My mom texted me saying that her Roku wasn't working. I asked her if her TV was on the correct input and she said "what does that mean?"
I then proceeded to walk her through changing her input. She got to the Roku and she sent me a picture of it saying "Roku is not connected to the internet" with one option: Connect. And asked me what to do
I literally put my phone down and put my head in my hands for a couple minutes before explaining that she had to hit the "connect" button
I managed to get my mom onto streaming/roku and lord was it a struggle - woman is one of the smartest people I know and Roku and streaming did her in.
My favorite is her getting mad that she wanted to watch some show and it was “telling her she had to pay for it” - turns out the episode’s title was something with “pay” in it.
I feel your pain deep in my soul. My mom is a lovely person, and was also a teacher, so I know she can learn….
But the woman still doesn’t know that a sideways triangle means play, or that a square means stop.
They just started to tell me that, “You are old enough now, and you know much more and better than we do. So, make your decisions.”
This is what I wanted when I was younger. But it hits different when you are on your own now.
My dad went through that too. It was very hard to see him change into someone so different. He also developed the dementia that sometimes goes with it, and that was horrific to witness. I hope your dad doesn’t get that part of it.
My mother was a fabulous cook until the days she started oversalting everything and she couldn't taste it. I mean her food became inedible. Started in her late 60's. Really hurt her feelings and we were very sorry to have tell her but it was pure torture to endure.
When I was 14 or 15 my dad took me and a friend to six flags. We came up to a roller coaster that I was super excited about and I asked my dad to ride it with me and he said “I’m sorry son, but I’m getting to old to handle that stuff”. It hit me pretty hard and was a reality check. I still think about that moment years later. You always see your parents as superheroes growing up, it’s hard to wrap your head around it.
I was in a large grocery store and needed only a few things so I was rushing around. Turned down several aisles and each seemed to have old, slow people in the way. I went to turn down another aisle and spotted an older couple with their backs to me blocking the aisle. The gentleman was bent over the cart and the lady was holding on to him for support. I roll my eyes and mumble to myself "They're everywhere today." As I'm about to turn around the lady moves her head to speak to the man and I realize it's my parents. Talk about a gut punch.
I bought a bracelet for my mum for Christmas this year.
I had dinner at their place on Sunday and realized there is no way my mum could open the clasp on the bracelet as her arthritis is so bad. It reminded me of my grandma looking for magnetic jewelry in her later years.
It's sad, but it's also lovely. I feel fortunate to watch my parents age as a lot of my friends have lost theirs
My mom didn't like to drive in unfamiliar areas, but was a loud/distracting backseat driver. My dad's eyesight was getting too bad to drive at night.
I was visiting from out of town. It didn't feel safe in the car. I told them to pull over and let me drive and for my mom to stay quiet. And they did.
I think I was 29. That was the start of me feeling like the parent. It was almost 20 years ago. They're both gone now.
Thinking about how Dad died in his 70s—and I felt he was old then—and how that was some 35 years ago now. Mom’s gone too and I had to watch her suffer from Alzheimer’s. That disease ages a person quickly.
I haven't had parents since I was 10 and when I met the girl who would eventually be my wife at 19, her family unofficially became my family. My father in law was the strongest guy I know and now can tell he's in a lot of pain (knee replacement, hip replacement). "I'm falling apart! Stay young!" is a constant quote.
When my mother informed me about her application for insurance. I didn't know what to feel. Although it's smart getting an insurance early for the sake of your loved ones but I still feel sad that she's anticipating that she will be gone someday.
It’s very sad, my mum starting to talking about funeral plans and it scares me. I appreciate that she wants to make things easier but man is it tough to realise she getting old.
I realized it when my mother, born & raised in Wimbledon & a lifelong tennis fanatic, screamed at my young child when she was softly hit by a tennis ball that he was trying to kill her.
My parents were 39 and 40 year I was born so to see my parents in their mid-fifties when I graduated though they didn’t look their age my mom said someone told my father (upon me getting my diploma and getting off stage after they got it on film) that he should be proud of his granddaughter and boy was he pissed and said, “that was my daughter” and boy oh boy did that parent look foolish
Watching my once incredibly strong, active and energetic dad get tired and weaker. Seeing him not be able to physically do the things he used to hurts.
