Single families need to stay-in-touch. It is important for children and parents. Ways for non-custody parent to stay connected with his/her child. Kids love it. Single parents love it, too!

  Single Parents:
Here are some excellent ways to get back in touch. Then when children arrive, you won't have those awkward getting-to-know-you days again.

Get Back In Touch...
By SOLO Staff

Vacation time is upon us. You have not seen your children since their last vacation. Or maybe they have been at mom's or dad's for a while. Despite all good intentions, you feel you have drifted away.

Here are some excellent ways to get back in touch. Then when children arrive, you won't have those awkward getting-to-know-you days again.

Set a goal to keep in touch with your children at least three or four times a week until they arrive at your home. This will cut that "warming up" time and make you and your children feel loved.

Suggestions

1. Make a collage of pictures of various family outings and memories. Concentrate on recent memories, those times that were really happy for you as a family.

Suggestions for ways to keep in touch for  the non-custody single parents.

2. If your child does not have his/her own email, set up one with a free email provider.

It does not take 30 seconds to send some short and sweet email everyday.

Do it! No child can feel too much love and attention.

3. Even if your children do not have access to email, postcards are an excellent way to keep in touch.

Acquire a stack of postcards suitable for the age and interest of each child. You can buy these or design and print them using your computer.

Pre-address and stamp them. Then drop one in the mail every two or three days.

If you have more than one child, stagger the mailing times but keep it even and fair, of course.

Start a sentence with 'Do you remember,' then tell something new about that person, place, or thing.

5. Send pictures of yourself or your parents at the same age as your child. Remember to add something the two had in common. He/she will love it.

6. Make up a code, suitable for each child's abilities. Write a short note in code, then mail/email the note with the code. The most obvious code is a=1, b=2, c=3, etc.

7. Remember, although most of this can be done through email, there is some excitement about 'real' mail, too. Intersperse the two.

Set the stage for a fun vacation by keeping in touch now!