Global parents who value community and family bonding across borders (part 2)
By: Anieke Lamers
A little while ago we posted this blog article with inspiring parents across the world. After we posted the article, we received many more replies and some of them were so nice we didn’t want to keep them from the world.
So here is the sequel: Are you looking for more inspiration and a community of expat parenting tips on connecting with family members abroad? Look no further, because we found inspiring parents for you to check out on Instagram.
Why you should read this article?
It’s not easy being a parent, and especially when you have a family far away with little social support from loved ones, it can sometimes be extra difficult. It is therefore needed to get some inspiration, playfulness, and encouraging words from other expat parents who are going through the same things as you are. You are not alone!
At Peekabond, we’re all about connection. We found expat parents from all over the world who align with these values and found a number of “hidden gems” who we consider as the next up-and-coming Expat Parent influencers.
We asked them about why family bonding is important to them, especially when family is at a distance, and their quotes really gave us goosebumps and we hope they strike home for you too.
When we asked: “Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with the family?” her answer was:
Tissa O’Grady
(3 months old, 2 & 11 year-old children)
@tissaogrady
Tissa’s Quote:
Family is so incredibly important in the raising of children. They have so much wisdom and so many amazing stories to share. Unfortunately, when separated by distance a lot of these wonderful experiences and memories together can be limited. Despite living on a continent away from family, my children love to maintain a warm relationship with them. They send photos, call on the phone, write letters, and send little packages to one another. I love making parents aware of all the wholesome things we can do to engage our children in this world.
Why we like her:
Tissa is a mom that is aware of just how important it is to keep the connection between family members, especially those that live far away. It is important for her that her children know her roots and can listen to stories told by their loved ones. She loves keeping connected through video calls and by keeping in touch the old-fashioned way–writing letters!
Tissa is an expat living in Mexico and is passionate about nature. She loves sharing recipes, healthy cooking, and traditional Mexican food. She is very engaged with Mexican culture and loves showing the beauty of the country, which is something that we love at Peekabond! Tissa is also a healer and uses natural recipes for curing certain ailments. For example, she showed us a recipe for curing a fever that she uses with her kids. Tissa feels very connected with nature and loves exploring all that Mexico has to offer. She hopes to teach her kids the same energy and love for Mexico that she has.
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Tania Capel
(7-month-old child)
@african.abroad.blog
Tania’s Quote:
The reasons why I find it important to foster a bond with my family back in Kenya while I am in Germany is for my son to understand his heritage, where he comes from, his cultural background, and to have a good and trusting relationship with my family. You have probably heard the African phrase: “It takes a village to raise a child.” I want my son to feel a sense of community that has his back.
Why we like her:
Tania is a mom that wants her children to keep connected with their heritage and African culture. She shared a beautiful quote: “It takes a village to raise a child.” This is such a powerful message for us. It is true that part of who we are comes from the things we learn in our daily environment, but who we are is also influenced by where we come from. For Tania, it is important for her kids to keep their beautiful African culture even though they live in Germany. We highly recommend keeping an eye on this profile. It is full of tips for raising kids and has a lot of cultural and valuable information about Tania’s home country. Tania also shares typical food, beautiful quotes, nature, animals, and lots of info on being an expat. We love this beautiful mom!
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Adrienne Olivia
(8 & 5-year-old children)
@america2portugal
Adrienne’s Quote:
Building a connection from afar is important to keep our kids grounded and remember those that may not be close. Knowing they have family far away who care about them is really important.
Why we like her:
Adrienne is a wonderful American mom living in Portugal. From food to nature to historical monuments, Adrienne loves getting involved with everything Portugal has to offer. She also loves to travel around the world with her family and shares all about her trips!
Adrienne is a mom of two boys–we love their costumes and matching pictures in her profile. This always gives us a giggle!
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Baileigh Levée
(12, 10, and 6-year-old children)
@poursouthernmama
Baileigh’s Quote:
At the end of the day, family is all you have. I think remembering your family is special and normal and not comparing them to others is so important.
Why we like her:
Baileigh is a cool mom. She makes funny videos of the daily struggles of being a mom while dealing with a husband and kids. Some may even call her a superhero. She shares insights about life as an expat parent (trying to have a social life while raising your beautiful kids is not for the faint of heart) and daily routine tips for staying organized at home.
Baileigh and her family travel all around the world thanks to the military. We think this is a wonderful and brave lifestyle at Peekabond and we encourage these families who want to keep their roots and share their American culture with their kids. Baileigh’s blog is full of funny stories where she shares everything from her travels to experiences with her family. You may even stumble across a yummy recipe or playlist to jam. Be sure to check it out!
