Book Series Project

Question: Why am I writing these books?  

Helen Ellis:  Each generation of a distance family has their own 'package' of life stuff they deal with. Distance families would benefit by understanding how it is for the other generations. My intention is to encourage all generations to read all three books.

Empathy costs nothing, but gives a lot
​Bridget Romanes, MOBILE - Relocation Experts

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Being a Distance Grandparent

Whether you have been a distance grandparent (or distance parent) for 20 days, 20 months or 20 years you have experiences that are worth sharing. How do you navigate your role? What have you learned? Distance grandparenting can, at times, be a rather lonely experience full of mixed emotions. Reading others' experiences can be informing, uplifting and comforting.




Story contributions: accepting now
Deadline for contributions: T.B.A.
Publication: 2021

Being a Distance Son or Daughter

​Being a distance child can, at times, feeling like a tight rope of obligations. Likely your parents said, "You can do anything"... and that is exactly what you have done. You have followed your dreams, or a career or a partner and settled in another country. But sometimes life gets complicated and you are torn. Guilt about left-behind family can raise its ugly head. How do you as a distance son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or partner navigate your role? What have you learned?

Story contributions: accepting now
Deadline for contributions: T.B.A.
Publication: 2021+

Being a Distance Grandchild

​​Have you grown up away from your grandparents? Is it important to you to involve them in your life or to learn about the country where they are? For some, there will be effort put in to maintain a relationship, and for others the distance may have created too difficult a dynamic to bother. There may not have been any choice on your part to be far away — how has this affected you? What is your experience?



Story contributions: accepting now
Deadline for contributions: T.B.A.
Publication: 2021/22

All books will be of interest to all generations.
I welcome your stories, musings, vignettes or reflections regarding any titles, anytime.
One story or several. ​
​Just a few lines or a few paragraphs.​

Like to read what others have written in their stories?   
Click on Story Examples below
​
Like to know how you can share a story? 
​Click on  S​tory Contributions​​ below 

What does the 'distance' of distance familying mean?

​There are no hard and fast rules on what is distance but, as a guideline, if you live in a different time zone from your family, or if a 'weekend visit' – by either party – is logistically just about impossible due to a long flight or many hours of driving, then that is certainly a 'distance' relationship.