If you have a great relationship with your parents, you probably want to share that connection with your children. Whether your parents live in town or across the country, building a strong relationship between your kids and their grandparents is beneficial for every generation involved. There are numerous ways to foster that connection and engage them in one another's lives, and you get to be the guiding hand in that process.

As the parent in the situation, you can facilitate this meaningful kinship and help your loving family relationships blossom even further. Even if your parents are older or live far away, you can do many things to strengthen the bond so it can last a lifetime. 

Visiting Often

One of the best and most effective ways to encourage connection from child to grandparent is to build a familiar relationship by socializing as often as possible. Visiting regularly and having a consistent relationship with their grandparents can make kids much happier throughout their lives. It exposes them to socialization with various age groups and builds a stronger family connection. 

If your parents live close by and are able, see if they'd like to babysit from time to time — or simply visit them as often as you can. If they live further away, you can visit for longer weekends or stay overnight to make up for the times you're apart. Build that trust within your family so spending time together feels natural and relaxed.

Using Technology

If your parents live far enough away that visiting regularly just isn't in the cards, you can always schedule digital communication to make up for the gap in social time. Some grandparents aren't technologically inclined, but taking a bit of time to explain the mechanics to them so they can connect directly with your kids is a fantastic way to facilitate a direct relationship. Video chats can feel much more personal than phone calls, and trying that method can be a part of exploring the relationship.

If your parents are in a nursing home or assisted living facility, there are plenty of ways to connect through those means, too. Technology is obviously still an option, with phone calls and video chat, but you can also teach your child the old ways. Many of those facilities have pen pal programs or other activities your child can jump in on. Teach your little one to write letters — it can be their special connection to their grandparent.

Opening Up Conversations

Grandparents often have a wealth of stories and life experiences, and it isn't hard to get kids in on the hype. When you're all together, encourage your parents to talk about something interesting. Ask them about their travels and adventures, even if you've already heard the stories a few times by now. They'll probably love telling them just as much as your kids will love listening. 

There's nothing quite like seeing your child light up when they realize their grandma or grandpa was once young and cool. And who knows — you could learn something new about them along the way.

Bringing Joy All Around

Introducing a fulfilling relationship into your kids' and parents' lives is sure to bring a newfound sense of lasting joy for everyone involved — yourself included. Raising kids with grandparents in their life offers them a larger support network of family and loved ones to rely on as they get older, and the same applies to your grandparents. As your parents get older, they'll treasure the newfound family support, especially in this new connection to the next generation.

Building those relationships can bring happiness and love you may not have expected before. You're bringing in more people to be there for your children and parents, and that's a beautiful thing.

Building a Family Unit

One of the great benefits of building intentional connections between your kids and their grandparents is the family bond that will inevitably intensify as a result of that growing relationship. Spending that quality time together — however you choose to do it — results in a fulfilling relationship for them, and it also involves you, of course! You're creating more of a family unit through these bonds, and it gets stronger every day.

Think of the family dinners, playful outings and fond memories you'll create among your loved ones. Your family can be big and ever-expanding, which casts a wide net for all kinds of amazing adventures. You'll all have someone to lean on and laugh with.

A Beautiful Future

It's never too early or too late to start building that family connection. Your kids can learn many things from a good relationship with their grandparents, and having your parents around can open up opportunities for fulfilling interactions and memories that last a lifetime.