Shared by a Grandmother:

Five of our grandchildren, ages 11-14, have their own e-mail account.  I set up a group e-mail address and send them funny jokes, riddles, pictures, etc. that are always being sent around the internet.  They love them and like to forward them on to their friends and parents.  After sending two or three funny things on different days, I slip in something religious and inspirational.  I suggest they print them off and post them for their family.

This has really increased our interaction with these grandchildren.  For instance, one granddaughter wrote a short note saying, "I'm getting my braces tightened today for the first time, and I am nervous!"  I was able to return a quick reply, "I'll be praying for you today that it will go well and not hurt.  Let me know how it turns out."  She wrote back later that it wasn't bad at all. 

These are just small back-and-forth communications, but I'm hoping that these little exchanges will increase the closeness of our relationship and form a habit of communicating with each other that will pave the way for them to keep writing me with their hopes and concerns and worries as they go through the turbulent teen years.

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