Skype Is My Lifeline


6-24-2013 10-55-39 AM

My Sister lives 2 blocks away from my house.  I know, it’s like it’s forever away, right?  The thing is though, I work full time and can often be found chatting with my sister via Skype during the day.  We mainly use the instant messenger part of Skype, but there have been several times that my kids would want to video chat with their cousins…. who live 2 blocks away.  My husband always makes fun of how much we chat via Skype.  But what can I say, my Sister is my lifeline, and there is often things we need to talk about during the day, such as “can you believe what so and so just posted on Facebook!” or “I’m going insane, can you please send one of your children over to play with my kids!”  I’m telling you, URGENT stuff.

The rest of my family isn’t nearly as close.  My Brother is in Southern California, my other Brother lives in Oregon, my Husband’s Sister is in Florida, his Mom is in California, and there are a ton of my cousins spread throughout the United States!  The thing about my siblings and I, is that we are extremely close.  Each of our kids has a “match”, meaning there is a cousin who is almost exactly the same age as each of our children.  It’s so much fun when we all get together (which we try to do at least every other year).  The kids adore their cousins (both near and far).  Sunday’s are a family day for my troop, and we think the perfect Sunday activity is using Skype to chat with our family members!  It’s so fun to let our kids just chat with their cousins, make silly faces, and be able to show them their most recent toy acquisition or art project.  For the older girls even new clothes, and dance moves get shown off during these Skype chats.

 

Skype has been essential to our family for keeping the extended family relationships alive and strong.  I really don’t know what it is about seeing yourself and your friends and family on the screen, but as soon as my kids hear the little “blip boop” sound of an incoming Skype call, they sprint to my side (even when I have to push them away due to the call being a professional call instead of a family member!)

I remember the days of begging my parents to let me call someone out of state, and the restrictions that would be placed on those calls (time limits, etc).  Long distance relationships, whether they were family or friends or even boyfriends, were so difficult to maintain because it was so expensive to communicate.  I’m so glad my kids can talk to their cousins in California whenever they want!  Technology just continues to help us improve our relationships, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it!

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About the author

Sarah Werle Kimmel

Sarah Werle Kimmel is a digital parenting coach and family tech expert. She has spent the last 20 years of her career working as a Microsoft Certified IT Manager supporting over 100 small businesses. During that time she started Family Tech LLC to help families understand and manage the technology in their home. She has regularly appeared as a family tech expert on local NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX news affiliates, BYUtv and Studio 5, and has been invited all over the world from tech companies like Lenovo, Verizon, Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung. Find out more on her website SarahKimmel.com

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  • I am not a mom.  I am a 75-year “retiree” man, with adopted grandkids, with needs of a Skype expert locally. House in Pasadena, CA.  I would like to find Skype Chat Support and Skype has hidden this from me again.  Do you know how to  get into Skype Chat for technical help?  Thanks, Joaozinho de Londrina, my pen name.,