https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:04:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668722 Fri, 30 May 2014 11:09:35 +0000 regberadaisy 1668722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we are closer than you; about 7hrs drive.<br /> We make it a point to go back every few months even for just a weekend visit. It's crazy tiring but so worth it. . We FaceTime weekly, i always always go above and beyond for their birthdays and Christmas. Now that they are older they are also coming to stay a week in the summer. Might not happen this year since my mom doesn't want to because she'll be here a month later for my postpartum. But I think by next year the two older ones will be 12. So we can pay for their airfare have them hop on a plane to come visit us. It also helps that my brother has been willing to drive them here for weekend visits or drop them off. Then we drive them back. </p> <p>It's really important for both of us to have a close relationship with our nieces and nephews.</p> <p>Eta: I have been away at college since they were born. So a lot of the closeness is a lot of effort on my part. And now my husband's part as well. Only in the last two years have my brother been driving them to come visit us. Because the kids are old enough to bug him about it! :p </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668168 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:54:04 +0000 MamaBehr 1668168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: our downfall is that my brother and SIL don't try either. So our kids don't know their cousins and my nephews don't really know us. That's why I need to change it and I'm doing it for me, even if it is one sided. </p> <p>We have FaceTimed a few times, I just hate it!!! @bushelandapeck: I love the idea of small gifts periodically throughout the year!!! Thanks :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668075 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:42:24 +0000 looch 1668075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use Skype, but I will be honest, my SIL that lives abroad with 3 kids (one of whom is my husband's godson) makes no effort, so we don't either. She's got a bit of drama going on in her marriage right now, so we're chalking it up to that, but I don't know what to do differently, honestly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668064 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:40:25 +0000 Foodnerd81 1668064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do FaceTime with my sister and her 3 year old and he knows and remembers me- they live 4 hours away and I see him a few times a year. And my LO will do FaceTime with my parents and I think she actually recognizes them- she smiles way more when tey come on the screen than people she doesn't realy know (like she was with my aunts, and c would look at them but when my mom came back, big smiles. She is ten months). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668048 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:37:31 +0000 snowjewelz 1668048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sadly we don't :sad: We live in different countries so we only get together when we go back maybe once a year, sometimes less! But both of my nephew &amp; nieces are older (teens) now, our nephew is actually staying w/ my parents for a month this summer and we're gonna hang out with him and get him acclimated, etc. We're hoping my niece will come when she's older too for a long visit! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668047 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:37:29 +0000 avivoca 1668047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We FaceTime with my MIL. They live five hours away and that's just far enough to make a weekend trip not feasible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668040 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:35:15 +0000 bushelandapeck 1668040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was living in Montana for a few years, I kept in touch with my family and nieces via Skype. It was so fun to see them "in person" and be able to interact. I also sent a lot of cards/letters and small gifts to them and they always remembered that when I would come home to visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/staying-connected-to-family-who-lives-far-away#post-1668027 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:31:51 +0000 MamaBehr 1668027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you stay in your nephew's or niece's lives if they live far away? My family is in NY and we live in TX, and I really want to be a part of my nephews' lives, but I'm not sure how. They are 3 and 10 months old, so I'm hoping it's easier the older they get, but I need to start somewhere and I've been severely lacking in my attempts to connect with them.<br /> Ideas?<br /> Experiences? </p>