All four of my kids have now had phones for a week. It’s been a total game-changer. I mean that literally. They play a whole different slate of games now that they can access the mobile app store. Everything else is pretty much the same. One thing the new phones haven’t done is save their lives. To date, the kids have yet to send a single text message in an emergency situation, which is what I got the devices for in the first place. I suppose I should be grateful no life-threatening crises have arisen, although even if one did, I’m not sure my kids would use their phones as intended. Instead, they would likely spam us with giant thumbs up emojis. To most people, that would mean they like something a lot. To my kids, it means they’re holding their phone with a death grip and forgot to let up. I’m now realizing there’s a new kind of etiquette I have to teach my offspring. I’ve spent most of their lives training them (unsuccessfully) on how to behave in social situations to avoid faux pas and keep unexplained fires to a minimum. Now, I have to do the same, but for the digital arena. If they double text you or leave you on read, I assure you the slight is accidental. Give them time. Soon enough, it will be on purpose.
It's funny about meme spam. I started sending my grandson a meme a day when he went off to college, just to keep in touch. Then, I kind of slacked off, thinking "He doesn't want to hear from his Grandmother every day, what was I thinking?" Well, I saw him at a family function after a few days' hiatus, and he demanded to know why I hadn't sent anything! He said, "What's going on?? It's been days! Even my friends are asking what happened!!" Turns out, he's been enjoying them so much (SOME of them might be a little naughty!), he's been sharing them with his friends!! So, I started back up and haven't stopped! Never underestimate the power of the meme!!
Oh what a fabulous idea!! I send my grandson guitar licks & he sends them back with him on guitar - I have not found one he cannot replicate - Memes are a great idea!
My kids were older when we set up a group chat, so we used What’s App with group name “Cereal Box Family” (a stereotype we were assigned years ago based on 1 husband, 1 wife, 1 son, 1 daughter, 1 dog, 1 cat). To be difficult, our daughter created a separate group excluding her brother she named “Favorite Child.” On What’s App, half the fun is assigning the group a name and a profile picture.
<<Barring some calamity, such as one of the kids dividing in half and self-replicating, it will be just the six of us for the rest of our lives. Yes, the kids might get married someday, but I’m not adding spouses to this group. They can be in the extended (a.k.a. not the real) family chat.>> This is such a thing. My sibs and I communicate on Viber as my twin had the audacity to move to the wilderness where she cannot get texts but managed to get internet to her house. The other three of us sibs then had to switch to Viber. But there are soooo many Viber groups for different variations of us four and my two kids. There's the one with all the girls, the one with just sisters, the one with just the sibs and no offspring, the one with everyone but Dad, the one with just those who want political stuff, the one for just those that play Pokemon, the one with just my brother, the one with just those of us who live close enough to have lunch together etc. Just wait, LOL!
And invariably you'll message the wrong one including the wrong person who you definitely didn't want to see what you had to say. Double the family drama, double the fun.
I would have never guessed that Waffle, Waffle!, would need a break from the family chaos. I somehow thought she reveled in it.
I regularly trade memes, funny videos, etc. with my adult sons and their wife/fiancée. One leans more toward sports, the other toward games/anime. Both heavy on movie quotes & dogs. I'm glad we all share the same sense of humor.
It's a wonderful idea to have a family group! Shame that all these years we never thought about creating one. But we rarely use FB anyways, always chatting via SMS or normal calls. Only recently some family members made purpose groups, i. e. when we were planning going to concerts with my uncle.
With my family we did sometimes call each other to come for dinner, but eventually we return to shouting or having someone walking to inform everybody in their rooms, the only exception being when somebody is doing stuff in the garden. Also, I have it other way around, my parents always sounded more fearful in person.
Sharing memes is something in which my brothers are thriving. They both show them and funny clips from suspiciously similar genres during meals or watching TV. At least thanks to them we all know what's trendy in children and youth humour. But for quite a time even my dad started to do it, and he often sends some hilarious pics or vids. I wouldn't expect him normally to do it, but given he's eager to know what we like and how online humour works, I shouldn't be surprised.
With my bros. we always had a very important rule - you can use other one's phone or other device only when he allows it and just to help him win in-game. We never thought about destroying each others' progresses.
When you get down to it, no technology will truly ever replace yelling upstairs for everyone to come down and eat. Science hasn't advanced far enough to make our houses be actually quiet.
Password protection for each phone. Including biometric if possible. You and Lola of course get the passcodes (ALL of them, games emails apps etc). Won't stop them from touching each other's phones but does protect against malicious use of an unlocked phone.
I suppose your girls have figured out the workings of their phone already, stuff like settings and apps and everything in between. I'm lucky I can remember how to forward a text or save a photo.
