form a closer relationship with them, no matter how busy or distracted they are. And if it gets easier to stay close to grandkids who have busy schedules, then make sure you give it a try!
