The Emotional Stages Of Teaching Your Fam Online Basics
Help when it matters.
Never did growing up on the internet feel like it was going to become a superpower, but here we are.
Now that the outdoors and interactions are increasingly off-limits, the entire world needs to learn to do stuff like banking, shopping, and even medical care online. That includes our grandparents and parents, even though teaching them online basics can feel like a kind of emotional rollercoaster.
But with great power comes great responsibility, so it’s time to harness our skills and get the fam online.
To prepare you for the fact that emotions are sure to be running extra high at the moment, we’ve broken it down into the five emotional stages you can expect as you take on the mighty (but vital) task of teaching older family members how to do seemingly simple stuff like navigate a banking app. Good luck!
#1. Enthusiasm
Despite the dreariness of our current circumstances, you’ll likely find yourself feeling pretty enthusiastic about getting your parents (and their parents) up-to-date with the digital world’s latest and greatest. Banking on your phone. What a concept!
With unbridled optimism, you’ll imagine a new normal of watching grandma sort their finances online, video chatting with grandpa, observing proudly as your dad orders groceries through an app while mum does an online workout like a tech-savvy queen. Soon, you’ll be preparing for nan and pop’s inevitable arrival on social media!
How hard could it be?
#2. Doubt
Stage two is when you realise this might actually be quite hard.
Teaching online basics to people who were not ~digital natives~ in their youth can be a challenge. They ask a lot of questions. They can feel intimidated by cyberspace (fair) or skeptical of mucking around with their money sans face-to-face interaction (also fair). They probably won’t ‘get it’ right away, or maybe even after the third explanation, so you can expect to doubt your initial ambitions.
For some people, mastering the latest apps and online functionalities for stuff like money management is a bit like learning another language. But right now, it’s a language they need to speak, so push through the doubt and just be grateful you’re not actually trying to teach them French.
#3. Determination
Under different circumstances, this would likely be the point you chuck it all in, but knowing your loved ones understand internet essentials that help to access cash and services is literally crucial for getting through the wild ride that is 2020. This is where determination and patience kicks in.
We’re facing a bizarrely uncertain future where leaving the house is hardly an option and even some essential businesses, including banks, might have to close their doors and move completely online. It’s scary and we hate it, but it’s happening.
So, you need to show mum how to group video chat with her friends. You need to show dad how to set up a virtual GP appointment. And you really need to show your grandparents how to confidently navigate mobile or internet banking in case they can’t make it to a branch or use cash.
It’s seriously important stuff, so embrace the determination and practice transferring that birthday money one more time.
#4. Frustration
Even when it seems like they’ve nearly got it, making sure your fam has the confidence to use the web without your help is the final – and arguably most frustrating – hurdle. It’s truly amazing how many questions they can ask.
Plus, this is compounded by the manic energy with which you’re conveying just how important it is that they stay at home in the coming weeks and months, and actually use online options for banking, shopping, and medical assistance.
This is the stage where you must swallow your building frustration and persevere. Gesture wildly if necessary.
#5. Sweet, Sweet Satisfaction
You’ve successfully passed on your internet wizardry when you know they can (and will) comfortably use it without your assistance. When grandma transfers you birthday money using online banking (fingers crossed) and grandpa starts using emojis, you can enjoy the sweet satisfaction of a job well done and rest easy knowing they’ll be okay as we navigate this roller coaster of a year together.
Elbow bump, fam.
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That was an emotional roller coaster, but helping your loved ones prepare for an uncertain future doesn’t have to be. It’s critical to ensure they can access cash and vital services while observing social distancing and self-isolation measures. Download the Westpac app and help start managing their finances online using these handy PDF guides today.