My grandmother, GG, is 76 years young. She is my Facebook friend, she send me text messages, and e-mails me silly jokes. She will occasionally ask, “Emily, did you look at my pictures Aunt Judy uploaded to Facebook?” or send me a sweet text that says, “Happy Easter! Lots of bunny hugs and kisses! LOL gg.” (She thinks ‘LOL’ means lots of love. Precious, right?!)
It may take her 20 minutes to send 55 characters or 45 minutes to get her dial-up internet to pull up her Facebook account, but she doesn’t need any help operating social media. Her 39 Facebook friends range from family to high school friends. Social media sites and technology help my GG stay connected and feel young.
On the other hand, my Granny refuses to learn how to text, Facebook, or e-email. She is proud of herself to play Spider Solitaire on the computer. Granny would prefer to chop down a tree, cut it into pieces, start a fire, and send smoke signals than send a text message. She gets aggregated when my daddy shoots her a text.
“Dammit Greg, don’t you know I can’t read that,” she always says.
Trying to talk her into trying out any form social media and technology is like trying to teach Helen Keller to see–absolutely pointless. She has always communicated by driving down the road to talk to someone or calling someone’s house phone that there is no turning back. She is too stubborn (and possibly scared) to change her ways now.
I believe that social media sites are beneficial to everyone; however, someone can’t be forced into using the technology.
Eclectic Emily Glass 
HAHA! My grandma is the same way!! I taught her to text about 4 years ago and she know facebooks possibly more than I do. Her texts are usually questions about if I’m coming to visit or something, but she is all about liking my pictures or, her new favorite thing, sharing posts and pictures.
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That is so cute! I wish my grandparents were as savvy as GG. My grandparents don’t even have a computer, and I don’t think they’re going to make any social media breakthroughs in the near future. Social media is very beneficial, but there is also no way to teach an old dog new tricks.
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HAHA yes, that was so funny. I can hear/see all of those situations so clearly. I think it is crazy how we don’t see life any differently with our strong influence of internet and social media, when to some, like your GG, feel like it is some alien we have to make friends with 🙂
Emily this blog made me LOL! And I mean laugh out loud! My mom embraces social media while my dad thinks it is pointless. It is very true that social media is definitely not going to reach all of the older generation. Like I said on Gary Barton’s blog, “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” I am definitely not calling your granny a horse though!!
I think it’s awesome your grandmother is a savvy computer user. My mom is pretty skilled with a computer & a smart phone. I’m just as proud of her.