How to survive being a long-distance grandma to a baby

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How to survive being a long-distance grandma to a baby

I first fully grasped the definition of the word 'bittersweet' in late 2007, when I learned I was going to be a grandmother. I was thrilled to have a grandbaby on the way, but it literally hurt my heart to know I'd be only a minor player in the baby's daily life, due to how far away my new grandchild would live.

Yes, I was a long-distance grandma from the get-go. I’m still a long-distance grandma to the one who first made me a grandmother. To his two brothers, as well.

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Flat Stanley Part II

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Flat Stanley Part II

Flat Stanley Part II

Long, long ago in the pre-coronavirus days (okay, March 11), I published a post here on Grandma’s Briefs about the super time I had showing Flat Stanley around Colorado Springs. Camden had sent the character to me as part of a school project, with instructions for me to introduce Stanley — and ultimately, Camden’s classroom via a presentation by Camden using all the materials I collected for him — to the highlights of my city.

I did show Stanley the best of the Springs then returned him — and loads of literature and pics of his visit — just as instructed, for Cam to create his presentation.

Then schools closed.

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Weekly pic: S.W.A.K.

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Valentine’s Day sentiments for my long-distance sweeties: confetti popcorn and corny jokes, of course. Sealed with a kiss and sent off with speedy delivery!

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(Do kids nowadays even know what S.W.A.K. means?)

Happy Valentine’s Day, dear grandmothers and others!

Flashback: 14 reasons to smile about being a long-distance grandma

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Flashback: 14 reasons to smile about being a long-distance grandma

Dear readers: This flashback feature originally appeared on Grandma's Briefs July 1, 2014. As I'm missing my desert-dwelling grandsons today, it serves as a good reminder that there are at least fourteen things to celebrate about the long-distance grandma status. Thank you for reading this rerun.

Being a long-distance grandma can be hard on a grandmother's heart at times. There are, however, several perks to having plenty of miles between Grandma and her sweeties. Here are fourteen of them.

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Grandma challenge: How full can she fill forty-four hours?

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Grandma challenge: How full can she fill forty-four hours?

My desert-dwelling grandsons and their parents visited my house last week—for forty-four hours. The family had taken a road trip to Vail for a wedding, and Jim and I were fortunate they fit in a stop at our place on their way back home.

I was thrilled to host them and was determined to squish as much into the visit as possible, unsure of when I'd see Brayden, Camden, and Declan (as well as Megan and Preston, too) again.

As all three boys have birthdays in June…

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An open letter to new long-distance grandmas

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An open letter to new long-distance grandmas

Dear heartbroken long-distance grandma,

First, let me say congratulations on your grandma status! Whether you just learned you'd soon have a grandchild, a newborn grand recently arrived, or one or more grandkiddos have long been part of your heart, you are a grandmother and that's worth celebrating... again and again.

Today, though, I offer my condolences that your grandmother status carries, or soon will, the long-distance modifier. I know how hard that is on you. I know because I am you — a long-distance grandma.

I've been a long-distance grandma a while, with hundreds of miles separating me from my sweet ones ever since the initial "You're going to be a grandma!" announcement nearly ten years ago. Considering the survival strategies I've learned the hard way...

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