This Could Go Two Ways

 Most Gen-Xers have stories about teaching their parents about technology. I am one of these people. 

I'll give her dues, my Mum, aged 85, is not too bad on "the computer". She can also use her basic iPhone. She also has an AppleWatch, which she can use what she needs to use. This is a good thing. When she bought one of my old phones off me, it came with the proviso that I gave her half a day of lessons so that she would be confident in doing the fundamentals. In her case this was making and taking calls, taking a photo, sending and receiving texts, and being able to get onto Facebook. These are big things when you're 85. 

My step-dad is an utter Luddite. No point teaching him anything. 

But Mum is pretty switched on with this stuff. 

My parents also have a new car. A Suzuki X-Cross. I think this is the first car in decades which doesn't have a tow bar (they still have the ute). The last car, an old Hyundai Elantra, was given away with around 300,000 kilometres on the clock. At least this one doesn't make a ticking noise. 

We went down to see the house my sister is building in a Southern seaside suburb.

"I'm never going to be able to find it." said Mum. 

"I'll get out the street directory," said my step-dad. 

"Doesn't your new car have onboard navigation" I ask.

"I don't think so," they said in unison. 

Sheesh, a 2025 model car and no navigation!

"Well," I said, "You can always ask your phone."

"What do you mean?"

"Apple, or GoogleMaps?"

"I don't think my phone has that," says Mum. 

"It does," I retort. 

It does. 

Regardless, we went down, met my sister, brother-in-law, niece and their two dogs at their new place. After having a chat with my niece, who also as a Suzuki, she confirmed that navigation wasn't standard on Suzuki's, but you could always tee up CarPlay. 

Ah. Okay. How do I explain to my Mum that satellite navigation systems can be one of the most passive aggressive pieces of coding on the planet. If I'm spoiling for a fight I get in the car, set a destination, and drive in the opposite direction. 

We got home. I grabbed her phone, the car keys and asked if she had a spare charging cable. We need to get her another one as her spare was bound up with electricity tap and wasn't connecting so I used a spare I had on me. After a false start, it was up and running. 

"Mum, want to learn something?"

"Yeah."

So, I sat her down in the car, and gave her some some basic instructions. Turn the car on. Plug in the adapter. Plug the cord into the phone. Look on the screen. Use the keyboard icon. 

"Will you look at that," she said. 

"Pretty cool, eh!" I think taught her how to find an address. 

We'll see how she goes. At the moment, she doesn't do that much driving. It's the prerogative of the octagenarian. 

She's willing to learn. That's the good thing. But she still might end up shouting at the sat-nav too. 

Maybe you can teach old dogs new tricks. 

Today's song: