DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my grandmothers passed away suddenly five years ago, when I was a teenager. I miss her, and I wish we had had more time together. I want to make the most of the time my other grandmother has, but she lives in a different country. I see her about once a year, but it seems like the visits aren’t enough. I want to have a deeper connection with her. She doesn’t particularly like talking over the phone, and does not understand how to FaceTime or video chat. How can I reach out to her meaningfully without going broke flying to see her? – Can’t Miss Connections, Jackson, Mississippi

DEAR CAN’T MISS CONNECTIONS: It is a blessing to have your grandmother, and it’s wise of you to want to have meaningful connections with her.

Why not go all the way old-school? Send her handwritten notes – if you have good handwriting. If not, type them out so that they are very easy to read. Write to her and include photos that show her what is happening in your life. In this way, she gets to enjoy your world from a distance, and she knows without question that you are thinking of her. Write to her on a regular basis – at least once a month – even if she doesn’t write to you. Chances are, though, that if you make the effort, she will return it with joy. Start right away!

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DEAR HARRIETTE: As I was scrolling down my Facebook, I saw a video that was suggested to me because my friends liked it. It was a video of teenagers jumping off a local cliff. Upon looking at it, I recognized my teenage son!

I cannot believe my son has been cliff jumping! This is so dangerous. I totally busted him, but don’t know what my next step is. He’s grounded, but I want to make sure he never does this again. How do I keep him from endangering himself like this? He could have paralyzed himself! – No Heights, Columbus, Georgia

DEAR NO HEIGHTS: You can talk to your son about his choices and remind him to think about the consequences of his actions. Try to have this conversation with him when you are calmer. But you must not scold him at the time, or it won’t work. Practice talking to him.

The reality is that you cannot control your son’s every step; you can only remind him of the importance of making smart choices and the penalties and perils that come when he does not. Remind him of how precious he is to you, and how much you want him to have a long, healthy and safe life. Point out that jumping off cliffs is not a wise choice for anyone. You may want to look up accidents and fatalities that have occurred from such jumps so that he can see for himself.

This is not an easy task, but you can make the effort. Continuing to let him know how much you love him is key to getting him to consider heeding your advice.

— Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to [email protected] or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.