New times, new ways of family relationships : intergenerational education mediated by technologies.

Abstract

Introduction: The social isolation measures, implemented by many countries in the world as a result from the COVID 19 pandemic, brought changes to families. Many children have physically distanced themselves from their grandparents, but in many cases, technology has brought them together. Objectives: To analyse how grandparents use technology to communicate with their grandchildren during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Methodology: The methodological approach adopted was qualitative. For the research, questionnaires were applied to 15 grandparents residing in large urban centers in different parts of Brazil, regardless of gender, educational or socioeconomic status. Results: The results showed that the contact between the two generations was frequent and full of exchanges of teachings on both sides. Most participants maintained virtual contact with their grandchildren on a daily or weekly basis and the content of the activities varied according to the age group of the grandchildren, but it takes place mainly through conversations, school activities and games. Conclusion: We concluded that, given the need for physical distancing, technologies have become an important instrument for socialization and interaction between grandparents and grandchildren, thus allowing the exchange of teachings between the two generations and the strengthening of family ties.