“There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.” – There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.” – Henry Ward Beecher… I was a daddy’s girl when I was little. I loved going out fishing with him, although he still complains about all of the fish I let go. I remember that we’d always get those raspberry-filled powdered sugar donuts at 7-11 before we would head to the lake. It’s funny how those little things become such big memories. As I grew into the teen years, my relationship with my dad went through the usual challenges – He thought that as my parent, he was right. But as the teenager, I of course knew that I was right, lol. But now as an adult {ohmyheck, did I just admit that I’m officially an adult? } – and now that I’ve become a parent myself, my relationship with my father is much richer and fuller than ever. That’s why it hit me kind of hard last year when he made the decision to move to Seattle… It’s only a few hours away, but Abby is changing so quickly as she grows, and I hated for him to miss these precious years while she’s little. But – smart momma that I am, I knew there must be some type of solution. Something that would help us stay better connected. Some way for him to be able see Abby as she grows, and a way for Abby to get to know her Papa. I’m happy to announce that I have found the perfect solution to help our family stay close – and it’s so simple, it’ll work perfectly for anyone. Want to know what it is?….
“In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.” – Alex Haley
With Skype video chat, it’s super easy to connect with Papa a couple nights a week. And Abby LOVES it! She’ll come to my desk sometimes when I’m working, look up at the computer screen, and ask for Papa. She says, “Talk? Talk a Papa?? Pease?” Totally warms my heart. Because even though the drive to Seattle is only a few hours, with all of the crazy-business around here, we only get to visit him once every few months. At first, she would forget him in between visits… And it would take her a little while to warm up to him again when she would see him. But now she see’s him every week. She knows him. And I know it makes him just as happy as it makes us.
“To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” – Barbara Bush
We can’t always be close enough to put our arms around each other – but thanks to Skype, we can always be there. And it’s not just my dad that we chat with. With the group video calling feature, you can add up to 10 people into one fun chat. Only one of you has to have an upgraded Premium account, and that person simply invites everyone else to the call. And of course, each of you will need a webcam, so you can see each other. We love to get my dad’s sister on our calls – and sometimes my brother and his kids will jump in too! Do not underestimate what a fun party you can have together – even from far away. Moments like birthdays are more special with Skype – we bring Papa right up to the table, so he can help sing Happy Birthday, and watch the kiddos blow out their candles. He can be here to chat when one of the kids has a bad day. Or we can all just get together virtually to laugh and tell stories together – just like we do in real life. I cannot recommend this enough.
It’s time to say more and stay human. It’s time for Skype.
I also use Skype a ton for business. I’m a work from home mom, and the majority of my contacts and partners are in other states – sometimes even other countries. Email works great for connecting with people, phone calls are perfect for clarifying details, but to really brainstorm new projects – talking face to face on Skype is the way to go! I’ll share a few tips on how I make Skype work for my business with you soon. Until then, I want to know…
How do you stay connected to loved ones who are far away? Share in the comments!
{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Skype via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Skype.}
, {have it, love it, use it all the time!} or choose compostable: sugar cane, fallen palm leaves, and corn are some of the most popular materials. For the past couple of parties I used these great compostable party plates, cups, and utensils – and I was blown away by how sturdy they are. Super cool green geniuses to come up with this stuff.
lined with Glad Bags {they now have less plastic, and more stretch – meaning you can stuff more into them and have less waste} to make it super simple for guests to toss their cans, glass bottles, and regular trash.
