Fun Ways to Stay Connected to Your Retired Parents in Mexico

United States By Christy Lowry October 4, 2022

Fun ways to stay connected to your parents who retired in Mexico

If your parents have joined the flock and retired to Mexico full or part time, the good news is you can stay connected to them easily and with more choices than ever before. Today, our smart phones and other technology make it simple to set up video calls or even television show viewing parties. Shared interests in music, cooking, books, and sports give everyone reasons to come together.

To plan some joint activities, check out these ideas on how to keep the connection alive with your retired parents in Mexico:

Throw A Viewing Party

Netflix launched Teleparty so you can stream great shows together with family or friends. Now, you can select a TV show, film, or live sporting event, and watch it at the same time from your homes in the U.S. and Mexico. Pick a favorite, or one everyone is excited about, and enjoy recounting your favorite scenes afterwards. As a general tip, Netflix originals are available in all countries; check the availability of other shows in both countries. For sports, host a virtual watch party with Zoom or use the Teleparty app to watch the game if you and your friends have Hulu Plus Live TV.

Share Music Playlists

Are you one of those families that always has music playing? If so, you may get a charge out of creating and sharing playlists for special occasions or just for the fun of it. Music streaming services like Spotify make collaborative playlists easy so that other family members can add their favorites too.

It’s A Kitchen Takeover!

Take turns creating and sending out a menu—and have all the households prepare the meal. Use Zoom, Skype, or other video chats and photos to “compete” for the best or most original presentation, messiest kitchen—you name the categories. Then enjoy your feast together! You can go alphabetical or by birthday to take turns in the menu planning. Or set up themes like fast meals, most kid-friendly, vegetarian, or no cooking involved.

Games People Play

First we had Minecraft™, then WORDS WITH FRIENDS™. Now WORDLE is sweeping the world! Figure out whether your family wants to choose an online game that continues, or one that begins and ends in a single session. Classics like chess, checkers and card games, and Scrabble®Go help bridge generations. Enjoy the game and the idle chitchat between plays. Or if trash talk is how your family shows it cares, let it rip!

Busy Parents—Can’t Nail ‘em Down

If your parents are “livin’ la vida loca” and synching up schedules is challenging, WhatsApp is one of the simplest ways to keep in touch. Perfect for family group chats, it’s secure and easy to use—a great app for families that are spread out who want to share messages, photos, and videos. WhatsApp is available on iPhone and Android devices.

Support from Afar

No doubt, when you lived in the same country it was probably easier to check in on your parents and make sure they were doing okay. Distance certainly brings its challenges, but you can still support them from across the border. If your parents are ever in a bind and need some cash for an emergency or a medical bill paid, you can use the Western Union money transfer app to get money there quickly and reliably. Or you can gift money through the app or our website so they can buy supplies, snacks or cooking utensils for the next group get-together you have over video chat.

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