This giveaway is sponsored by Tommee Tippee. Thanks, Tommee Tippee!
Technology has been so important in my parenting. I love that I can email my doctor in the middle of the night. I love that I can get recommendations on things like rashes by doing a quick google search. But mostly, I love that it allows my other mom-friends to be actively in my life.
The support of my mom friends has been invaluable. Besides my dear local friends, I’ve joined many different online support groups for pregnancies, prematurity, etc, and I’ve made lifelong friendships. The problem with online friendships is we are often spread throughout the country, making in-person get-togethers a near impossibility. That’s hard, because we want to spend time with each other, and since our kids are the same age, we want them to play together.
To get around the miles between us, some of us have started having what we call, “21st Century Playdates.” We grab our computers and our kids and have a Google Hangout/Skype Video chat. The kids are totally mesmerized at first:
But eventually, they start playing with toys, babbling at each other, snacking, and doing normal kid things. On our last playdate, one kid would bring a toy to the camera, and then the other kids would grab similar toys. We all seem to have an Olaf toy in our house!
As the kids play, we moms are able to get some chatting in, but we also get the added bonus of seeing our friends’ kids in action in a way that texted still photos just can’t cut.
And while it will never beat being able to hug each other in person, this is a great solution for us!
This is my final post and giveaway for Tommee Tippee! I’ve really enjoyed being able to give product out to so many of you! For this last giveaway, we decided to do a big Grand Prize Pack that will be tailored to the winner’s child. So if you have a baby, Tommee Tippee will send bottles, soothers, etc.
If you have a toddler, bibs and other feeding products!
To enter, just leave a comment telling me how you manage to get time with your friends near and far! Winner will be chosen by Random.org. Contest open to entries from the US and Canada. Contest closes on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at noon.
Good luck!!
UPDATE:
We have a winner!
Congrats to Rach! Look for an email from me!
Thanks to everyone who entered!
Jessica says:
Skyping and road trips!
Julie says:
We skype and road trip with cousins and grandparents. For time with friends kids we host big ole playdates at each others houses about every 3 months. It’s all about us having time to chat and catch up with each other just as much as it is wrangling all the littles while they are playing.
Liz says:
Road trips and daily photo updates.
Shannon D says:
Facetime for sure. I’ve also found it really helps to be intentional and plan a time, not just assume it will happen.
lisa says:
Road trips, Skype, hangouts
Lori says:
FaceTime!
JennS says:
We use FaceTime to keep in touch with friends and family.
Heather Phillips says:
We text pics to each other but we should FaceTime more!
Joanne M. says:
I do “roommate dates” with my college roommates )and now spouses and kids) every 4 to 6 months. We make the drive to a relatively central location. In the meantime, we have a roommate Facebook page/group to keep keep us up to date with each other!
livivua says:
I have great inlaws who love their grandchildren so all I have to do is ask for some alone time
Alane says:
I was able to squeeze in a coffee date with some mom friends today. We had to schedule it around nursing schedules and naps, but it was certainly worth it! I get to see them with their kids often, but sometimes it’s nice to have adult-only time!
Angela says:
FaceTime, and having a years mat leave in canada helped give me lots of time for play dates. Now that my child is one and we’re all going back to work it’s going to be harder for sure!
Carla says:
I have a horrible time staying in touch, but I just had a playdate with a cousin today!
C says:
We’re expecting baby #1 this summer and trying to get all of the grandparents on FaceTime! We’re at 50% so far…
Jess says:
We are big fans of scheduling way in advance and then sticking to it religiously! You’ve got to nurture those relationships – they are so important!
Teresa says:
I try to talk on the phone and text with friends.
Kristin says:
Weekly skype dates with family all across Canada. It let’s my inlaws see my son regularly even though they live far away and can only see him in person a couple of times a year.
Bianca Munoz says:
We try to get together on important dates no matter what. PLaydates, birthdays, phone, computer, skype. We try! Thanks for the chance!
