Let distance not dent the bond you share with your mom

 

Often, the person you miss the most happens to be your mother, who's also your mentor, friend and confidante. The enforced separation has taught us much about the value of relationships, many of which we have taken for granted in the race of life. It has allowed us to pause in our tracks, take a step back and assess what really matters to us. Health, family bonds and peace of mind have fast emerged as the true factors that make our life complete. The internet has emerged as the great enabler - social media and video telephony allow us to be virtually close to our loved ones, allowing for those long conversations that we once didn't have time for!

For those stuck in cities or even continents away from their mothers, this has also been a time of learning - imbibing rudimentary culinary skills from her over video calls, sharing book and movie links, trading nostalgic pictures and teaching her some basic net banking skills by remote.

If you are going to be staying away from family for a longer time, here are some ways in which you can keep the family bonds alive by connecting with your mother regularly.

Gift her a subscription service

It could be a music or entertainment streaming service or the premium packages of a fitness or language learning class. With the world moving online rapidly, she could fulfil some of her dreams right from the comfort of the home!

Book a day long call with mom

This is especially good if you are not the best at carving out time from your busy schedule for family. Reserve a day in the week to engage in a long video chat with her, talking about the times you have spent together and make plans for the activities you can do together when you meet next.

Watch your favourite film together

You don't really have to head to a Netflix Online Party zone for this. It's easy to enjoy content together, just coordinate your timings and settle down to watching that film you have laughed so much over the first time. Or binge watch the latest web series together, sharing notes over a call simultaneously. Geographical distances don't seem so great then.

Make her a calendar

There are apps like Countdown that offer personalised calendars to track events we have to look forward to. You can send your mom updates every day via Facebook message or email, customise it with your own pictures, and add music. You can use this to help her track her regular health check-up, bank appointments and bill payments for the year ahead.

Make her a movie

You may not be together this year, but you can compile all the photos and video snippets from past moments to make a collage film and then mail it to her.

Safeguard her future

All fun activities apart, you can also put in serious thought into the well-being and the future of the person who has devoted most of her life to raise you and care for you selflessly. Now that you are away from her and building your own career, it's time to think about how you can make life even better for her. You could consider putting aside a part of your savings in HDFC Life Sanchay Plus that assures guaranteed* returns whilst safeguarding your family's future against the unforeseen events. It enables systematic savings and provides assured regular income. Take solace in knowing that sooner or later, both of you will be in the same place, at the same time, ready to enjoy everything together. Knowing that she's financially secure and safe till then is also a great feeling!

ARN: ED/06/20/19240