To help my Mom combat her electronic anxieties, I volunteered to teach her computer classes. I knew when I raised the idea it would be a big commitment because in order to truly succeed in this pursuit, I would be forced to challenge some of my core Gen Y character traits (or flaws, depending on which generation you’re from).

You see, Mom’s a Baby Boomer and I’m a proud member of Gen Y – also known as a millennial. That means I have a short attention span, I get easily frustrated, and I always multi-task.

When we kicked off our first class, I used all my will power to put my digital distractions aside and pay attention. I logged off from Facebook, signed out of Twitter, turned my phone on silent and vowed to not open Instagram for at least 30 minutes. Yep, huge commitment.

To give a little tech background, my Mom uses an iPhone 4 for calls (I keep telling her to upgrade), SMS and WhatsApp. She has boosted the font size on her iPhone to the largest possible – no judgement – and she types way slower than I do on her iPhone and laptop. Peck, tap, peck. That kind of thing.

The goal of our first session was simple – to find out what Mom doesn’t know in order to determine what she needs to know. And here’s the list: Mom doesn’t know how to start new paragraphs in emails, she can’t transition between different windows if a few are open at the same time, and my favorite, which I can only express via her direct quote: “If I do something with the mouse on the side, all of a sudden I’m in 2010. I slowly move my arrow up, and then spend two hours getting back to today.” To translate, this means if Mom is in her inbox, and accidentally moves the vertical scroll bar down, she doesn’t know how to scroll back up. Instead, she clicks from email to email to return to the most recent.

Here’s the thing I find amazing though; despite only managing basic computer navigation, Mom excels in online purchases. She’s like the Jackie Chan of online shopping; analyze, strike, takedown. If her credit card is handy, no brand or item is ever out of reach. When you see her wild purchases you wouldn’t think they’re made by the same person who is scared to click the right-hand button on her mouse. But I guess it’s like anything in life – if you want something bad enough, you’ll always find a way, right?

Anyway, it was obvious I have a lot to teach her. What I wasn’t expecting, though, was how much I’d learn in the process. For the first time I saw the internet and tech world through the eyes of a Baby Boomer who isn’t well-versed in all things digital – and quite honestly, it’s frightening. I realized just how different our relationship is with technology. It’s so, so different.

Firstly, I’m a self-confessed iPhone and social media addict. I go out on dates but truthfully, I feel like I’m in a pretty committed relationship with my iPhone. The best part is that every 18 months I get an upgrade. Have you ever met a guy that gets slimmer, with better features, a year and a half into your relationship? I doubt it.

Second, I immerse myself in as much tech-related news as possible; the latest iWatch rumours, Facebook’s algorithm changes and Kimye’s record-breaking Instagram pic. I can’t get enough.

And also, the daily tech questions that Mom and I grapple with are completely different. I ask ‘Have I read the latest articles on Mashable? Are these new OS X Mavericks updates making my computer slower? And should I post this photo of me twerking on Instagram or Twitter?’ In contrast, Mom asks about cursors, punctuation and navigation bars.

After becoming aware of these huge gaps in her computer skills, I’ve realized it’s my duty to put aside my digital distractions and continue teaching her computer classes. Considering how much she’s given up for me in her lifetime, it’s not a big ask at all. In fact, it’s the perfect way to say thanks. Just imagine how much more shopping she can do when she learns how to browse-and-buy with multiple windows open.

Posted On: 6/4/14

Jordana Borensztajn is a comedian, corporate speaker and social media trainer. She drinks a lot of coffee, loves hanging out in Apple stores, and is currently spending way too much time on Instagram. Tweet her any time at @JordanaOZ or hit her up on Facebook. She’ll probably answer straight away – provided it’s not during computer class.

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