Teaching OLD dogs NEW tricks...

Today I was having dinner with my grandparents who are in their seventies. We got to talking and started discussing the technology of computers, texting, and other advancements of "my generation". They seem to think that they cannot do these things and they will never learn them. I somewhat understand because they grew up watching all of these advancements take place and have yet to learn how to properly use them. This whole topic came up in discussion because in the past two weeks I have helped two of my aunts do simple things on their computers (using a word document and printing it). They were both very confused on how to make this happen and I have taken for granted this knowledge that comes with my generation. They are in their mid-thirties/early forties, but they still didn't grow up with the kind of technology that you and I did. I know in high school it was required to take a general computer course, because in this day you cannot function in any working world without general computer skills. We live in a world where my seven year old sister can text in T9, e-mail, surf the web, play any nintendo or computer game, use an ipod, or work our DVR, satellite, DVD players, Wii, and surround sound system. My parents don't even let her do these things very much and she still knows. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I am questioning my grandparents and my aunts and their ability to learn the new technology of "my generation". Can old dogs learn new tricks? I think they can, but I think that it has to be a decision made by them. The advancements made in technology can sometimes be too much for our lives, but I think that it has given us many opportunities that we need to take advantage of. We need to learn the technology and how to best use it to benefit our lives, and the lives of others.