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Grandparenting from a Distance

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How to Stay Connected When Grandparenting From a Distance

Kimberlee Kiehl, Director of Operations, The Photo Managers

Next to the birth of your children, the birth of your grandbabies is one of the best moments in life. These little humans who share your genetics, remind you of your own children when they were little, and bring you so much joy are truly a gift. When they live far away it can be tough not to get to see them, hold them, and watch them grow in person. Three of my four grandchildren, my daughter’s children, live 10 hours away and have lived far away since they were each born, sometimes living all the way across the country. But we have managed to develop close relationships, and I feel like I am getting to watch them grow, thanks to a variety of technology. Notably, photos have played a huge part in building these relationships.

As a certified photo manager and a long-time scrapbook maker, I very much value photos. I believe they tell a story and that each of us has our own memories when we look at those photos. This love of photos has passed down to my daughter, and now to my grandchildren as well. One of our favorite “together” activities is to look through the scrapbooks I have made for them and share the stories that go with the pages. But when we are apart, we must find other ways to stay connected. Facetime, “snail mail” and our Nixplay frames play a huge role in helping us build and keep these connections.

Video calls are great for all generations

My 6-year-old granddaughter knows how to Facetime me on her mom’s phone and will often take the phone to her room for some “girl talk” or to read a book to me. My 4-year-old grandson wants to show me his latest Lego build. Even my 6-month-old granddaughter knows who I am on Facetime and gives me her huge smile when we chat! They also Facetime with my mom, their great grandma, on her iPad which allows her to feel connected to them too.

Printed gifts for special memories

I will often print photos and mail them to my grandkids after I have visited their house or they have visited mine. After a recent trip to Disneyland, where I surprised them by joining the trip, I sent each of them (even the 6-month-old) a small plastic 3×4 box with their name and embellishments on the outside and 3×4 printed photos of their individual experiences at Disney inside their boxes — including some photos with me in them. They can pull them out anytime and remember our experience together and the fun we had.

Nixplay frames for a daily connection

On a day-to-day basis it is the Nixplay frame that I have in my kitchen that provides me with the most consistent and updated photos of their lives. Both my daughter and I have one (mine was a gift for Christmas from my daughter!) and that frame is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen to get my morning coffee and the last thing I see when I turn the lights off to head to bed. Throughout the day, I see photos from years ago intermixed with ones from yesterday. And even better, I can watch short videos of my grandchildren as well! The three of them on the beach, the first day my newest granddaughter sat up, first grade concerts and preschool graduations. I can send them photos of what I am doing as well. These shared photos build connections between us and allow us to share life stories, even when far apart. These are the true joys of life.

Kim is the Director of Operations for The Photo Managers and the owner of Stories of a Life, LLC, a photo and story organizing business in Columbus, Ohio. For more information on managing your photo collection join The Photo Managers for Save Your Photos Month in September 2023 at https://thephotomanagers.com/save-your-photos-month/

How Connecting With Grandparents Can Build Strong Families

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Marie Kondo, the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy”, talks of how the process of sorting photos with her family was the project that brought her the most joy. She highly recommends viewing photos together as a family to encourage storytelling. Even the expert of decluttering realizes how important our personal photo collections are!

Research in psychology repeatedly shows that investing in making and sharing happy memories with family has a positive return on investment. A series of studies conducted by researchers Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush at Emory University found that children who knew more of their family’s history had a stronger sense of control over their lives and higher self-esteem than children who did not know these stories. Further, the children with the most self-confidence had what the researchers call a strong “intergenerational self.” In other words, these children felt part of something bigger than themselves.

Children, even grown-up children, can draw on a bank of positive memories and family stories to help cope with more stressful or turbulent times. When families revisit memories with loved ones through photographs, bonds are strengthened, relationships deepen, and memory improves. It is also just plain fun to look back at the way things used to be, as time was passing before you realized it, as the children grew overnight, and as traditions were practiced over the years.

