In today’s tech-driven world, the Kinsome app for grandparents and grandkids is revolutionizing how families connect. This innovative digital platform is specifically designed to strengthen bonds between grandparents and grandchildren, making it easier for families to maintain meaningful relationships that benefit both generations.
How the Idea for Kinsome Was Born
When Eben Pingree learned that both his mother and father-in-law had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease around the same time, he couldn’t stop thinking about his three young children.
“One of the first things my wife and I felt was a deep sense of urgency to make sure our kids could bond with their grandparents as much as possible during the limited time we had left,” Pingree said.
He started searching for technology that could help strengthen the relationship between his kids and their grandparents.
“We were pretty disappointed by the existing solutions, so I decided to create something on my own,” Pingree explained.
Introducing Kinsome: A Digital Platform for Families
Pingree created Kinsome, a digital platform where children can engage using an app while grandparents receive notifications via email or text, allowing them to easily interact with their grandkids.
One of the unique features is a robot named Kinzey, which engages kids in conversations and helps them share interesting updates with their grandparents. Based on the updates, Kinzey also suggests questions that children can ask about their grandparents’ lives. The platform includes games and activities that both generations can enjoy asynchronously, requiring minimal supervision from parents.
“At its core, the goal is to help different generations find common interests and provide more opportunities to stay connected,” Pingree noted.
Designed for Both Grandkids and Grandparents
Since the platform is designed for children between 6 and 11 years old, Pingree made sure it would be fun and engaging by adding elements of gamification and a conversational approach. This keeps kids interested and encourages them to send regular updates to their grandparents.
The average grandparent using the platform is in their 60s or 70s, many of whom are already familiar with using smartphones. However, Pingree emphasized the importance of making the experience as simple as possible for the older generation.
“When a child sends an update, their grandparent receives a message with a Magic Link,” he explained. “One click opens the update in their browser — no need for an app or password. With another click, they can listen to their grandchild’s voice and record a response.”
Kinsome and Its Role in Combating Loneliness
While developing the platform, Pingree and his team spoke to hundreds of grandparents, gaining insights into their feelings of loneliness and how much they wished to be more involved in their grandchildren’s lives.
“We were shocked by how often grandparents expressed a desire to play a bigger role in their grandkids’ lives,” Pingree said. “Many mentioned how their own grandparents had been integral to their childhood, and they wanted to have the same impact on their grandchildren.”
The 2023 Surgeon General’s Advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation strongly resonated with Pingree. The report highlighted that lacking social connections can increase the risk of premature death by more than 60%, and that Americans have reduced communication with family members by almost 40% since 2003. You can read more about the advisory here.
“There’s often this assumption that grandparents and grandkids naturally have a bond just because they’re family, but building a strong connection takes effort,” Pingree said. “It’s hard to do that when interactions are limited to a FaceTime call once a week. Kinsome fills that gap.”
Loneliness can stem from a variety of factors, including separation from family, a lack of social support, and feeling a loss of purpose. Kinsome aims to strengthen family ties and give grandparents a greater sense of involvement in their grandchildren’s lives.
The Health Benefits of Staying Connected
Preeti Malani, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, believes that loneliness should be treated as a serious health issue. Doctors should ask about loneliness just as they would ask about diet and exercise. Malani’s insights can be found in her article on the health impacts of loneliness, which is available here.
“Increasingly, we understand that social connections are crucial for overall health and well-being, not just for older adults but for younger generations too,” Malani explained.
She also emphasized how regular contact between grandparents and grandchildren, whether in person or through digital platforms, can improve relationships and create lasting memories.
“The time spent between grandparents and grandkids might vary depending on distance, age, and health, but it is always a special way for everyone to feel loved and connected,” she added.
Real-Life Use of Kinsome
In Pingree’s own family, Kinsome has already become a daily tool for staying in touch. His two older children use the platform almost every day to communicate with their grandparents, and his in-laws consistently respond to every update they receive.
For Pingree’s parents, it’s a different story. He lives in an intergenerational home, with his parents in the same building. This arrangement inspired much of Kinsome’s functionality.
“My kids naturally have these little interactions with my parents because we live so close,” Pingree said. “But for families that live far apart, it’s harder to build those small moments of connection. Kinsome was created to bridge that gap.”
“I truly believe in the importance of strong intergenerational bonds and the positive impact they can have on family well-being,” he concluded.
