Maintaining Connections in a Digital Age
- jessicaaqian
- Oct 10, 2024
- 2 min read
How do you remain connected to your parents in a fast-paced environment?
Technology's double-edge

Separation from our parents is inevitable. Be it moving out and getting our own apartment to start our own families, going away to an overseas college, staying on campus, or even going on student exchange programmes abroad. Whilst we might be separated by distance or timezone, it is essential to maintain contact with our families and loved ones. With today’s technology, keeping in touch is effortless through video calls and social media platforms. However, it is important to be mindful of how we keep in touch.
From the perspective of parents, it might be tempting to check in by daily calls or expect daily updates constantly. Constantly pressing for every detailed update of your child’s life can be a suffocating experience for your child. Even advising them on every matter they face as an attempt to shield them from potential harm could be detrimental to them - by depriving them of opportunities to problem solve. However, that does not mean that we should not bother with updates at all.
How do we connect in a meaningful way, that allows us to nurture positive parent-child relations from afar?
Whether we are the parents or the children, the most important thing is to understand our own dynamic that works for us. Understanding the emotional ties between our relationships would allow us to find a system that works for both groups of parties. For example, if you know that your parent welcomes random updates throughout the day and does not mind the interruptions, casual calls or texts at the end of daily activities such as finishing dinner or a lecture, doing so can allow for connection to happen in a way that benefits both parties. Your parent would be happy to be involved in the know-how of how your day is going and you are able to give updates as and when it is an appropriate time for you to do so. Communicating your preference for updates is important to avoid unnecessary conflict and tension borne out of a call that was meant to connect and deepen the relationship.
Dynamics of Relationships
After understanding each other’s dynamics, here are some other suggestions to keep in touch and connect with each other!
Set a routine
Setting a routine of when you would like to catchup. The daily routine allows our parents and ourselves to know what to expect.
Eliminating this uncertainty reduces the stress that stems from ambiguity and gives both parties a sense of stability which benefits emotional and mental health. Routines as to when parties should connect with each other can include pockets of time when errands are conducted or even travelling time to work. Taking the initiative to establish this routine helps deepen the bond in the long term.

Helpful Suggestions!
Schedule a Meal at Least Once a Week
If time and space permit, having a weekly meal allowsfor more intimate catch-ups. As much technology allows video call catch-ups to happen, being able to interact face-to-face with your loved ones allows for a more intimate and personal connection. Communicating just through the screen runs the risk of having less connection due to the lack of interaction in a naturalistic environment. The absence of body language in the conversations reduces the overall quality of interaction which can be less effective in connecting with your loved ones.
Add Each Other on Social Media Platforms

If you feel comfortable doing so, adding each other on your social media platforms can be a great way to keep each other connected. Being able to have snippets of what each other is doing from your social media updates can be a viable way of updating each other without having any common time. Social media platforms today such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat make it so much easier for individuals to share snippets of their daily lives with those around them.
Engage in Online Games Together
On top of leveraging upon social media platforms, consider playing games with your loved ones. Perhaps your parents might be savy enough to pick up multiplayer online games like Brawl stars or perhaps they are more familiar with classic games like Chess. With a plethora of multiplayer games available today, having common game times with your family can allow for more interaction as well as more topics of commonality to talk about.

Connecting in a meaningful way allows us to deepen our relationship ties leveraging upon the technological wonders that we have today, it is beneficial for both parties to think of creative and meaningful ways to engage and involve each other in their lives.
How can we use social media to connect our family together?

Technology is incredibly prevalent in our lives these days, bringing the areas of the globe closer together. Unfortunately, the risk of perpetually staying online distances us from those physically around us as well leading to families spending less quality time together, phones, televisions, and laptops being used constantly at home even when with the rest of the family, and communication breakdowns. However, technology when used in the right manner, can bring the family together in many ways as well.
Some of these are outlined below:
Dropping Text:

In our increasingly busy work and schooling lives, most of the family is out during the day and are probably exhausted by the time they reach home and thus are not able to spend quality time together. Dropping texts during the day or giving a short call at lunch breaks to our family members can aid in updating them about our days or asking about theirs. Besides the simple act of communication, this provides the opportunity to be there for each other, extend compassion, and lift moods if one of them is having a rough day. Thus, increasing a sense of togetherness.
Clarifying

Texting however, can be difficult to navigate as it is hard to interpret emotions and other cues normally present in physical conversation thus creating the potential for misunderstanding. As such, a typical concern for texting our parents would be the vast differences in text language. This can be circumvented by taking some time to physically communicate our own, and learn their general styles of unique texting languages. Clarifying any misunderstandings such that communication may be smooth and fruitful in the future which can make texting them less daunting for both parties.
Group Chats
Utilising group chat functions in WhatsApp or Telegram is incredibly useful for sharing information with all members of the family in a convenient manner. Simple updates about your day, checking on each other, sharing meaningful photos, or even planning ahead for family activities can be done here.
Education
A huge barrier in digital communication is the lack of knowledge and experience faced by the elderly members of our family and sometimes parents as well. It can be very daunting for them to use newer technologies and unfortunately at times, we might feel a sense of impatience. These factors could limit the available opportunities for communication with such family members thus creating a sense of isolation as they are not as well involved as others. Therefore, it is good to exercise patience and understanding with their issues using technology and educate them in taking advantage of the uses of their smartphones better. Encouraging them to write down the steps in using various functions might further aid them in retaining this knowledge too. Beyond enabling them to be involved and engaged in the other manners of communicating with each other via technology, educating them is especially useful when other members of the family leave for other countries to work or study as it would help them fulfil their desires to remain connected via platforms such as FaceTime.
Games
Many of us enjoy gaming with our friends as a social activity. However, this can be also utilised to increase family togetherness. Introducing the rest of our family to the multiplayer games we play or sourcing for other suitable games, and educating them inplaying them with you can become a fun filled family activity. As a side effect, gaming has been shown to increase spatial awareness, problem solving, co-operation, and decision making. These aspects could be especially beneficial for those in our family who are older as they would be engaging their cognition in a positive manner while improving communication within the family.
Movie Nights

Although family movie nights may have always been a common activity, with streaming platforms such as Netflix, more opportunities are available. Planning movie nights and picking a film ahead is much easier now and allows for the family to settle on a choice that all members might enjoy. Sharing about our favourite series and suggesting them to other family members can potentially increase common topics to converse about as well.
Social Media
Lastly, although not palatable to everyone, sharing our social media pages may allow the rest of our family to be in the loop regarding our everyday lives and enjoy a sense of closeness as they are given privy to our personal spaces. This might not be comfortable for everyone however, which is a valid concern. Furthermore, there may be some who wish to share their spaces yet are uncomfortable with our families. Furthermore, there may be some who wish to share having full access to them. Therefore, to resolve this, consider allowing family members to follow you but setting controls on their viewing privileges such that they would only be able to view what you are comfortable with.
This list is of course non-exhaustive and one just needs to think outside the box a little, or perhaps put in some effort in order to figure out how to use technology to bring a family closer together. At the end of the day, it could very well be a worthwhile pursuit in enhancing unity, connection, and communication within the family.
Written by: Raj
Comments