Home. That’s a place that really makes you think once you’ve moved a great distance from where you grew up. The routines you have every day become so much more.
Sometimes, without even realising it, you automatically work out the time difference, wondering if it’s too late to send a message or even too early for a call.
Like when you are lying in bed in the middle of the night, suddenly realizing that everyone back home is sleeping.
For many people in the global diaspora, maintaining strong family bonds across continents is an ongoing effort that takes thought, patience, and the right tools.
I have several family members who are based in India. Although I have moved to several countries since leaving for University, they are always happy to hear from me, and we remain extremely close.
For many of us who have left home for University, work, etc, it is not always easy to keep up with relatives, but it is something that we all try to do to the best of our ability.
How do others manage to keep up with relatives who live in other parts of the world? I would love to hear from people with scenarios different from mine.
Here are some simple strategies to help you bridge the distance between yourself and your family and keep your family bond strong, supportive, and active.
Jump to:
Establish Predictable Communication Routines
Life can get really hectic, and before you know it, weeks can turn into months with no chance to catch up on some much-needed family time.
Establishing a routine for communication is the easiest way to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
There are many occasions throughout the week where scheduling family video calls can be easy to forget about, usually because of other commitments or because life gets too busy.
The easiest way to prevent weeks from passing without speaking to your family and having a proper conversation is to establish a clear and consistent communication routine: a fixed time to speak each week.
While it is great to have formal video calls from time to time, daily quick touch points help keep the family grounded. As said before, these can be simple voice notes, text messages, sharing photos, etc. They really help to keep the family close.
Small moments matter most.
Before we share ways in which to support your family responsibilities from afar, it is worth noting that sharing updates about your daily life is also a good way to support your family responsibilities from afar.
This way, your family can see what you are up to and know that you are living your best life. We call these updates ‘routine updates’, as they form part of your daily routine.
Support Family Responsibilities from Afar
This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there is no confusion about what needs to be done. Also, being far away does not have to mean being helpless.
You can, for example, support your family in their daily lives and help manage the household and plan for shared family goals.
In addition to handling and contributing to various household tasks and goals, learning how to send money to India quickly and securely is an easy way to support family members and households abroad.
It is very common for people to send money abroad for various reasons, including payments for items or services purchased online or contributions for special events and occasions, such as when a family member is ill and needs expensive treatment.
It is also often used for contributions to special events, such as weddings, and to support relatives who are in need.
Many people don’t realise that there are fast, secure, and low-cost ways to send money abroad.
Services that enable fast money transfers to India offer excellent value and are easy to use, enabling users to make and manage payments with confidence.
Having smooth and reliable digital money transfer solutions in place is essential for removing stress and allowing family members to focus on the more personal aspects of supporting each other.
In addition to managing and supporting family responsibilities, as a family member living abroad, it is also important to keep track of all major decisions that affect the household and support with organization and research online as needed.
For example, helping organize and order online groceries for elderly relatives living locally, research online for medical issues, etc.
Share Experiences in Real Time
Instead of normal video calls and reading each other's updates about what’s happened during the week, find some activities to do and experiences to have together that can be shared virtually.
Video calls aren’t just about speaking to each other in real time. They can be so much more than that.
For example, watch a movie together on an audio call. Read a book together. Even try cooking a meal together over the internet on a Saturday afternoon and follow a recipe together.
Cooking together changes everything. Cooking a meal is a great way to get family members involved and share some of the duties.
It also helps create memories and allows for sharing family recipes with future generations.
Make sure to get involved in all the various stages of cooking a meal and to be willing to make mistakes along the way.
Don’t worry too much if your dish doesn’t turn out to be the best. The fact that you were involved and had fun making the dish is what truly matters.
Also, celebrate your traditional festivals together. With modern technology at our disposal, the way you celebrate festivals will surely change. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to celebrate them together.
Plan ahead of time, send out packages in advance, and then celebrate together via video conferencing calls.
Even wear your home outfits and have a family photo shoot via video conferencing calls.
Create a Shared Digital Space for Photos and Memories
Family members will use a dedicated digital space to upload photos & videos of important family moments and memories, as and when possible.
By sharing photos, a Family can create memories and share them instantly with all other members.
This creates a big archive of Family photos, which will be used to recollect the memories of the past and also to create new ones.
Grandparents can see the latest photos of their grandchildren; relatives living overseas can see and relive the moments of Family gatherings back home.
In short, a shared Family space for memories is a big space for feelings! It makes you feel that you belong to something bigger than yourself.
Plan Meaningful Visits Home
While digital communication keeps daily life connected, nothing replaces face-to-face time.
So instead of rushing from one sight to the next and running errands, fill your days at home with family. Plan to have dedicated days to sit at home, talk, and be with your family.
It’s better to have quality time rather than a busy schedule while you are back at home. Instead of running around to complete all the local errands and travelling all day long, pick a few days and sit back at home.
Share a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, go for a walk in the neighbourhood, or help with chores around the house.
These simple moments can create the most profound feeling of connection and reenergize your relationships.
So while you are in another country, do not let the distance weaken family ties.
Build routines of support for your family in India, and experiences that you all can enjoy. Life is unpredictable, and it takes us to places we never thought we would end up.
Leave a Reply