Monica P. says:
We like to Skype and FaceTime a lot!
Sharon says:
Well, we don’t, really. A little texting, a little phone time. Mostly we wait for the few and far between in person visits.
paige jagan says:
We moved about 3 hours away from my best friend (and her kids are my kids best friends) about 9 months ago. We meet halfway, Skype and chat on the phone daily!
Michelle says:
Texting and Facebook. In person when we can!
sarah says:
private FB groups and instagram accounts!
Lori says:
Skype/FaceTime…without them, some friends would never have the chance to meet my daughter!
Erin says:
Skype for family, but my friends from high school (a group of ~12) created a secret FB page, so we’ll get some good conversations going there, too.
Shana says:
FaceTime is the best thing ever. My grandfather and uncle (who are both very sick and live far away) have “seen” my 3-month-old.
Ali says:
With a husband who’s at sea often, the best way we stay in touch is with FaceTime! Emails can’t convey the way our daughter’s smile looks exactly like his, or the way she sticks her tongue out when deep in thought, just like her grandfather. Being a parent in this day and age is awesome. We can connect in so many new ways that our parents never even dreamed of.
tara says:
We have a lot of get-togethers at our house. I keep up with my out of state friends through facebook. It’s so hard to keep up with everyone!
Jody Munn says:
Nights out and Facebook!
Diana says:
I love to connect with my girlfriends, but love to do so without the chaos of kids, so I send my daughter to grandma’s. It’s really a win for everyone – I recharge with some adult time, Grandma gets her snuggles in and my daughter learns that they’re are many people who love her.
Mel J. says:
Skype and road trips.
Allison says:
Most of my family is in the Philippines. To keep up with each others lives, we facebook, facetime, skype and viber! I love new technology!
Kelly says:
Facebook and trying to get together as frequently as possible.
Allison M. says:
Luckily we still live in the same town we grew up in and so do the friends I still have contact with. So play dates and trips to the park are how we stay connected!
Rie says:
My best friend is an Army wife. I don’t see her nearly enough. We send photos, text constantly and do Skype playdates as well! Our kiddos love talking to each other and showing each other their toys.
alaine says:
I skype often with family and friends from far away!
Liz says:
We live in China and rely on FaceTime, Skype and GoogleChat. Our daughter knows how use the iPod to call grandma and grandpa. And when one program isn’t working, she knows to tell us to try another one!
Emily says:
I mostly use Facebook and FaceTime to keep in touch as all my nieces and nephews are far away
Robin says:
Road trips, texting with lots of pics and videos, emails, phone calls, fb messenger.
Jenny says:
Facetime with friends far away and with local friends we meet up at the zoo or children’s museum.
Rach says:
Mine has something to do with analog clocks, young children who can’t tell time, and early bedtime.
Rach says:
and then I call my friends! Voxer, too. aaaaaand I just replied to myself.
Emily says:
We try to face time with far-away friends and their kids. We also have a photo stream where we add a few pics a month and share with our group of friends, so we can see little snippets of each other’s lives!
Tracy says:
We Skype quite a bit, and I also keep up a private blog with picture/video updates for family and friends.
Katie Dambach says:
It is so hard but definitely worth keeping friendships alive after having children. We try to FaceTime with Escher other and get together for play dates on days off of work!
Sarah a says:
Hide and go seek on FaceTime with Grammy!
Jesabes says:
Mom’s nights out and Twitter!
Julia says:
We use Skype to stay in touch with friends that are far away. With local friends we meet for playdates at the park or go to children’s museum etc.
My Linh says:
FaceTime and I like to do it old school with the regular old post office. Sending letters and cards do make a lot of people happy! I love when I get cards in the mail!
Laura says:
Facetime is gold with long distance friendships
Karen says:
Facebook chats and a live get-together every other year!
Maureen says:
Facetime
Cat says:
Oh yes, FaceTime is essential; group texting with pics too.