We’re all about connecting with friends and family via FaceTime and Zoom and whatnot right now. And for some kids, particularly older kids, that can be a great way to curb the feelings of isolation that we’re all feeling. But for younger kids who may not be old enough to really understand what is happening or be able to regulate their big emotions, staying home and physically distanced from their grandparents, cousins, preschool buddies, teachers and friends can be particularly hard.
So Laura Marie Meyers came up with a sweet solution that combines the benefits of technology with her son’s love of bedtime stories: She created a digital library of bedtime readings with some of her three-year-old son’s favorite people. She explains on PopSugar:
In various group texts and email chains, I told loved ones that my son was having a difficult time, and that I wanted to “surprise” him each day with appearances from some of his favorite faces. I asked people to film themselves reading a children’s book — or, if they didn’t have one on hand, to just say hi and share something about their day.
Within a week I’d collected nearly 20 videos, which were sent to me across multiple mediums. Most friends were able to text me their videos, but since some files were large, other friends sent clips as email attachments while others joined a Shared Album on iCloud to pop in their videos.
Each weeknight for a month, Meyers surprised her son with a new bedtime story reader, including his grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, godparents, friends and her coworkers. Some people he knew more that others, but she writes that he was excited even for the “new” people he met through these videos.
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The best part, in my opinion, is that while video chats can be great right now, Meyers has created a collection of digital bedtime stories that she can add to and that her son can watch over and over, depending on the story he wants to hear or the person he most wants to see.
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