Mr.P went from "I will never get a phone" to a prolific user and meme sender. He has found a new hobby of being Mr. Entertainment, I guess. He, of course, finds himself more amusing than the recipient does, but hey, it keeps him out of trouble - and he can't hear them groaning, so all is well. If I'd known he'd have so much fun with one, I 'd have insisted he get a phone a long time ago.
ROFL!! Ok, James - you may not add your daughters‘ future spouses to the family phone plan, but, God be willing, you’d have to add the grandkids, right? 😉
As someone with “kids” and they now HAVE kids I am enjoying this far too much. Because I live on the other side of the country I do not often see these phone set ups! The first child who received one lost hers CONSTANTLY. I asked my son why he was SO upset as we all forget things - he said this was a conversation they had at LEAST 10 x a day. Exaggerating? IDK I’m just enjoying them on repeat! Thank you!!
I believe it. My new conversation with one of my kids is that she has to keep her phone charged. It will do exactly zero good in an emergency if it's constantly dead. We may or may not have that same conversation every day.
😂 I am not laughing at you - as much as truly enjoying being the grandparent now. I thought I was much too young but I am actually exactly young enough to enjoy these things. Good Luck - you will survive - I hope! 🤦♀️
My boys struggle mightily with being socially appropriate, so getting phones was a whole new world of ways to unknowingly be awkward. When my oldest first got his phone, he texted something silly to his grandma before he went to bed. She texted him back “haha” a few minutes later. His reply: “Grandma. I’m trying to go to bed. Don’t text me so late.” Grandma and I laughed about this one until we couldn’t breathe.
Wait until they get Life360. I thought I'd use it to keep track of my semi-adult children. No--- instead they use it to stalk me when I'm at Target, the grocery store, or anywhere else where they absolutely need something (but want mom to pay for it).
Thank GOD these things didn’t exist most of my life! I was the last one to get a phone and I only get my hubby’s hand me down because he’s the tech qeek. I’ll admit though that I do use mine frequently. GPS, lists, FaceTime with my sister. The calculator, LOL. Mostly I take pictures of my art and gardens so the few that know me can ooooo and ahhhhh and I can get some validation that no, I’m NOT wasting my life. I do wish my kids had had them though. Ones a diabetic and it would have saved us death defying trips to the ER I think.
It's funny about meme spam. I started sending my grandson a meme a day when he went off to college, just to keep in touch. Then, I kind of slacked off, thinking "He doesn't want to hear from his Grandmother every day, what was I thinking?" Well, I saw him at a family function after a few days' hiatus, and he demanded to know why I hadn't sent anything! He said, "What's going on?? It's been days! Even my friends are asking what happened!!" Turns out, he's been enjoying them so much (SOME of them might be a little naughty!), he's been sharing them with his friends!! So, I started back up and haven't stopped! Never underestimate the power of the meme!!
If I ever got any memes for my grandmother, I definitely would have treasured them forever. The source doubles the the humor value.
Oh what a fabulous idea!! I send my grandson guitar licks & he sends them back with him on guitar - I have not found one he cannot replicate - Memes are a great idea!
My kids were older when we set up a group chat, so we used What’s App with group name “Cereal Box Family” (a stereotype we were assigned years ago based on 1 husband, 1 wife, 1 son, 1 daughter, 1 dog, 1 cat). To be difficult, our daughter created a separate group excluding her brother she named “Favorite Child.” On What’s App, half the fun is assigning the group a name and a profile picture.
This is the truth. It's a constant war in my other group chats.
<<Barring some calamity, such as one of the kids dividing in half and self-replicating, it will be just the six of us for the rest of our lives. Yes, the kids might get married someday, but I’m not adding spouses to this group. They can be in the extended (a.k.a. not the real) family chat.>> This is such a thing. My sibs and I communicate on Viber as my twin had the audacity to move to the wilderness where she cannot get texts but managed to get internet to her house. The other three of us sibs then had to switch to Viber. But there are soooo many Viber groups for different variations of us four and my two kids. There's the one with all the girls, the one with just sisters, the one with just the sibs and no offspring, the one with everyone but Dad, the one with just those who want political stuff, the one for just those that play Pokemon, the one with just my brother, the one with just those of us who live close enough to have lunch together etc. Just wait, LOL!
And invariably you'll message the wrong one including the wrong person who you definitely didn't want to see what you had to say. Double the family drama, double the fun.
I would have never guessed that Waffle, Waffle!, would need a break from the family chaos. I somehow thought she reveled in it.
