Among Friends

[lovesrecess]

I text my kids because they are so busy, I always feel I am interrupting them from something when I call. One has four preschoolers so I know she has zero time to talk on the phone until late at night. I just text. One never reads texts from me either, so I have stopped contacting her at all. If she is curious if I am still alive, she can ask her siblings or call me. I am also told that FB is for geezers now and since boomers discovered FB, it isn’t cool anymore so the cool people now use Instagram and other platforms....I am so uncool I don’t even know what they are! Maybe that’s the idea...?

[ECBG]

I perfer a quck text from DH.  It will only be one question never a discussion.

I prefer a phone call from friends in stead of typing up a storm.

[house_cat]

My 85 year old mother-in-law thought she had no use for a smartphone.  She had a land line, and a flip phone which she probably used twice in the last two decades. 

When we visited her two summers ago, she was complaining that her grandchildren rarely called. DH went straight to the Apple store, bought her an iPhone and taught her to use it. She was resistant at first. Just this week, he was updating her about our son and she said she knew all about it - he'd been sending her pictures.  She now has almost daily contact with my kids and her other grandchildren. 

I guess one could say that the young people should defer to the preferences of their elders, but it's just not going to happen.  There's no way my sons will have time to call their grandmother every day, but they can easily send her a text and let her know that she's thought of and loved. 

I think it's sad that some older folks consider it a badge of honor to resist technology.  If nothing else, learning something new is good brain exercise.  If you can afford it, give it a try.. you might be suprised that you like it.

[catwhisperer]

@house_cat ....I am "older" and don't consider it a "badge of honor to resist technology." I can't afford an expensive cell phone along with the monthly bill that goes along with it.

[house_cat]

@catwhisperer 

I completely understand that. I'm referring to those, some who I know personally, who seem downright proud that they don't know how to text or even email.  My mom was one of them.  The Internet was up and running for at least 20 years when she died, and she still didn't know how to access a website.  She said she had no use for it, but the truth was that she had me or her grandchildren do it for her.

[qvcaddition]

@RedTop 

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@RedTop wrote:

I prefer to text.  Simple and to the point, a few texts and you're done.  

The only person I call is my mom; a 10 minute conversation on a good day tells me what I want to know.   

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You sound like my son.  Once a week, rain or shine. I have to write what I tell him in those 10 mins.  At 84 I text, but like to  hear a voice for a conversation.  After we die, i hope they don't feel guilty, not giving the time of day.  He's retired, what is the problem with giving a little more time to mom.  Other than that, he is a good son.  I see him every couple of months. He lives 20 miles away.  Good thing I know how to use all the tech stuff I have.  At least my sister zooms me.  She lives in Washington and i live in CA.  It's good to see a face and have a conversation.

Before all this tech stuff, i use to call my Grandma and Dad everyday and I was working and raising 3 kids as a single mom.  Was quite busy to say the least, but it was important to them and mean to talk to one another.  

[house_cat]

@qvcaddition 

You're right and you make a good point.  We led busy lives before these gadgets came along and we managed to stay in touch with loved ones.  I don't know what the difference is now... priorities, I guess. Perhaps we will regret it by and by.

[qvcaddition]

DI have a chrome, a laptop, a. Smartphone, and an ipad.  I am one of these elderly 84. I zoom ,text, and email.  I have to call my elderly friends, because they have none of these. Three have flip phones.  They said don,t need all that stuff.

They don,t want to learn, but some don,t want to spend the money on internet.  It keeps me very busy, but I le alone. 

That is what is does for these young kid. Between Facebook, twitter, tic tok utube and all the other stuff, their nose is looking down all the time and the stress.  No wonder they don,t have time to talk to grandma.

If I had all this while holding down a  job as a single mom, I could never had raised my kids and spend quality time with them, or visit my elderly

Grandma or parents.

I am teaching a couple 70 year old how to use their computer.  Also teaching my 58 year old son how to use his new smartphone. You are never to old to learn expanding your knowledge and brain.

Unfortunately, I don,t hAve to much to talk about with my friends who haven,t expanded, because you can only talk about flowers and garden, so much. My sister said, I,m caught between a rock and a hard spot.  Too

Young thinking for the elderly age group and to old for the younger group. 

People need to hear voices in conversation.  

[insomniac2]

I'm not on Facebook, and have no plans to text.

I love to hear a person's voice and expressions.