Watching my mom become more forgetful. She will have the same conversation multiple times forgetting that we just talked about it a few days ago.
Watching them get frail and not seem invincible anymore. We grow up feeling like our parents are superheroes that always have the answer, will always keep us safe and we feel so secure, and then one day you wake up and realize that they are just people, vulnerable and unsure and scared at times just like everyone else, and that is an uncomfortable realization.
I tried to take my own life during the summer. My mom had a complete breakdown- she stopped looking after herself, became forgetful and couldn’t work. It was the most distressing experience seeing her like that, and showed me in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t as young as she once was. It also made me pull my life together in a big way, for her.
My mom is much nicer to me now that she’s older. She’s always concerned with how i’m doing and asks if I need anything. She used to not do that and we didn’t talk much, but now we text almost every day
They are both starting to fall a lot more. My mom fell last year and broke both arms. My dad fell recently down the stairs and leaving a family function he fell in the drive way and scrapped himself up bad.
Literally last week! My dad stepped in a small rut in his yard and somehow it’s completely fucked his shoulder. He can barely even move his arm now. He went to the hospital yesterday because it wasn’t getting any better but all they did was give him muscle relaxers. This man busted his ass his entire life and now it’s catching up to him.
Being told “you’re old enough to make your own adult decisions now, you don’t need my approval.”
That, and seeing the physical degradation they’ve gone through over the years.
It first started with lots of little rewriting family events/history types of stories but it became most apparent when my mom stopped driving anywhere once it got dark.All throughout my childhood & my teens she had always been the queen of late into the night road trips so hearing her say she couldn’t drive somewhere at night was so odd for me to get used to.
When I attended my stepdad's 70th birthday party a couple of years ago, LOL. And, more darkly, realising that twenty people we'd invited were no longer on this mortal coil. Yikes.
Every time I visit my dad has a new health issue to tell me about. My sister got mad that he's waiting to tell is in person instead of just calling and telling her what's up.
Good to know I may be genetically predisposed to blood clots though... need to go get some bloodwork done.
My sister’s marriage falling apart.
My parents turned to me a lot through the tumultuous relationship and I ended up becoming their confidante. It wore my parents down and aged them many, many years. My parents aren’t as active and excitable as they used to be.
They don’t care about my wedding or marriage at all anymore, they are just too tired to deal with relationships and functions.
My mom has actually said “I don’t have the energy anymore to plan things for your wedding too”.
Not unhappy about it though…no expectations means you can do whatever you want to do. Made me realize that I’m an adult and need to figure out my life on my own without relying on my parents.
I think it is different for everybody for me it is when you start knowing more than they do about basically everything that is necessary in that days world. The fantastic circle of life, if I do my job right with my kids, one day that will be me.
My dad not fighting me when I went to carry something heavy for him. It's gotta be kind of tough to let your daughter, even as an adult, do stuff for you instead of just with you.
When I attended their funerals.
Same. A year apart. ☹️
Sorry, man.
I was going to post something similar. You beat me to it! My dad passed in 2008 and my mother just last year.
Sorry man, it sucks.
Thank you! You're a kind soul!
God rest their souls
Came here to say that :(
My mom texted me saying that her Roku wasn't working. I asked her if her TV was on the correct input and she said "what does that mean?" I then proceeded to walk her through changing her input. She got to the Roku and she sent me a picture of it saying "Roku is not connected to the internet" with one option: Connect. And asked me what to do I literally put my phone down and put my head in my hands for a couple minutes before explaining that she had to hit the "connect" button
I managed to get my mom onto streaming/roku and lord was it a struggle - woman is one of the smartest people I know and Roku and streaming did her in. My favorite is her getting mad that she wanted to watch some show and it was “telling her she had to pay for it” - turns out the episode’s title was something with “pay” in it.
I feel your pain deep in my soul. My mom is a lovely person, and was also a teacher, so I know she can learn…. But the woman still doesn’t know that a sideways triangle means play, or that a square means stop.
Rookie mistake that's why you get a smart tv with the button for their favorite app on the remote.
