Today, I was assigned to be the one to teach Grandpa how to use his new smartphone. An hour in, and we're still going over volume controls. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, I finally convinced my grandpa to try a smartphone. After an hour of teaching him how to text, he announced he'd figured it out on his own. The first message he ever sent was meant for me. It went to his pharmacist instead and simply read, "Love you. Thanks for everything." FML
Today, I was teaching my grandma how to use her new tablet. After explaining and setting everything up, I left her alone to check her email. When I came back, she'd somehow "mistakenly" sent an email to our entire family with the subject line "Help! My grandson thinks I'm a dipshit and has kidnapped me!" FML
Today, I found out my dad bought an iPhone. I've spent the better part of the last six months teaching him how to check his email and online newspapers. FML
Today, I received a phone call from my 91-year-old grandpa. He was lost driving somewhere in my town. I then spent the next few hours trying to teach him how to send his location until his phone died. FML
Today, I was on a video call with my grandmother, trying to teach her how to use Facebook. I patiently explained the difference between posting a status and sending a private message. Five minutes later, I saw her new status: “I love you, honey. Thanks for being so patient with me. By the way, I still don’t understand this shit.” FML
Today, my mom learned how to use the text messaging on her smartphone. I've received 37 already, and she calls after every single one to make sure I understood her. FML
Today, while working at a cell phone store, I helped an older woman learn how to use her newly updated phone. After trying to help her for over 20 minutes, she threatened to throw her phone at my head. FML
Today, my elderly dad learned how to use Facebook. He now spends most of his time messaging me about his meals, his bowel movements and his foot fungus. He's now learning how to use Skype. FML
Today, I was giving a lecture to my class I heard a phone go off. Aggravated and exhausted, I asked everyone to turn their phones off. Then the phone rang again. I lost my shit and spent the next half hour calling my students a bunch of "technology whores". Then I realized the phone was mine. FML
Today, my 84-year-old grandmother taught me a keyboard shortcut. FML
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Top comments
ambiversion 12
have fun! and be patient, you know how old people are with technology! it's understandable... somewhat.
eggmarie 25
Cherish these moments, as annoying as they may be. He won't be around forever. Make fond memories :)
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Comments (89)
ambiversion 12
have fun! and be patient, you know how old people are with technology! it's understandable... somewhat.
chlorinegreen 27
My grandma gets a phone then never uses it. Few months later she wishes she had one then it starts all over again with another phone that sits in her purse dead. I don't even think she knows the phone number.
thefastnfuryass 14
You know what they say those are the Golden Years :)
Stazza11 27
At least you get to spend time with your grandparents :), sadly some of us haven't ever had that quality time.
badluckalex 23
I dont get how this is an fml
mattjamt 16
I had the honor of teaching my grandfather as well. You're better off than we were though - an hour in and he was still baffled by the touchscreen.
VeganVampyre 27
I got to be the one to teach my grandfather how to use the iPod touch he got for Christmas two years ago... He got the (very) basics- he can turn it on and make it play music, but that's about it. He understands in theory that you can play games on it but never figured out how to actually play a game on it, and every single time he wants to buy new songs for it he makes me come over and do it for him even though I wrote down how to do it in very simple steps. Sometimes the new technology is just too much for the older generation no matter how slowly you go :P
Hiimhaileypotter 53
I guess my grandparents are fairly young (I'm 18 and they're 59 and 60). My grandpa has an iPhone that he uses to check the weather, stocks, and make calls for his business, and my grandma has a Kindle Fire that she plays games and reads on. Both of them text me as well. Whenever I read stories like this I'm always really surprised that my grandparents seem to be in the minority of older folks.
dawnimus 21
59 and 60 aren't that old, my parents are around that mark and get along with tech fairly well, but my Grandad (mid 80s) is always asking for help. I think it varies, of course, but I'd say most people who lived through WW2 are likely to struggle, but people born after that grew up through the post-war home technology boom (fancy fridges, tellys, kitchen gadgets and whatnot), so can probably relate better.
Hiimhaileypotter 53
I know 59/60 isn't old, but I do have friends whose grandparents are just 3 or 4 years older who struggle with technology.
cyttex 13
I guess it just depends on the person both my grandpas are early seventies and both grew up on a farm while or is tech savvy the other one barely understands his flip phone
kozzard 17
You may wish to start with the volume controls on grandpa's hearing aid first
LaughinStock 16
WHAT? Stupid kids and their flying machines!
Slimma 20
Well at least you have your whole day planned.
eggmarie 25
Cherish these moments, as annoying as they may be. He won't be around forever. Make fond memories :)
strokesie 23
Next thing you know, grandpa will be taking selfies
Pleonasm 36
Instagramming his dentures beside his food, doing the reverse duckface, hour long vines, playing Wrinkly Bird. Maybe even a geriatric Grindr. These are some of the things he might get up to.
cryssycakesx3 23
instagrampa
piedpiper303 29
Instagramps
imagineapc 11
Trial and error. Teaching complete.
Mynamewontfi 40
At least your grandfather tries to keep up with the time. My dad refuses to try to understand how a smartphone works. Be patient, OP.
IndicaPaincakes 28
So when to teach him how to get to all the symbols?
Black_Knight80 13
I'm sorry lmao! FYL OP
warsun 27
If you were sorry, you wouldn't be laughing.