In these uncertain times, many families are taking comfort in talking to family and friends through various platforms like Facetime or Zoom. It is amazing what we can do nowadays with technology. Your family might be in another country, but you can easily use your phone to chat with them. This is something that our family has been doing regularly for the past three years. Since our eldest was a baby, we have been talking via video with her grandparents: in English with Gramma, in Spanish with Abuelo. The result of doing this regularly over many months resulted in having our daughter recognize her grandparents when they came to visit for the first time and to establish a strong relationship with them, even though they are far away.
It can be hard to have a “conversation” with an 18 month old over a Facetime call. However there are a few things you can do to make your call more successful:
1. Make it short but frequent. The call doesn't have to last hours. You can engage with your family member for 10 to 15 min. It’s the frequency of calls that will help your child to start recognizing Abuela or Tia.
2. Choose a song or rhyme. Have your family members choose a song they like in Spanish, and have them sing that song everytime they call. This will allow for recognition from your child that when Abuela calls, we sing this particular song. It can also be a short story or rhyme.
3. Tell your family member to be patient. Kids have good days and bad days. Some days they are engaged and want to interact, other days they do not. It’s important for your family member to know that it is not personal and that the most important thing is to continue to call frequently to continue to establish that relationship in Spanish.
I hope you found these tips helpful !
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