Tech-Savvy Grandkids at Your Service: Unlocking the Digital World of Communication Together!

As the Greatest Generation member, my mom was technologically advanced, especially for her age. She was a wiz with spreadsheets. She created manual spreadsheets before technology caught up to her. She eagerly took to social media, even posting her version of a selfie to share with family and friends. Computer, Smart Phone, IPad, yep, she used them all. But she gladly leaned on her children and grandchildren for technology questions.

Tapping into the grandchild resource is an excellent option for this rising generation of grandparents. Don't be embarrassed, Baby Boomers. You can save a lot of frustration, money, and time by asking grandkids.

Our oldest son is currently in a technology role as his profession. When he was younger, he locked my computer screen to look like it was melting subsequently. Since it was password protected, I had to call the middle school to ask him for the password to unlock my screen. Yes, a fifth grader could lock me out of my computer.

A year later, he begged to be on his Xbox to play other gamers online with people he didn't know. As a protective parent, I refused to allow it. As a result, he hacked into the system. He could play without parental approval and oversight and for free. Yes, Xbox eventually shut him down and banded him for a period. However, I was unaware of the breach until he became an adult.

My point is that children and grandchildren are outpacing us with technology by leaps and bounds. They grew up with the internet and thrived on keeping up with the latest gadgets. Video games were part of their childhood.

But why fight it? Early on, I knew I could never put a tracker on my teenage boys. They would hack it and put it on the dog or something else obscure for me to follow. However, they expected to report every night via text if they changed their location or when they were coming home. They were using technology in my realm of comfort.

But as grandparents, technology isn't a resource for curfew; it is a great bonding tool. My mom took a texting class in her 80s because she wanted to learn to communicate with her grandchildren. Finding a communication avenue to keep in touch is an important step.

I have learned that there are better tools to communicate than email. Yes, they will eventually get the email, but if it is time sensitive, know there won't be a quick response. A phone call? No, that generally is not the best way to communicate since they might be in the middle of something. Unless there is an emergency, a phone call without a heads-up via text is not the best option. Text, Text, Text is the best way to get their attention.

As a family, we have a group text. We keep each other updated on events that happen and want to share. Pictures, emojis, etc., are a great way to interact with children and grandchildren. Hence the reason my mom wanted to learn how to text. Granted, Smartphones made it more accessible. I don't think I could text on a flip phone.

My sisters and the extended family also use group texts to keep in touch. My mom used email to communicate with the family daily. She would email the temperatures of where we lived in the morning, then her saying, Love, Hugs, Blessings (LHB) every night. As the next generation, we converted the emails to group text: same purpose, but different technology.

How will you bond with your grandchildren? Are you using the postal service to mail them letters? That is great, but Millennials aren't in the habit of relying on mail to communicate. And if you write in cursive, they probably cannot read it. Maybe phone calls are your thing. However, don't expect them to pick up. An unannounced call is usually only used for emergencies. Texting, yes, learn to text. But the next generation, who knows?

Let them take the lead if you want to bond with your grandchildren. Ask them how they would like to keep in touch. Is Facetime preferred to a phone call, or is it Zoom? Should it be scheduled? Most likely, yes, but ask.

As the rising generation outpaces the prior one in technology, don't fight change. Embrace the latest and greatest out there, asking for help along the way.