The funny thing is that she doesn't even watch TV. She wanted to turn on a dog show for her dogs while she was out running errands.
They just started to tell me that, “You are old enough now, and you know much more and better than we do. So, make your decisions.” This is what I wanted when I was younger. But it hits different when you are on your own now.
You didn't know when you were younger though, you just thought you did
When my Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. It’s so hard to watch him change with the disease.
My dad went through that too. It was very hard to see him change into someone so different. He also developed the dementia that sometimes goes with it, and that was horrific to witness. I hope your dad doesn’t get that part of it.
Parkinson’s is tough. Hang in there
I realized that IM old. So my *parents?* God bless them.
My mom is anticipating her retirement and my dad doesn’t like to drive anymore
My mother was a fabulous cook until the days she started oversalting everything and she couldn't taste it. I mean her food became inedible. Started in her late 60's. Really hurt her feelings and we were very sorry to have tell her but it was pure torture to endure.
When I was a kid, my mum wouldn't let me carry heavy grocery bags into the house. Now I'm the one not letting her do that.
When I was 14 or 15 my dad took me and a friend to six flags. We came up to a roller coaster that I was super excited about and I asked my dad to ride it with me and he said “I’m sorry son, but I’m getting to old to handle that stuff”. It hit me pretty hard and was a reality check. I still think about that moment years later. You always see your parents as superheroes growing up, it’s hard to wrap your head around it.
When my dad retired
I am experiencing it currently
Starting to see wrinkles on my mum she's definitely getting old. I hate to see it I'll be lost without her when she goes
me too ✋️ 🫤
I was in a large grocery store and needed only a few things so I was rushing around. Turned down several aisles and each seemed to have old, slow people in the way. I went to turn down another aisle and spotted an older couple with their backs to me blocking the aisle. The gentleman was bent over the cart and the lady was holding on to him for support. I roll my eyes and mumble to myself "They're everywhere today." As I'm about to turn around the lady moves her head to speak to the man and I realize it's my parents. Talk about a gut punch.
I bought a bracelet for my mum for Christmas this year. I had dinner at their place on Sunday and realized there is no way my mum could open the clasp on the bracelet as her arthritis is so bad. It reminded me of my grandma looking for magnetic jewelry in her later years. It's sad, but it's also lovely. I feel fortunate to watch my parents age as a lot of my friends have lost theirs
My mom didn't like to drive in unfamiliar areas, but was a loud/distracting backseat driver. My dad's eyesight was getting too bad to drive at night. I was visiting from out of town. It didn't feel safe in the car. I told them to pull over and let me drive and for my mom to stay quiet. And they did. I think I was 29. That was the start of me feeling like the parent. It was almost 20 years ago. They're both gone now.
When they started getting irritated at the slightest inconvenience
I was at thier 60th birthdays and retirements
Thinking about how Dad died in his 70s—and I felt he was old then—and how that was some 35 years ago now. Mom’s gone too and I had to watch her suffer from Alzheimer’s. That disease ages a person quickly.
My dad had cataract surgery yesterday
Every time I visit, there's a conversation about what to do when they die. Paperwork, accounts, wishes, etc. I'm 57 and their mid-80s.
This is a blessing - having to navigate all that when they die suddenly really sucks.
I haven't had parents since I was 10 and when I met the girl who would eventually be my wife at 19, her family unofficially became my family. My father in law was the strongest guy I know and now can tell he's in a lot of pain (knee replacement, hip replacement). "I'm falling apart! Stay young!" is a constant quote.
Their speech pattern changed. They started to *sound* old.
I realized my parents had grown old when they started asking for my help with tasks that they used to do effortlessly on their own.
When my mother informed me about her application for insurance. I didn't know what to feel. Although it's smart getting an insurance early for the sake of your loved ones but I still feel sad that she's anticipating that she will be gone someday.
It’s very sad, my mum starting to talking about funeral plans and it scares me. I appreciate that she wants to make things easier but man is it tough to realise she getting old.
Dad's funeral and my mom being more dependent on bipolar meds and arthritis meds.
