Getting My Baby Boomer Mom Onboard with eBay, Digital Photography and Text Messaging

Baby Boomers used to be so progressive. They introduced radical new dynamics to western culture - new philosophies, new music, new everything. They're living longer than any of the preceding generations and they're more active even now that they're in their sixties. In spite of all the progress they've made, Boomers are not keeping up with twenty-first century technology. They are easily intimidated by electronic gadgets. I know because I've tried repeatedly to help my mom understand everything from downloading files to taking pictures.

eBay
My mom's techlexia began with the advent of eBay. I was working in Hollywood at the time and we had some props we wanted to sell. We ended up making a killing on just a few items and so I bragged about it to my mom. I'm pretty sure she didn't understand what I was talking about. In the past nine years I've conducted dozens of eBay transactions both as a buyer and a seller, and mom still doesn't get it. "How do you know what to buy?" she'll ask me, as if I sit around all day pondering how to give my money to an eBay seller. I've tried to explain to her that I needed a new laptop battery and I didn't want to pay the big box store price, or I was looking for a discontinued item that isn't available in stores, or I was looking for a specialty item like a unique arts-and-crafts tool. "I still don't get it," she'll say.

Digital Cameras
Getting mom to use the digital camera is like trying to get her to play with road kill. "It's just like any other camera, just push the big silver button," I'll say. "How am I supposed to know that? Nobody ever teaches me these things," she snorts back. This is an argument we've been volleying back and forth for years. Still, she always seems to go for the tiny "video" button taking videos of everything instead of snapshots. "This camera is stupid. How do you get the pictures off it, anyway?" I'll explain that she has to plug one end of the cable into the camera and the other into the computer and it happens automatically. "What do you mean automatically?" Honestly, I would rather poke my eye out with a wet noodle than try to define "automatically". I've never even bothered to explain how to print the photos, I just let dad take care of that.

Text Messaging
Finally, we have a new technology that mom understands. She can even picture text! The only hang-up is trying to teach her how to use the predictive text function. In her AARP years she's developed clicking, arthritic thumbs so really she could save herself a lot of grief and discomfort if she'd just learn to use the abbreviated method of text messaging. I've tried showing her how she only needs to type in one corresponding button on the phone instead of tapping three times to make an "o", but it confounds her. This is a battle I choose not to pursue since she's already successful at texting the traditional way. Why make her more flustered?

There are other lessons that need to be learned like how to use the satellite TV remote control, how to take the iPod out of the cardboard box and use it, and why it's not nice to forward e mails with titles like "FWD: Fwd: re: Fwd: Hilarious Cat Jokes!!!" Sometimes it's just too challenging for a daughter to take on all these lessons. But with the Boomers' longer life expectancies, at least I know I have plenty of years left to try and teach her.