The Agony and Ecstasy of Family Tech Support: My 90-Year-Old Mom vs. The Mysterious Phone Problem
Every techie has a story about that one user who can break the unbreakable, confound the knowledgeable, and leave you muttering, "How did you even DO that?" But nothing quite prepares you for providing tech support to your own family—especially when your user is 90, fiercely independent, and, in the words of one Redditor, “bless her heart!”
This is the saga of a nonagenarian mom, her ever-patient child, and a phone problem so mysterious even Sherlock Holmes would shrug. If you’ve ever played family IT helpdesk, get ready to laugh, cringe, and maybe call your own mom.
Passwords, Phones, and Puzzling Problems: The Setup
Our story, as shared by u/DeciduousEmu on r/TalesFromTechSupport, begins with a cryptic morning text from mom: “Do you have my password? I’m going to the store to get help on my phone.” Like any seasoned tech wrangler, the OP (original poster) springs into action, calling to get the details.
The problem? “She wasn’t ‘getting things’ because she had too much stuff on her phone.” What things? Unclear. What stuff? Also unclear. As OP notes, “Very frustrating when she can’t even give one example of what she is talking about. And I guess I frustrate her by asking questions she can’t answer.”
And thus, the familiar dance begins: the user can describe what’s wrong only in the vaguest terms, the techie asks for specifics, both end up a bit exasperated, and the mystery deepens.
The Family IT Helpdesk: Universal Woes and Witchcraft Solutions
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. The Reddit comments are a goldmine of commiseration. As u/thRealSammyG hilariously points out, “My biggest frustration is when this happens to my grandma... They talk themselves in circles until they forget what the original problem is... By the time they come to me it'll be something like 'how do I enable developer settings on my phone?' And I have to ask why, and painfully pry the details out of them... in the end they just needed to turn on Bluetooth so it could connect to their car.”
It’s not just about age. As u/Trin959 remarked, “Moms are different but users? Nope.” Whether in the office or at home, users rarely record error messages or take screenshots. Techs everywhere have adopted the mantra: “If the problem wasn’t bad enough for you to record, it’s not bad enough for me to solve.”
And while some elders, like OP’s mom, are sharp as tacks—no dementia here, just a touch of technical mystique—others, as u/GreenEggPage shared, may confuse in-game ads for viruses. But there’s consensus on one thing: at least mom calls before clicking random buttons, as u/Raneynickelfire praised, “She knows to call you if she doesn't know, instead of clicking random things on the screen. That's a GOOD thing!”
The Magical Thinking of Tech Mysteries
So what’s really going on in these mysterious tech support calls? Community consensus, as voiced by u/Trin959 and others, is that users often fall prey to “magical thinking.” If something isn’t working, surely just telling someone (and maybe sighing loudly) will fix it. No details required, right?
u/GeneralJabroni put it best: “You don't go to the Dr, say 'I hurt', and then leave and expect the Dr to just figure it out and prescribe you something, do you?” Tech support—family or corporate—needs at least a symptom or two.
But sometimes, the issue is as simple as a mis-tap or a setting gone awry. u/Vampire_Slayer2000’s 92-year-old mom regularly disables her WiFi or mutes her phone, and each fix is a mini-lesson (soon forgotten) in navigation. “She loves her widgets almost as much as Google,” they wrote—a reminder that even if they don’t know what a browser is, elders can find their own tech joys.
And on the rare occasion a real tech breakthrough is needed, some clever solutions emerge: u/Elegant-Winner-6521 suggested remote access apps (well-hidden, of course), though as others warn, sometimes it’s safer not to let users know such magic exists!
Wisdom, Patience, and the Real Joys of Family Tech Support
Despite the sighs and the “how did you do that?” moments, there’s something undeniably heartwarming about being your family’s tech lifeline. As u/code_monkey_001 shared, moving his mom to a Chromebook and setting up emergency contacts gave them both peace of mind—and cut support calls by 90%.
And sometimes, the confusion is the point. As u/ferky234 quipped, “What does she test with her iPhone? Is it your patience?” Maybe it’s less about the device, and more about connection: a reason to call, to ask for help, to stay in touch, and to laugh about it later.
So next time your phone rings with a mysterious tech support request from mom or dad, remember: you’re not alone. Somewhere out there, another family IT person is muttering, “Bless her heart!” and wishing for a screenshot.
Conclusion: Share Your Family Tech Fails!
Have you ever had a parent, grandparent, or relative with a tech problem that made you both laugh and groan? What’s the wildest, weirdest, or most heartwarming support call you’ve ever fielded? Drop your stories in the comments—because misery (and hilarity) loves company, and the family IT helpdesk is always open.
Original Reddit Post: Nonagenarian family tech support - Bless her heart!!