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Bec de Jager
( 3-year-old & 10-month-old children)
@teachingwithanaccent
Bec’s Quote:
Family is what there is when everything else falls apart. They are your safe space and your biggest cheerleaders. Plus, they give the best hugs!
Why we like her:
Bec is a teacher who lives in South Africa. She knows firsthand the struggles of being an expat but has a good sense of humor about it. Bec has a funny approach to some of the problems we encounter on a daily basis and shares tips about her experiences in education. This is definitely a profile worth checking out!
Bec’s children are the most important in her life. For her, family is a safe space where all the beautiful people in your life are by your side, even in dark times. She also loves sharing pictures of her kids. We love seeing their smiling faces!
Bec is passionate about art, recipes, and books. Check out her highlighted stories for some great recommendations!
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Savannah Mackie
(5-month-old & 2-year-old children)
@savannah_mackie
Savannah’s Quote:
Family is so important. They are the most important people in my life and I want their influence in my children’s lives. We live in Zambia and have immediate family in America, South Africa, and the United Kingdom that we connect with frequently.
Why we like her:
Savannah is a sweet mom of two boys and loves to share the culture of Zambia with others. She is appreciative of Zambia’s rich culture and loves exploring everything Zambia has to offer with her family. Savannah likes to follow a healthy lifestyle. She grows her own food and has her own cloth diaper company with lots of cute designs to choose from.
Savannah and her family are Christian and are part of a local church planting movement called The Zambia Project. The vision of the Zambia Project is to establish a life-giving church within walking distance of every person in the Western Province and to see all villages impacted by the Gospel and uplifted through a strong Christiam community. Savannah is a caring woman that we really admire.
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Khadijah Kdee
(1-year-old child)
@khadiva_dee
Khadijah’s Quote:
Family is our backbone. It takes a village to raise a child. My family was there for me when I was a child and I want them to be there for my daughter too.
We are also a very spontaneous family. My daughter is a goofball and has facial expressions for every emotion!
Why we like her:
Khadijah loves God and her family. She is an artist and shows the amazing love and connection she has with them in her pictures. Khadijah is also an entrepreneur and runs a fashion clothing brand called KhaDiva Customs which offers unique, fashionable designs with an interesting twist.
We really admire Khadijah and the way she raises her beautiful daughter. Her values shine through in everything that she does.
Why is it important for you to help your child to build a bond with family?
Hira Malin
(4 & 2-year-old children)
@hira.malin
Hira’s Quote:
It is important for me to help my children bond with my family because I believe it encourages better behavior in kids. We are an expat and multicultural family.
Why we like her:
Hira comes from a multicultural family. She loves to travel and to show her kids the world. She believes it is important to learn from new cultures and to open yourself to new places and people. She hopes to pass this idea to her family through their shared experiences.
Hira also maintains an active lifestyle. She believes that it is important for the development and health of her children and loves introducing them to new sports and activities. Hira shares lots of tips on how to travel with kids. We love the pictures she posts of all of her travels!
To Conclude:
At Peekabond, we value connection through playfulness, openness, and being ethical. We aim to provide:
- Inspiration: At Peekabond we’re all about inspiration and we believe these influencers could provide inspiration from unexpected corners (of the world) to get you through the day, be playful and see how they share about their little ones.
- Community: not only are we all about connecting families within their own circles, but we are also building a community where our customers can inspire others (for example by letting parents inspire other parents).
Are you inspired and do you want to create memories and build meaningful relationships with your faraway family and loved ones? Download our app here: www.peekabond.com/try-peekabond
About Anieke:
Anieke is the Founder and CEO of Peekabond. Anieke is an ex-Venture Capital investor having worked on impact investments and consumer tech deals for the past 8 years of her career. Anieke founded Peekabond from a personal passion because she is an aunt of a 3 year old niece in Australia. She immediately began searching for alternative ways to bond remotely with her little niece. But she couldn’t find a real solution, so she made it her mission to create the best digital platform possible. To build beautiful bonds across generations, continents, and cultures. To connect with or follow Anieke click here
Join Us at Peekabond
Peekabond is an interactive video messaging app designed for young children to connect with family at a distance. Use our fun and age-appropriate activity cards as inspiration to send video messages to young grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. Create, share, and safely store playful moments with your family and friends. Perfect for parents who want their kids to create memories with far away family members and friends. If you would like to try Peekabond click here