Here are 4 ways Grandparents can connect with their grandchildren:

1. Create Photo Albums: Printed photo books, scrapbooks, and photo albums don’t require technology to be enjoyed. You don’t need an internet connection, and you won’t need to migrate them to a new format to view them fifty years from now. When you combine images and words into a documentary-like narrative, you are creating a historical record for future generations with stories that you can celebrate and enjoy today.

2. Video Slide Shows: When you combine photos, videos, oral narratives, and music into a slideshow or montage, you create a living album filled with emotion and fun. Try adding music, oral narratives, or both, and the result is a living album filled with movement and sound that triggers your senses. Slideshows are a great option for family gatherings, special events, and celebrations. They can also be a fun option to enjoy on family movie night. Popcorn, PJs, and precious family memories—can it get any better than that?

3. Wall Galleries:  Are you looking for instant gratification while you work on that family archive or photo album? Decorate your home with the people you love! While you organize photos, you’ll come across pictures too good to keep hidden. Look for frame-worthy images that you can display on walls or turn into photo gifts for others.

4. Digital Photo Frames: This is an excellent choice for technology-challenged family members. This way of displaying image slideshows is perfect for people who want a quick, easy way to showcase their memories. It’s also really easy to regularly send photos and videos to your frame, adding to your family story as you go, especially with Nixplay’s easy to use digital frames.

Organizing, telling, and retelling the stories of your family’s good times as well as the stories of bouncing back from the difficult times, can result in more confident children and happier families. And nobody can do that better than Grandparents.

Cathi Nelson is the founder and CEO of The Photo Managers, but most importantly, she’s passionate about helping people organize their photos so they can share their photo legacy. If you need help or more ideas, check out Cathi’s best-selling book “Photo Organizing Made Easy: Going from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed

Capture the Magic of Summer: Photography Tips and Tricks

The arrival of summer brings an explosion of colors, warmth, and joy. It’s the perfect time to create beautiful memories and freeze them in time through the art of photography. Whether you’re lounging on a sandy beach, exploring breathtaking landscapes, or simply enjoying quality time with loved ones, capturing the essence of summer can be a delightful and easy experience. In this blog, we’ll explore some expert tips and tricks to help you take amazing summer photos that will make your memories last a lifetime.

Embrace Natural Light:

One of the key elements that set summer apart is the abundance of natural light. To make the most of it, try shooting during the “golden hour” – the hour after sunrise or before sunset – when the light is softer and creates a warm, flattering glow. If your summer activities necessitate taking photos in the middle of the day, seek out shaded areas to soften harsh shadows and create a more balanced exposure.

Compose with Care:

When framing your summer shots, pay attention to composition. Utilize the “rule of thirds” by mentally dividing your frame into a grid of nine equal parts and placing key elements along the intersecting lines. In beach or landscape shots, incorporate leading lines, such as a shoreline or a road, to guide the viewer’s eye toward the main subject. Experiment with different angles, perspectives, and points of view to add intrigue to your summer photographs.

Tell a story:

Your summer photos should do more than just capture a moment; they should tell a story. Look beyond posed shots and aim to capture candid moments. Whether it’s a niece or nephew building a sandcastle, friends laughing on a picnic blanket, or relatives sharing a meal at a family reunion, these authentic moments are special and sentimental to look back on for years to come. Be observant and ready to capture those fleeting, magical instances that define summer.

Preserve and Share Your Memories:

Now that you’ve preserved precious memories and created an extraordinary visual collection of the season’s magic, it’s time to showcase the beautiful photos you’ve captured. Nixplay digital frames allow you to display entire playlists of photos so you aren’t forced to choose just one. Plus, you can share playlists with friends and family to stay up-to-date on each other’s summer activities. They can even add their own photos to collaborative playlists, making shared memories a treasured part of your summer.

Capturing Memories: Why Digital Photo Frames Make the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and the yearly quest for the perfect gift is underway. Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate many different types of mothers — from multi-generational mothers, to brand new mothers, to foster mothers — encompassing all the nurturing mother figures in our lives. While we can get many lovely gifts to honor our mother figures, digital photo frames are one of the best. Digital photo frames will remind our mothers of our love well beyond Mother’s Day and serve as a beacon of our love year round. In this blog, we’ll explore how digital photo frames make an exceptional gift for the mother, grandmother, aunt, neighbor, and all motherly figures in your life.  