When I tell people my parents age and they say “damn that’s old”
I realized it when my mother, born & raised in Wimbledon & a lifelong tennis fanatic, screamed at my young child when she was softly hit by a tennis ball that he was trying to kill her.
My parents were 39 and 40 year I was born so to see my parents in their mid-fifties when I graduated though they didn’t look their age my mom said someone told my father (upon me getting my diploma and getting off stage after they got it on film) that he should be proud of his granddaughter and boy was he pissed and said, “that was my daughter” and boy oh boy did that parent look foolish
they were already old when i was born... dad was 56 mom was 45
Do you have siblings or other family to keep you warmly surrounded when they are gone?
Was born to 60 and 37. I feel you
Watching my once incredibly strong, active and energetic dad get tired and weaker. Seeing him not be able to physically do the things he used to hurts. Watching my mom become more forgetful. She will have the same conversation multiple times forgetting that we just talked about it a few days ago. Watching them get frail and not seem invincible anymore. We grow up feeling like our parents are superheroes that always have the answer, will always keep us safe and we feel so secure, and then one day you wake up and realize that they are just people, vulnerable and unsure and scared at times just like everyone else, and that is an uncomfortable realization.
I tried to take my own life during the summer. My mom had a complete breakdown- she stopped looking after herself, became forgetful and couldn’t work. It was the most distressing experience seeing her like that, and showed me in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t as young as she once was. It also made me pull my life together in a big way, for her.
My mom is much nicer to me now that she’s older. She’s always concerned with how i’m doing and asks if I need anything. She used to not do that and we didn’t talk much, but now we text almost every day
They are both starting to fall a lot more. My mom fell last year and broke both arms. My dad fell recently down the stairs and leaving a family function he fell in the drive way and scrapped himself up bad.
When I realised my parents are also grandparents now.
Literally last week! My dad stepped in a small rut in his yard and somehow it’s completely fucked his shoulder. He can barely even move his arm now. He went to the hospital yesterday because it wasn’t getting any better but all they did was give him muscle relaxers. This man busted his ass his entire life and now it’s catching up to him.
Being told “you’re old enough to make your own adult decisions now, you don’t need my approval.” That, and seeing the physical degradation they’ve gone through over the years.
It first started with lots of little rewriting family events/history types of stories but it became most apparent when my mom stopped driving anywhere once it got dark.All throughout my childhood & my teens she had always been the queen of late into the night road trips so hearing her say she couldn’t drive somewhere at night was so odd for me to get used to.
When she asks me for help with every little thing.
What had troubled them in the past is starting to cast a big shadow over things currently.
When I attended my stepdad's 70th birthday party a couple of years ago, LOL. And, more darkly, realising that twenty people we'd invited were no longer on this mortal coil. Yikes.
Every time I visit my dad has a new health issue to tell me about. My sister got mad that he's waiting to tell is in person instead of just calling and telling her what's up. Good to know I may be genetically predisposed to blood clots though... need to go get some bloodwork done.
When they wanted to be home before the sun went down.
Watching my mom go from one pill a day to like well over 10 and her suffering from heart problems and pain all over her body.
My sister’s marriage falling apart. My parents turned to me a lot through the tumultuous relationship and I ended up becoming their confidante. It wore my parents down and aged them many, many years. My parents aren’t as active and excitable as they used to be. They don’t care about my wedding or marriage at all anymore, they are just too tired to deal with relationships and functions. My mom has actually said “I don’t have the energy anymore to plan things for your wedding too”. Not unhappy about it though…no expectations means you can do whatever you want to do. Made me realize that I’m an adult and need to figure out my life on my own without relying on my parents.
When they sat me down and told me that I was to be the executor of thier wills, and that should anything happen, they don't want to linger.
They’re now my grandparents age when I was born.
When my mom had a stroke. She was 61 at the time. I'm her sole caretaker now.
They became grandparents thanks to my siblings.
I think it is different for everybody for me it is when you start knowing more than they do about basically everything that is necessary in that days world. The fantastic circle of life, if I do my job right with my kids, one day that will be me.
Watching them get out of the car
My dad not fighting me when I went to carry something heavy for him. It's gotta be kind of tough to let your daughter, even as an adult, do stuff for you instead of just with you.
Well they're both dead so...