I regularly trade memes, funny videos, etc. with my adult sons and their wife/fiancée. One leans more toward sports, the other toward games/anime. Both heavy on movie quotes & dogs. I'm glad we all share the same sense of humor.
It's the glue holding society together. If the cell towers go down, we're all doomed.
It's a wonderful idea to have a family group! Shame that all these years we never thought about creating one. But we rarely use FB anyways, always chatting via SMS or normal calls. Only recently some family members made purpose groups, i. e. when we were planning going to concerts with my uncle.
With my family we did sometimes call each other to come for dinner, but eventually we return to shouting or having someone walking to inform everybody in their rooms, the only exception being when somebody is doing stuff in the garden. Also, I have it other way around, my parents always sounded more fearful in person.
Sharing memes is something in which my brothers are thriving. They both show them and funny clips from suspiciously similar genres during meals or watching TV. At least thanks to them we all know what's trendy in children and youth humour. But for quite a time even my dad started to do it, and he often sends some hilarious pics or vids. I wouldn't expect him normally to do it, but given he's eager to know what we like and how online humour works, I shouldn't be surprised.
With my bros. we always had a very important rule - you can use other one's phone or other device only when he allows it and just to help him win in-game. We never thought about destroying each others' progresses.
When you get down to it, no technology will truly ever replace yelling upstairs for everyone to come down and eat. Science hasn't advanced far enough to make our houses be actually quiet.
Password protection for each phone. Including biometric if possible. You and Lola of course get the passcodes (ALL of them, games emails apps etc). Won't stop them from touching each other's phones but does protect against malicious use of an unlocked phone.
The problem is they attack when the phone is open and being actively used. They're devious like that.
I suppose your girls have figured out the workings of their phone already, stuff like settings and apps and everything in between. I'm lucky I can remember how to forward a text or save a photo.
Mr.P went from "I will never get a phone" to a prolific user and meme sender. He has found a new hobby of being Mr. Entertainment, I guess. He, of course, finds himself more amusing than the recipient does, but hey, it keeps him out of trouble - and he can't hear them groaning, so all is well. If I'd known he'd have so much fun with one, I 'd have insisted he get a phone a long time ago.
My father-in-law does this, although he's in a more primitive stage. He takes pictures of the comics in the newspaper and then text them to me.
I think most homes multiple kids running around are noisier then active basketball courts. At least your family is normal about one thing. 😆
If your kids have access to large amounts of unmarked bills and helicopters, your day job must pay a lot better than I thought... 🤔
I don't ask the kids where they get their money. For legal purposes, I'd rather not know.
ROFL!! Ok, James - you may not add your daughters‘ future spouses to the family phone plan, but, God be willing, you’d have to add the grandkids, right? 😉
As someone with “kids” and they now HAVE kids I am enjoying this far too much. Because I live on the other side of the country I do not often see these phone set ups! The first child who received one lost hers CONSTANTLY. I asked my son why he was SO upset as we all forget things - he said this was a conversation they had at LEAST 10 x a day. Exaggerating? IDK I’m just enjoying them on repeat! Thank you!!
I believe it. My new conversation with one of my kids is that she has to keep her phone charged. It will do exactly zero good in an emergency if it's constantly dead. We may or may not have that same conversation every day.
😂 I am not laughing at you - as much as truly enjoying being the grandparent now. I thought I was much too young but I am actually exactly young enough to enjoy these things. Good Luck - you will survive - I hope! 🤦♀️
Wait until someone comments on subject matter from Group A thread to the wrong group...or is it just my hubby that does that?
It is a universal human experience. Marriages have been ended over less.
My boys struggle mightily with being socially appropriate, so getting phones was a whole new world of ways to unknowingly be awkward. When my oldest first got his phone, he texted something silly to his grandma before he went to bed. She texted him back “haha” a few minutes later. His reply: “Grandma. I’m trying to go to bed. Don’t text me so late.” Grandma and I laughed about this one until we couldn’t breathe.
Wait until they get Life360. I thought I'd use it to keep track of my semi-adult children. No--- instead they use it to stalk me when I'm at Target, the grocery store, or anywhere else where they absolutely need something (but want mom to pay for it).
Thank GOD these things didn’t exist most of my life! I was the last one to get a phone and I only get my hubby’s hand me down because he’s the tech qeek. I’ll admit though that I do use mine frequently. GPS, lists, FaceTime with my sister. The calculator, LOL. Mostly I take pictures of my art and gardens so the few that know me can ooooo and ahhhhh and I can get some validation that no, I’m NOT wasting my life. I do wish my kids had had them though. Ones a diabetic and it would have saved us death defying trips to the ER I think.
I'm sure she'll have half the planet on her list before she's done.