Using email to stay in close contact with your family

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Using email is my favourite way to stay in contact with my family and grandchildren. I love the way it is instant when you need it to be, but also non-invasive, in that they can read your emails whenever they want to. They are not tied down to a certain day and time as they are with phoning. I would still recommend sending an email at least once a week.

Email can be used for serious letters, cheer-up letters, fun stuff such as jokes and riddles, even games.You can send favourite recipes, URLs of interesting web sites and so much more.

If your far-away family has a scanner, they can scan some of your grandchildrens' drawings, or schoolwork that they are proud of, and share it with you.

Using email to send digital photos is a snap, and even conventional photos can be scanned and sent. You can almost feel you are there with them at Halloween when they are all dressed up, or at their birthday parties.

Another way of contacting your grandchildren is with ecards. While I think that important occasions should be marked with real cards, ecards can be fun any time of year. This Halloween I sent both my grandchildren ecards. One had a scary haunted house with ghosts, bats,zombies and witches popping out of doors as you clicked on them. The other was a game, shooting ghosts with arrows! (I know, I'm not fond of shoot-em-up games either, but this was pure fantasy and pretty innocuous). There are ecards for just about any occasion, some free, others have a small fee.

I recently bought myself a little video camera, a PureDigital Flip Camcorder. I love it. It is small enough to carry in your pocket or purse and just about foolproof. Mine records for half an hour, but one-hour models are available and still very inexpensive. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) My grandson loves animals, so when the raccoons come calling, or we have deer in our back yard, I video them, download onto my computer, and send him a copy.

I have not yet tried the internet phone Skype, or used a video camera on my computer for face to face contact. I would love to hear from any of you who do, how it works and the ways you use it.

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