Long-Distance Grandparents: How to Use Technology to Stay in Touch with Your Grand Kids

Staying in touch with long-distance relatives is never easy, but technology has made it much simpler. Instead of taking the time to schedule visits or wait for someone to be home so you can call them on a landline, technology lets you communicate from anywhere in the world in countless ways—even if you’re not the most tech-savvy.

Obviously, the telephone will always be a favorite method of communication. According to statistics, 46% of grandparents prefer talking to their grandchildren over the phone, but there are other ways to keep in touch. Here are some of the best ways you can use technology to stay in touch with your grandkids.

Email

Many grandparents enjoy sending letters to their grandkids. While it’s a great way to stay in touch, it’s also rather slow. It can take weeks or even months for a single correspondence. And today's generation does not reciprocate the traditional gesture of letter writing. To speed up the process, try using email.

Email is free to use, so you don’t have to worry about contracts or monthly payments. All you need is an internet connection or data plan on your smartphone, and you’re free to send digital letters to all your grandkids.

Video Chats

Just because you can’t see your grandkids in person doesn’t mean you should miss watching them grow up. Video chats are the next best thing to a real visit. You can see your grandchildren’s faces, and they can show you important things in their life.

There are several easy-to-use video chat apps you can access from your computer or mobile device:

• FaceTime (for Apple devices)
• Google Hangouts
• Zoom
• Facebook Messenger
• WhatsApp

Just make sure your phone or computer has a camera so your grandkids can see you too!

Mobile Games

Playing games has always been a great way for families to connect. With technology, you no longer have to be in the same room to play with your grandkids.

Download some fun mobile games to your smartphone and play with your grandkids no matter where they are. There are plenty of user-friendly mobile games that anyone can enjoy:

• Words with Friends (similar to Scrabble)
• Card games – Uno, Hearts, etc.
• Wheel of Fortune
• And many more

Look through the Apple and Google app stores (depending on your device) to see what multiplayer games are available. Paying games will let you keep you in touch and have fun with your grandkids from around the world.

Stay Connected with eTopUpOnline

No matter how you choose to use technology to stay connected, you and your grandkids will need mobile minutes and data to connect. eTopUpOnline makes it easy to send minutes and data to your grandkids’ phones.

With eTopUpOnline, you can send an online mobile recharge to over 100 countries around the world, so no matter where your grandkids live, you’ll be able to talk and play games together without needing to pay for their own minutes. Mobile recharges make great gifts!

Don’t let distance hinder your relationship with your grandkids. Stay connected with an eTopUpOnline mobile recharge.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.etopuponline.com/blog/long-distance-grandparents:-how-to-use-technology-to-stay-in-touch-with-your-grand-kids

Immigrant Concerns on the Financial and Mental Stress During COVID-19

Nobody has seen anything like COVID-19 before. Sure, there have been economic downturns and unemployment but never on a global scale like this. While the outbreak has certainly been hard on everyone, it’s had an especially large impact on the immigrant community.

As if being far away from loved ones wasn’t hard enough, the global pandemic has created even more stress—both financial and mental—for families scattered around the world.

Unemployment and Lack of Access to Healthcare

At the height of the pandemic, almost 50 million people were unemployed in the U.S. alone. Without jobs, money is tight. Many families aren’t sure what they’re going to do for their next meal.

As if financial burdens weren’t stressful enough, we’re also fighting a contagious epidemic. Any trip outside your house is a risk. Even if you get sick or hurt, a trip to the hospital could mean infection.

Without work, access to medicine, or social engagements, stress is at an all-time high for many families around the world, especially immigrants. During these tough times, it’s important to stay connected and get the help you need, even if it’s a simple phone call to a relative.

Stay Connected – We’re All in This Together

We’re all in this together, and talking through problems with loved ones can alleviate some of the mental stress associated with COVID-19. Sometimes, just hearing a friendly voice is enough to help.

Of course, being connected is more than just a social need. With social distancing regulations, it’s hard to go anywhere for help. Being able to communicate remotely with doctors and healthcare professionals can provide some much-needed peace of mind and help you stay physically healthy as well!

Help Family Abroad with a Mobile Top Up

Staying connected is easier said than done for many people around the world. Phone bills are expensive, and with unemployment still high, finances are tight for everyone.

If you have family abroad struggling to make their phone payments, you can purchase an international mobile recharge online and send it to over 120 countries around the world. They’ll have instant access to the minutes or data you send them, so they can stay in touch with friends, family, and medical professionals to help them through these tough times.

Everyone is struggling; that’s why eTopUpOnline gives you the ability to choose how much or how little you spend. You can choose the number of minutes or data to send, so you’ll never spend more than you what you can afford, without monthly contracts. You can even send a Digicel recharge or a Natcom top up online so your family abroad can have access to the best carriers wherever they live.

An online mobile recharge from eTopUpOnline is an easy and affordable way to help those in need.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.etopuponline.com/blog/immigrant-concerns-on-the-financial-and-mental-stress-during-covid-19