June 1st of 2018 was not only the day that we closed on our house, but it was also the last day of school, the last day to say goodbye to friends, and the day that we set off to our next adventure . . . Spain! Well, Chicago to be with family for a few months, and then off to Spain for two years.
It was a difficult and emotional day for all of us (as expected). This would be the last time that we will see many of our friends for quite some time.
How could we help our young kids safely stay in touch with their friends?
To help prepare our oldest (age 7) for this transition we talked about ways to keep in touch. We talked about what it means to be a Pen Pal and how exciting it will be to share her experiences with her friends and see what they are doing back home. I had her help me with “going away” presents for her closest girl friends. We made a cute little keepsake with the coordinates to Madrid and included pen pal letters that we found on Amazon that are PERFECT for little kids. (No need for envelopes since they fold up easily.)
Although this will be good when we move overseas, it didn’t make the transition (now) any easier. In addition to our daughter’s broken heart, we received word that two of her close friends weren’t having an easy time either. We had three very sad little girls.
I was sharing this information with a friend of mine and our daughter’s former nanny. She mentioned that there were safe and kid friendly messenger apps for young kids to stay in contact. I was intrigued but also skeptical, so I did some digging and researched a variety of apps before making a decision. After a few days of looking over reviews and features, I found that Monster Messenger was the right fit for us.
Features
Made by EduPad, this app can be used on your phone or tablet, and it’s available on the AppStore and Google Play. Parents have access to ALL messages, it has strict security features, AND it’s free! It’s also very fun to use. My daughter can send pictures, drawings, voice recordings, text messages, stickers, and more! It was the perfect solution to keep in touch with her friends while we are away. She has mentioned that she “feels like they are still able to play”. Mom WIN!
Check out Monster Messenger for yourself!
Hey Mary! My family is considering a similar move next summer and I’m wondering if there is any way to Direct Message you? I’d love to hear how it’s going and have a couple of other questions. Thank you!!
Tiffany