Saturday, February 3, 2024

Long Distance Grandparenting

The first Saturday of February is Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. I can't remember if I heard about local celebrations of this year's event in print, on the local news, or social media, but last week there was a list of ice cream parlors and how they were celebrating.

Since I first learned about the day in 2010 I have celebrated sporadically (based on our last attempt in 2020 the lines were too long), but this year I came up with a fun way to involve the whole family.

All of the grands live halfway across the country in California. Hubby Tony and I rarely get a chance to spoil them, so I sent a text to the family group with an explanation of the day and asked if anyone was interested in a FaceTime ice cream breakfast. They were. Because of the time difference we decided on 9:30 am our time/7:30 am theirs.

Yesterday Tony and I went to the store and picked out our 'breakfast'. We decided on chocolate covered Greek yogurt bites and frozen cookie dough pieces.

There was no way I could wait until mid-morning for breakfast, so before my trip to the gym I had a bowl of oatmeal. We I got home I got out bowls for the ice cream and set up the tablet for the video call.

Son Brian was there first. We watched his boys (ages 7 and 4) get servings of ice cream and eat it with big smiles on their faces. I tried to engage them in conversation, but after finishing their treat they were more interested in tossing their stuffed animals around and filling the iPad screen with emojis and stickers. After they left the table I could hear them playing in the background. About then Son Tony came onto the call. His little ones (the oldest is 3) were too young to understand what we were doing but seemed to be enjoying their popsicles and showing off some of their artwork.

After all of the adults caught up we ended the call, because both young families had full Saturdays.

Five years ago today: Peppery And Pungent

24 comments:

  1. This is great and I wish I had known about this earlier. I will definitely be doing this with my grandkids (and any other excuse I can find to partake).

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I'm off to check out your little corner of the internet.

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  2. I think it should be a daily tradition.

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    1. My 20-something self would have agreed with you. My 60-something digestive system would have a fit.

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  3. That sounds like a fun idea! Linda in Kansas

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  4. What? I could have had ice cream for breakfast yesterday? How did I miss this? Looks like a fun time with you and your family!

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    1. Put the 'holiday' on your calendar for next year-the first Saturday in February :-)

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  5. sounds like a fun thing even if the grands are 17 and 21...next year!!

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  6. So funny! My grandkids are about the same ages and they do the SAME thing when we FaceTime!! In regard to the ice cream, what kid or adult wouldn't love it for breakfast. Fun activity long distance with the grandkids.

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    1. I expect that in a few years Son Tony's crew will be doing the FaceTime hijinks.

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  7. Facetime (or any video connection service) is fun. I only have one set of grandkids many states away. The others live in the general area but sometimes traffic or weather is such that facetime comes in handy.
    You don't need to wait for the national celebration day. I'm planning a visit soon to the grandkids out of state and while I'm there I hope to remember doing a ice cream for breakfast day. Thanks

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    1. You're welcome! I hope to read about your ice cream adventures

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  8. Ice cream any day and any time would please our grandchildren. Any time we see them, here or there, it's time for ice cream. It's not something their mother keeps in the house.

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    1. When the boys were young I bought ice cream by the gallon tub. Now I only buy it for special events.

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    2. I didn't mention, but I am not an ice cream fancier at all. I wouldn't have any in the freezer if not for Terry's love of it. Also, I buy lots when I know the kids are coming so there is always leftover ice cream for Terry to enjoy. We go out to some posh ice cream places when we are in the Bay Area and treat the kids, and Terry and Chad, to really good stuff. I just go along to pick up the tab and watch them all enjoy it.

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  9. Ice cream for breakfast. I like that idea.

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