Electronically Deficient Mommy

I consider myself technologically illiterate...especially when it comes to electronics...can't any piece of equipment be easy to use?  Why is it that I can't even turn on the television anymore...or find the station I want...and now that my son bought me a new DVD player for my bedroom...I'm really at a loss...now I can't find my favorite TV show...and I can't turn on a movie either.  Now I have to use three changers...one for the TV...one for the DVD and one for my cable provider. 

Of course, my son thinks his mom is Electronically Deficient...yes, I am a 50 year old EDM...a 50 year old Electronically Deficient Mommy...so when I want to watch a movie I ask my son to write down the directions...step by step...and then I take it nice and slow...I start turning on the DVD and TV about 15 minutes from the time I plan to watch the movie...sometimes the process goes off without a hitch...other times it is a complete disaster...I'll get the TV on...then I'll try to turn on the DVD player and the TV turns off...then I have both on but I cannot get the cable turned off so the movie will start...and sometimes I just give up and go read a book instead.

My son thinks it is comical...especially when I call him on his cell phone while he is out so he can give me further directions. "Are you ever going to learn how to use this DVD and TV?" he often says to me, "How

long is it going to take you before you are electronically proficient...how many times do I have to write this down for you?"

"I'm not such a total failure," I thought to myself the other day, "No, I'm not a total EDM."  I did learn how to use my new energy efficient front-loading electronic washer  and dryer.  I know how to turn it on...I know how to do a white load with warm water...I know how to do a dark load with cold water...I know how to do a delicate load with slow spin.  And I can program the dryer too...yep...I learned all by myself how to program the dryer so I can dry my clothes for 60 minutes or 20 minutes or however long it takes. 

But, interestingly, my son doesn't know how to use our energy-efficient front-loading electronic washer and dryer.  He has no interest in learning this fancy machinery.  In fact, the other day I phoned home and asked him to move the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer and turn the dryer on...but he could not do it...nope...he didn't know how it worked. 

When I arrived home I wondered why the clothes were still all wet...especially since I had already taught him how to use these modern pieces of electronic equipment a few weeks ago..."Is my son an Electronically Deficient Son...is he an EDS like his EDM?," I thought. 

"Why didn't you dry the clothes?" I said to him politely.

"Because you didn't write down the directions," he said.  "I don't know how to use these machines."

"Are you ever going to learn how to use these machines?" I said to him, "How long is it going to take you before you are electronically proficient...how many times do I have to write this down for you?"

I think there are just some electronics that are meant for mommies and some for our sons...and if I can't watch a movie on a Saturday night...heck, I'll always be able to do a load of laundry instead.

Original 50 Something Moms Blog Post.  Judi is a 50 something mommy who also blogs about her 50 something life at aboomerslifeafter50.blogspot.com.

Comments

[Cheryl Wenzel/New Mom Central]

Actually, it's not your fault. Electronics change faster than you can buy them and the one you bought off the shelf becomes obsolete by the time you bring it home and set it up. And, if it's any consolation (and you can tell your son this), one day when he's 50 he'll be having the same problem keeping up with the technology. :)

[Ronni]

I laughed out loud reading about how you give yourself 15 minutes pre-viewing timeframe to get your set on -- I'm with you! But, for some reason, I think you may TRY a little harder to learn to work the DVD than your son does to learn to work the washer/dryer. After all, he can't get the W/D to work -- he can always just go watch TV! I definitely think he has the better deal :-)