How do you stay connected to extended family?

Maybe you grew up with all of your extended family nearby or maybe they are scattered all over the country. The ease staying connected can be influenced by proximity, but it can also be influenced by effort - and technology. Ashley is the only lucky duck among us with all of her family in the same town - (for most of the year) and she shares how special that is! To contrast, with family in other states, hear how the shared album, voice messages, digital frames, holiday trips, facetimes and a whole host of other ideas keep us connected around the country.

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

Honestly, we’re really lucky when it comes to this!

Most of our family lives within about five miles of each other—my parents, siblings, in-laws—it’s all right here. So staying connected doesn’t feel like something we have to work hard at, it just naturally happens because of proximity.

The kids are growing up together, which is really special. In the summer, we can literally walk from our beach to my parents’ beach and spend the day together—boating, sitting in beach chairs, or just hanging out. My kids can bike to my parents’ house with their friends, and my mom loves baking with them or taking them out on paddle boards and kayaks.

My in-laws are also a huge part of our day-to-day life. They built an ADU at my sister-in-law’s house, so when they’re back in town, they’re close by and super involved. My mother-in-law was a preschool teacher for 30 years, so she’s amazing with the kids—crafts, games, all of it. And my father-in-law helps a ton with driving to practices and games. They truly are part of our village.

When my parents head to Florida for the winter or my in-laws are traveling in their RV, we stay connected with simple phone calls or check-ins. Nothing fancy—just enough to stay in touch while respecting that they’re enjoying their time away.

We spend most holidays together and rotate who hosts, which keeps things fair and fun. My siblings and I are close too—we’re always sending each other memes or quick messages, which honestly counts as connection these days.

We all grew up here, and now we’re raising our kids in the same small town between Boston and the Cape. It’s not lost on me how special that is—that our kids get to grow up surrounded by family, just like we did!

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Growing up, I never lived near family. Fast forward to now, and it is the same case, no family near us or even in the same state. So staying connected has been hard. We are very thankful for technology that allows us to share our lives easier than how I grew up.

The number one way we stay connected is through shared picture albums on our iPhones. Although we don’t use them as consistently now as we used to when the kids were really little, we still create them for vacations and other events that we want grandparents to see.

Other than the obvious methods like group texts, social media, and facetiming; a couple years ago our family purchased a digital picture frame for my grandpa. We all downloaded the app and can send pictures to it as much as we want.

My favorite way to stay connected with my out of state friends is through the app Marco Polo. I literally talk to my college and childhood friends daily through this app. It has been amazing. We talk all day, everyday. Probably my top 5 fave apps ever because it brings me so much joy.

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

We’ve been living away from family since 2015, when we moved for my husband’s job, so staying connected is something we’ve really had to be intentional about. One of the best things technology has given us is FaceTime! I didn’t grow up around extended family, and I remember how hard it felt to stay connected—talking on the phone as a kid just wasn’t the same. Even though we visited every summer, the connection still felt a little limited.

Now, my kids get to regularly see and talk to their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins through FaceTime, which has been such a gift. We also try to plan at least one big family vacation each year so everyone can be together in person.

Traveling during the holidays can be tricky with young kids. Christmas has always been a “home holiday” for us—I love the magic of being in our own space, but our door is always open to family. Thanksgiving tends to be a bit easier for us to travel and spend time together.

I’ve also been so fortunate to still have most of my grandparents, and one of my favorite ways to help my kids stay connected with their great-grandparents is by mailing cards with printed photos.

Overall, I’m just really grateful for the ways technology helps us stay in constant communication, even when miles separate us.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

Our extended family lives all across the country - from Boston to San Francisco. Could that be considered from sea to shinning sea?? Staying connected is a challenge and we definitely could do more, but we've found a few things that are helpful.

For each birthday, we try our best to connect. Usually on Facetime, it is fun to "see" someone on their special day. And, for special birthdays, we try to get together. Last summer, my mom turned 80 and we surprised her twice - once on her actual birthday and then also with a summer trip to get everyone together again! My brothers, sister-in-law and nieces live in Colorado (we live in Illinois), so this was quite a feat. I don't think I've ever seen my mom more excited and those memories sure are special.

Shared vacations are another way we try to stay connected. Whether it is in Captiva, Florida or Stone Harbor, New Jersey, when we can get 10 grandkids together on a beach, there is some magic there. In addition to seeing each other for a holiday, this time is gold.

Lastly, my mom and mother-in-law have digital picture frames. All "the kids" can send pictures to them and they just pop up on the screens in their kitchens. As I type this, I realize that sending pictures is something I could do more often!

Jen, Bespoke Travel Planner from @GlobalOnDemandTravel

Staying connected to extended family takes intention, especially when you don’t live nearby. My entire side of the family lives in Michigan, but we make the effort and, as a result, my kids are incredibly close with them despite the distance. We travel there once or twice a year, and my parents come to visit about every eight weeks, often staying with the kids while we travel. My dad keeps all the kids’ sports apps and our Skylight calendar on his phone, so he always knows their schedules, can jump in to help seamlessly when he’s in town, and even watches their Veo live-streamed soccer games projected onto their TV.

Heated rivalries help keep things fun too. My nieces, brother, and parents recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit us when Duke Blue Devils men's basketball played Michigan Wolverines men's basketball nearby, turning a big game into a full family reunion.

We also prioritize traveling together whenever we can, with recent trips including cruises as well as adventures to Hawaii, Norway, and Greece.

Every summer my aunt comes for “Camp Nanny B,” filling the days with activities, traditions, and memories the kids look forward to all year.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

My husband’s family has a group chat with some extended family, and it is a fun way to just send silly stuff, birthday wishes, and updates. My niece shared her family photo album with us on Apple Photos so I can see her baby (now 18 months old) as he grows.

Now that my kids are older, they text my parents, send photos, and give updates directly. It takes some of the pressure off of me and helps them build their own relationship with family far away.

My sister and I are constantly sending reels and memes back and forth on Instagram, but we also leave 5-10-minute voice memos for each other almost daily. It feels more personal than text, but allows for our very different schedules when phone calls are hard.

Since my children prefer not to have me post their photos on social media, I choose selectively, ask permission, and then post occasionally for extended family members whom I don’t text regularly.

I still mail their school photos to older family members. They love getting the note in the mail with a quick update and school or sports photos. I’ve started purchasing their photos as magnets so they can be put right on the fridge!

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How do you stay connected to extended family?