Plus, ways to keep positive; calming music; WFH forever?
|  | Sunday, May 10, 2020 | | | | |
 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSE LUIS PELAEZ INC., GETTY IMAGES | | By Rachel Buchholz, KIDS AND FAMILY Editor in Chief
Later this afternoon I will call my mom—responsibly social distancing herself with my father 500 miles away—to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day. We’ll fumble around with FaceTime for about 10 minutes until everyone manages to show up on-screen. Maybe I’ll see what new birds have descended upon her yard, or on which wall she’s hung her latest photograph. I’ll probably say hello to Buster the dog while Moses the cat ignores me.
Like lots of families, ours has been separated by vast distances for many years, relying on phone calls to stay updated and holidays to remind each other what we actually look like. But now with technology—and the overwhelming need to see that my parents are doing OK during the pandemic—my far-flung family seems closer than ever.
It got me thinking about the other mother in my life—my grandmother—and how our relationship might’ve been closer if we’d had the technology that grandkids have today. Maybe I would’ve learned more about life skills such as resiliency and self-sufficiency, which she needed during and after World War II. Maybe I would’ve gained insight into those perspectives that come only with age and experience. Or maybe I just would’ve heard more embarrassing stories about my father.
As more older adults find themselves isolated because of the pandemic, a grandkid’s relationship with grandparents is crucial, writes Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh in a Nat Geo article about fostering relationships between the generations. Sure, it’s beneficial for the adults. But it can also help develop communication skills as well as empathy in children. “For young people, it’s about understanding, being able to compare and learn—and feel some comfort,” says senior care expert Jenna Hauss, who gives activity ideas on how the generations can maintain closeness even while social distancing.
Perhaps this Mother’s Day, as we celebrate all the moms in our lives, we can figure out ways to use this weird time to bring everyone closer together. Even if that means spending a little extra time figuring out a video chat.
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 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY 1001SLIDE, ISTOCK | | Wild moms for the win. Even if a mom has four legs, a tail, or supersharp teeth, she’s usually got one goal: protecting her babies. Humpback whales push their calves to the surface to breathe. Croc mommas carry their newborns in their mouths. (Yikes!) And all the related females in an elephant herd pitch in to keep the youngsters safe. These stories from Amazing Moms: Love and Lessons From the Animal Kingdom might just remind your family of someone this Mother’s Day. (And not that your kids need any reminding about how awesome moms are, but We Love Babies! is a cute picture book just for children about animal mothers and their young.)
Thinking about elders: She learned about the stars from her grandfather. He’d often drop by for lunch. Twelve-year-old Tilly Breimhorst talked to an audience of millions of people to personalize the passing of one of tens of thousands of older Americans taken in this pandemic season. You decide whether this tender episode of The Daily podcast is for the whole family, but it made us decide the seize the day and reach out to older members of our families.
Family discussion: Last week, we asked Nat Geo readers about their stories of resilience. We were wondering if your family stories on transcending hardship, passed down by the generations, have been helpful these days—or if your family has developed new examples. Let us know! Here’s advice—don’t rush, check on your neighbors, know you have something to offer—from a few WWII Rosie the Riveters.
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 | | PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK DAVID, GETTY IMAGES | |
Come on, get happy: Keeping children positive starts with something parents might have a hard time doing these days: staying positive themselves. “Kids feed off what they see,” says psychiatrist Ashok Shimoji-Krishan in a Nat Geo article about maintaining positivity in kids. “If parents can’t keep themselves calm, they’re going to struggle with calming anyone else down.” But it’s worth it. Staying positive promotes more positivity, which helps kids’ brains function better. And simple techniques like practicing gratitude and breathing exercises can help kids—and probably parents—stay in a good mental frame of mind.
‘Do not get stuck in your pajamas all day!’ That’s one of five quarantine survival tips in this short video from four-time Olympic gold medalist Sonya Richards-Ross. The other four? 1) Find time even for the most modest of workouts; 2) Feed the family efficiently; 3) Invest in relationships, and kids will pick up on the interest you show; and 4) Shower mom and grandma with love.
Stay calm and carry on: Spotify says people are searching for “calm” and “instrumental” in their playlists, songs, and podcasts. Here are two quick suggestions: From YouTube, almost anything from the Landa Conservatory, starting with “Soft Rain as Dusk Approaches.” And this uplifting video from the Paris Opera Ballet. Let us know if you have a playlist or go-to song that helps you or your family.
WFH forever? No commute. No dress-up. For some people, working from home is a good thing. And it’s not just the introverts. A Gallup poll says most American adults WFH would want to keep doing so as much as possible after offices re-open, the New York Times reports. “I don’t miss it at all,” says Jacquie Benetua-Rolens, now working at home with her 2-year-old son. “I don’t want to go back to that, even though my house is filthy.” | | | |
| TRY THIS: BOREDOM BUSTERS FOR KIDS | |
| Keeping kids’ brains active: Friday is Endangered Species Day. Just for fun, have children take a personality quiz to see which threatened animal they’re most like, then empower them to help protect animals by showing them Nat Geo Kids’ Mission: Animal Rescue video series. Kids can learn all about their favorite endangered critters on our Animals hub, plus get tons of tips to save them. Or watch real Nat Geo explorers in action as they work to study our world in order to protect it. (Kids can get real themselves with this crazy-foamy sand that they can squish into anything.)
A last-minute idea: How about a singalong? There’s a Disney singalong tonight on ABC at 8 p.m. eastern (7 p.m. central)—and we’re guessing The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata” will be in the mix.
Looking for more learning? If you’re trying to keep children educated and engaged while you’re at kinda sorta homeschooling, check out NatGeo@Home’s ideas. This week, we’ll have an activity to make invisible ink, a musical personality quiz, a make-it-yourself bird feeder, and an article about decoding your child’s dreams. Check back every day for new stuff.
And thanks ... for a bushel of responses when we asked if you are growing food at home. Yes to lettuce in five-gallon buckets in the basement, to Lebanese cucumber (in Lebanon!), to sprouts. Yes to transplanting potatoes and onions that sprouted in cupboards, and even growing a tiny apple tree from seeds, reports Laura Florence, who got help from her 8-year-old son. Enjoy!
This newsletter was edited and curated by David Beard and Rachel Buchholz. Let us know if you have any ideas on maintaining positive relationships between grandkids and grandparents. Have a healthy and a sane (as possible) week ahead! | | | |
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