By Michael Torrice
Devoted to strengthening the interactions between grandchild and
grandparent, iGrandparents.com has many features that make it a good
resource for grandparents. Started in 1999, the site was the idea
of two grandfathers as a way for grandparents to come together to
discuss grandparenting issues and share experiences. Membership to
the site is free and comes with web space for grandparents to create
their own site. On this site the grandparents can show off pictures
of their grandchild and talk about their experiences. A membership
to iGrandparents.com also allows grandparents access to the message
boards and chat rooms. Along with articles about grandparenting issues,
the site also contains a shopping area where the grandparents can
buy toys, books, and videos for their grandchild.
Some of the most interesting aspects of the iGrandparents.com web
site revolve around the discussion of issues of grandparenting. Whether
it be on the message boards or chat rooms or in the several articles
written by experts, the site has set up a good way for grandparents
who have questions about certain issues to obtain answers. There is
a whole section devoted to articles about "tough issues",
like cultural and racial barriers, grieving the loss of a grandchild,
and grandparent rights. Besides these more difficult issues, there
are also resources about child health, help with finances relating
to saving money for grandchildren, and educational help. As grandparents
live longer and become more active in grandchildren's lives, resources,
like those available on iGranparents.com, will be crucial just as
the myriad of first-time parenting resources are to the child's parents.
The message boards and chat rooms do not only serve as a means to
share information about grandparenting issues, but also as a community
for grandparents to connect with their peers. Something as simple
as sharing stories about their grandchildren can serve to connect
two senior citizens across the country. As research has shown, senior
citizens most enjoy the community aspects of the Internet. Allowing
senior web surfers a place to discuss something like their families
is therefore an idea that would attract many visitors.
Finally, when discussing a site devoted to senior citizens, the issue
of accessibility must be discussed. Throughout the site there are
places where, if a grandparent is having trouble, help can be found.
The chat rooms and message boards have a help/complaint e-mail address.
This ease of access to technical help is a must for a site devoted
to senior citizens, since the users will have varying degrees of technical
know-how. While this access to help is a positive aspect of this site's
accessibility, its layout demands more attention. The visual aspect
of the site does not take into account the difficulties that many
senior citizens experience when using the web. Standard font sizes
are used, which may be too small for some users. The intense need
for mouse work is also troubling since some users will have trouble
using the mouse due to spatial concerns and physical ailments, like
arthritis. To help with the mouse problem, the site could think about
trying to streamline all of its links on each page. Often times while
the main part of the page is discussing a specific issue, there will
be related links off to the side. These links should be moved more
into the main text so the seniors needn't worry about scrolling over
to the side. But beside these shortcomings, iGrandparents.com is a
good start at developing a site for senior citizens to discuss grandparenting.