Families For Life | 4 New Ways for Grandparents & Grandkids to Build Strong Relationships

With Singapore’s ageing population, intergenerational bonding is more important than ever. It can be difficult for grandparents and grandchildren to understand and bond with each other due to differences in viewpoint or experience, but having a good relationship can greatly benefit both the young and old. Here are a few suggestions for grandparents to build good cross-generational relationships with their tech-savvy grandkids.

1) Text with the times

Children spend an increasing amount of time online, and learning how to interact with them online will make you much more relatable. Platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, or even Instagram are both convenient and widely used, making it much easier to communicate with your grandchildren without seeing them physically. It can also show them that you are willing to learn for their sake, and the effort will be appreciated.

2) A montage of memories

A fun project you can embark on with your grandchildren is a digital montage of photos. Various photo montage apps can help you make what is essentially a digital photo album, and putting your heads together with your likely more tech-savvy grandchild can be a real bonding experience. A photo montage also has the added benefit of encouraging you to collect photos with your grandchild, on outings, at family events, or in day-to-day life, leaving you with a memory-filled collection for when they are older.

3) Dance along together

Want a way to both spend time with your grandchild and burn some calories? Why not follow some free dancing lessons from the internet. Dancing is a great way to stay active, and picking fun dances and songs will surely spark your grandkid's interest for a loud and fun time in front of the television. You could look on video platforms like YouTube or a dedicated dance class website online. Be sure to do some simple warm-up exercises first, and clear the area of dangerous furniture before hitting the dance floor.

4) Hit that record button

Get your grandkids to show you how to film short videos. Consult them on what type of video you should shoot and find something both comfortable and safe that you agree on. Don’t be afraid to look a little silly, and always be willing to learn from your grandkids, and both they and the resulting video will thank you for it. Some ideas include capturing your stories so that future generations can enjoy them or capturing family recipes on video. Post the videos on social media platforms or just circulate among the family, but regardless, make sure to have fun!