Digital photo frames are a modern twist on motherly tradition.

One of the primary reasons digital photo frames are an ideal Mother’s Day gift is that they provide a modern twist on the traditional photo album. The motherly figures in your life likely spent hours curating scrapbooks and photos to commemorate your early milestones. A digital photo frame from Nixplay is a perfect way to give the gift of memories back to the mothers in our lives. Digital photo frames allow us to digitize our memories and preserve them for years. They also create a stunning display of cherished moments so our mothers can enjoy a rotating slideshow of family photos.

Digital photo frames offer effortless personalization.

Digital photo frames offer a level of personalization that traditional frames simply can’t match. While you can personalize a traditional frame with one photo, digital photo frames allow you to add hundreds. Nixplay’s content preload feature will enable you to add curated playlists to your digital photo frame before it even leaves the box. This way, the person you are celebrating this Mother’s Day can open a pre-personalized digital photo frame loaded with your memories together. 

Once it’s gifted, the mother figure you give the digital photo frame to can curate collections that span generations with up to five different shared albums (and unlimited shared albums if they join Nixplay Plus).

Whether it’s capturing the first steps of their grandchild, or collecting all the photos and videos from their favorite family vacation, the digital photo frame will become a gallery of your family’s shared memories. 

Digital photo frames are perfect for sibling collaboration.

If you are one of several siblings, you may be familiar with the typical, last-minute search for the perfect Mother’s Day gift that you can all contribute to. This year, a digital photo frame can be your easy but thoughtful answer. With a Nixplay frame, not only can you add preloaded photos for mom to enjoy when she opens her digital photo frame, but you can also use collaborative shared albums all year long. 

Collaborative albums make a digital photo frame from Nixplay a thoughtful gift that can keep mom in the loop on her kids’ daily lives for Mother’s Day and beyond. 

Stay connected from afar with digital photo frames. 

Digital photo frames help keep families close, even when physically apart. Through images and videos, we can share experiences enjoyed together or separately. Daily uploads serve as a way to stay in touch between visits and phone calls. Digital photo frames serve as a virtual family album that can be updated in real time, so families can stay in touch no matter where they are.  

Digital photo frames offer dynamic displays.

Unlike static photo frames, digital frames offer dynamic displays that breathe life into memories. 

Videos and special text additions add an extra layer of communication. This aspect of Nixplay digital photo frames turns the act of viewing family photos into an immersive and emotional experience, making every glance at the frame a journey through the beautiful tapestry of shared moments. 

Nixplay digital photo frames have user-friendly interfaces.

Nixplay digital photo frames are designed with a user-friendly interface, making them accessible to mothers of all technological abilities. The simplicity of uploading and organizing photos ensures that the focus remains on cherished memories rather than struggling with complicated technology. No matter the age or technological confidence of the mother you are honoring this year, a digital photo frame is a thoughtful, easy-to-use gift. 

Digital photo frames are versatile gifts for all kinds of mother figures.

Digital photo frames are a versatile gift suitable for all mother figures. Whether it’s a first-time mom, a seasoned grandmother, a beloved aunt, or a cherished friend who has taken on a motherly role, the universal appeal of capturing and reliving memories transcends generational gaps. The frame becomes a timeless keepsake that can be passed down through the family, creating a lasting legacy of love.

This Mother’s Day, consider stepping away from the predictable gifts and embracing digital photo frames. Digital photo frames offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the remarkable women in our lives who have played a pivotal role in our upbringing. Through their ability to blend technology and sentiment, digital photo frames are more than just another gadget, they are a holder of precious memories. Give the gift of timeless and continuous love through a digital photo frame. Make this Mother’s Day unforgettable. 

How Digital Photo Frames Keep Valentine’s Love Alive All Year Long

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and affection. It’s a chance to celebrate both romantic and platonic love through shared events, heartfelt gestures, or gift exchanges. But why limit our expression of love to just one day each year? Our loved ones deserve to feel our affection year round, and we have the perfect tools to keep the flame of Valentine’s Day burning brightly — digital photo frames. In this blog, we’ll share how digital photo frames can help you cherish the moments that make up your relationships and create a year-long celebration of love.

