Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

I'm going to try to ' virtually' babysit my grandaughter.

57 replies

Shosha1 · 19/03/2020 05:41

My DDIL will be working from home and 3 year old DGD will be off nursery next week. Have come up with the idea, when DDIL needs to take calls or cant be distracted , to facetime DGD.
I'm going to set up laptop to do it. She has a tablet.
Have thought if reading books that I have here for her and singing.
What else could I do to keep her entertained?

OP posts:
ProfYaffle · 19/03/2020 06:43

I have a friend whose Mum lives abroad and she does this with her grandchildren regularly. They sing and talk, as a bonus the kids are bi-lingual and get to chat with another native speaker.

Honeywort · 19/03/2020 06:46

That is so lovely - thank you op for bringing a smile to my face in these grim days xx

SunshineCake · 19/03/2020 06:48

I tried this - a 3 yo is not going to pay attention that long on a device unfortunately. Your DD should make sure she’s in the room to supervise

There is always one Hmm.

Spinakker · 19/03/2020 06:49

Play a musical instrument ? I'm going to be asking my dad to give my son virtual guitar lessons !

RosieLancs · 19/03/2020 06:52

My parents live in Spain and my Mum has offered to do this with my 10 year old twins, I think they will love it!!

Flipreverseit · 19/03/2020 06:52

That’s a lovely idea. My 2 love FaceTiming their grandparents although they tend to take the phone round the house showing them things which makes the person on the other end feel a bit dizzy!

Solasum · 19/03/2020 06:54

Your DGC may be a little too young, but with a slightly older child you could take it in turns to add a line to a story, and see where it takes you

Original poster
Shosha1 · 19/03/2020 06:55

@GrumpyHoonMain DGD often uses facetime. Her other Grandma lives abroad and theh gave communicated this way all her life.
Some 3 teaf kids are more than capable.

OP posts:
DobbyTheHouseElk · 19/03/2020 06:56

How lovely. I will definitely do more FaceTime with my dc and the gps. They will be self isolating too.

Stuckforthefourthtime · 19/03/2020 06:57

We do this with my family! Now with 4 DC's we've worked out a good process... It helps to:
-. have parents there at least the first few times to keep focus

  • From time #1 set some traditions - sing a song together for example, or show craft you've been working on
  • not too many questions! Best to do more show and telling, as they lose focus and interest quickly if asked questions at this age, better for you to say things and leave open pauses, which gives them space to share their own stories as you spur thoughts
  • snack part way through can help - we have a tradition where after some songs in our native language and some talking, each child gets a biscuit from our home country and my mum eats one too, it keeps them sat down if the little ones lose focus Smile
  • lastly, assume that at some point the three year old will hang up on you as an experiment, likely a few times in a row, and don't take it personally!Wink
Good luck!
Fluffymulletstyle · 19/03/2020 06:59

This is lovely op, I will suggest it to my mum and in laws. Love will find a way. Maybe one positive to come out of this is that we will understand the importance if family and friends x

nagynolonger · 19/03/2020 07:00

I've got to do this with one of my families as of this weekend.

They are older, seven year old twin girls. I intend to read stories and will sort some photos of them when they were younger and chat about those. Also some older ones of me and grandad and daddy when he was little. Maybe we could go back a bit futher and make a simple family tree.

Original poster
Shosha1 · 19/03/2020 07:01

@stuckforthefourthtime brilliant ideas thank you. Especially snack time. I'm a retired CM, so am wrecking my brains for thing.

Thought about taking it outside into the garden and taking her in a bear hunt.

OP posts:
wifidatateens · 19/03/2020 07:02

My mother has been doing this successfully every day since her grandchild was born 5 years ago despite the time difference as living the other side of the world. It has enabled the child to learn English despite having a mother who doesn't do so. They have never met in real life so it will be easier in this situation without the time difference and when the grandchildren already know their grandparents. You can play board games too. It is very possible. Good luck.

Avebury · 19/03/2020 07:02

What about playing the memory game? 5/10 things on a tray and she has to guess which one you have taken away. She can do the same for you.

SavoyCabbage · 19/03/2020 07:03

We lived abroad when my dc were little and my dc used to FaceTime their cousins for hours on end. Sometimes saying nothing much at all, just having companionable silence. They even used to play games together like UNO which didn't even work properly but it didn't seem to bother them.

I remember listening to my nephew do his reading and then he tried to hand me his reading record to sign for school.

nagynolonger · 19/03/2020 07:08

I will be using a tv portal. We could do a treasure hunt in our gardens and then do a show and tell on the tv. Maybe that will have to wait until the garden dries up a bit. I will get DS to get the girls some seeds and compost. Grandad and the girls could set seeds and watch things grow.

Letsnotusemyname · 19/03/2020 07:09

Brilliant idea.

Well worth a try..

YangShanPo · 19/03/2020 07:11

3 year olds normally have to be forcibly removed from their devices so I am sure they can be used this way. Obviously if dgd did wander off your dd would need to be aware.

How about playing Hunt the Thimble by getting your dd to hide a few things in advance and then dgd has to find them and you provide clues or say warmer and colder. Dgd will never know how you hid them!

dimotikopp · 19/03/2020 07:12

We just held a cyber party for my son last night-sweet sixteen and he couldn't have his mates round (and they are all busy doing stuff with their families now anyway-so we Skyped in grandparents,aunties and uncles to sing happy birthday and watch him blow out his candles-it was lovely!

YesIDoLoveCrisps · 19/03/2020 07:18

Do Karaoke. Or watch a film like Frozen on your tv that you can out subtitles on and she can sing along (even if she knows the words or not). It’s bound to end in disaster but it will be funny Smile

Crackerofdoom · 19/03/2020 07:21

We are doing that here in austria where we are in lockdown. DM is listening to our kids read etc. But we are also working with a friend's daughter who is an only child. Yesterday we all got playdough out and made stuff together whilst my friend's daughter did the same at her house and joined on skype.

If you both have duplo or play figures which you can play together or drawing so she can show you what she is doing it is great.

For those with older kids, google the Granny cloud. There have been experiments showing how positive the impact of an adult can be just by offering a neutral sounding board for kids learning

FizzyLimes · 19/03/2020 07:29

I’ve seen on the internet, people playing the same version of games, eg connect 4.
How lovely for you to spend quality time with your dgd.

Thescrewinthetuna · 19/03/2020 07:30

I think this is so adorable, your a gem OP

Thescrewinthetuna · 19/03/2020 07:30

You’re*

Swipe left for the next trending thread