I recently read an article about the characteristics and qualities of grandmothers. I think it must have been an ancient article — written in a previous millennium. At least 30 or 40 years ago. Certainly NOT within the last year!

The article claimed that all grandmothers canned hundreds of quarts of fruits and vegetables, had a house full of lush green plants, had silver white hair, and made hand-made quilts. That certainly described my grandmothers (minus the lush house plants). But it certainly does not describe me. But then I guess that’s okay because I won’t be a grandmother until April! Nor does it describe many of my peers who are already grandmothers!

I think that being a grandmother in this new millennium will be vastly different than in the last 30 years. Here’s what I predict that a modern day grandmother will be like — or IS like. Her pantry shelf will be filled with canned goods that she purchased at the local grocery store. Gone is her gray hair thanks to Miss Clairol, L’Oreal, or Revlon. No more cotton house dresses covered with aprons and no more white anklet socks and gum soled shoes. She shops at The Gap or Old Navy or Nordstrom’s. Lush houseplants are replaced with silk ones. Handmade quilts give way to electric blankets. Instead of wielding a dust cloth, she’ll be carrying a day planner and a cell phone.

The new millennium grandmother will probably still be working at her career. Or possibly be off on humanitarian jaunts to Ecuador. Her children and grandchildren will not live across the street nor reside in the same town. They will be across the country or on another continent half way around the world.

If you have to be a grandmother ‘from a distance’ because your grandchildren do not live within driving distance, find ways to technologically connect with your grandchildren. An easy way is to establish an online photo gallery. One that is particularly popular is Flickr.com. On Flickr, you can set up a free account where you can upload pictures. You can have a private photo gallery that is open only for family members’ viewing.

What, you say, you’re not technologically savvy? Not to worry. ‘Tis as easy as pie. Just follow the directions on the web page. Or, better yet, have one of your kids set it up. Then, encourage your children to upload pictures of your grandchildren. Then, upload pictures of you and your husband (a.k.a. grandma and grandpa) so that your grandchildren can see pictures of things that you are doing in your life as you see what’s happening in theirs.

Pictures are worth a thousand words. And online pictures are an easy way to ‘virtually’ see your grandchildren who live way far over the river and through the woods and share in their day-to-day activities or special events.

Digi-Gram