Celebrate Year-Round with Digital Photo Frames:

Valentine’s Day is a special holiday we have set aside to express love for the most important people in our lives, why not extend that celebration throughout the year? Digital photo frames provide an easy way to display your cherished memories all year long. Unlike traditional frames, digital photo frames allow you to display a rotating slideshow of special moments symbolic of your love. It is an approachable way to ensure the spirit of Valentine’s Day is present in our homes every day. A digital photo frame as a Valentine’s Day gift is the perfect way to stay top of mind with your Valentine throughout the year. If you gift one this Valentine’s day, we challenge you to upload new photos to the digital photo frame every week — showing and growing your love all year long. 

Curate Your Love Story with Digital Photo Albums:

Digital photo frames can be a unique storytelling device that allows you to curate a visual narrative of your relationship. From the first date (or first hang out for platonic lovers) to anniversaries and everything in between, digital photo frames provide a customizable timeline that showcases the blossoming of your love. When you gift a Nixplay digital photo frame to your valentine, you can even utilize our content preload gifting feature. This feature allows you to select your favorite snapshots, arrange them, and let the frame tell the story of your relationship, right out of the box. 

Improve Long Distance Relationships with Digital Memories:

Maintaining long-distance relationships can be challenging. Digital photo frames can serve as a lifeline for couples (and friends) separated by distance. Digital photo frames can be updated instantly and remotely, so you can share important moments with your faraway love. Digital photo frames help bridge the gap between physical distances and help keep your connections strong. With Nixplay’s collaborative playlists, you can even curate a display of your love together from far apart. Digital photo frames can create a connection to our loved ones right in our living rooms, even when they may be half a world away. Consider gifting your long-distance valentine a digital photo frame from Nixplay to stay in touch for months to come. 

Celebrate Every Occasion with Digital Photo Frames:

As we keep saying, Valentine’s Day isn’t the only time we should be celebrating love. A digital photo frame gift this Valentine’s Day provides a portal to celebrate milestones and occasions throughout the year. From birthdays to holidays, you can create themed slideshows that will upload to your loved ones frame. It’s a wonderful way to remind your partner or friend how much their love means to you. 

Display Spontaneity with Digital Photo Frames:

Digital photo frames allow us to enjoy an element of spontaneity in our home decor. Once you create a playlist with Nixplay’s easy-to-use app, the digital photo frame will shuffle your photos, creating a delightful surprise each time new photos appear. You and your loved one can even curate playlists for each other to add to the surprise. Experiencing your photos in this way can help remind you of all the lovely times you’ve shared, and keeps the visual representation of your relationship fresh and exciting. 

Customizable Digital Photo Frame Displays for Personal Touch:

One of the significant advantages of Nixplay digital photo frames is the ability to customize. Pick frames that fit you and your loved one’s unique decor. Then, fill the digital photo frame with different layouts, pictures, and videos to create a unique-to-you experience that highlights your love. Personalizing a frame, especially when gifting, adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness, making it a perfect testament to your love. 

Strengthening Emotional Bonds with Digital Photo Frames:

Digital photo frames offer constant exposure to the moments that set the foundation for your love, fostering an even stronger emotional connection. Every time you walk into the room that houses your digital photo frame, it becomes a reminder of the love you share. Digital photo frames are a powerful tool for reinforcing the emotional bonds that make your relationship resilient and enduring. With a digital frame, you can remind your loved one how much they mean to you this Valentine’s Day (and every day after). 

Valentine’s Day may come and go, but the love you share with your partner should be celebrated every day of the year. Digital photo frames are a unique and enduring way to keep the flame of your love burning strong. By curating a visual reminder of your relationship’s most important moments, encouraging spontaneity, and curating customized playlists, you create an ongoing display of your unique love story. Invest in a digital photo frame to showcase your love year-round, not just on Valentine’s Day. 

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