The Time I Tried to Teach My Grandma Emojis (and Failed Hilariously!)

We’ve all been there. Trying to explain the concept of the internet to a relative who still thinks “surfing the web” involves a surfboard and a tidal wave. But my friends, let me tell you, trying to teach my grandma emojis was a whole new level of generational divide.

The Great Emoji Enlightenment Begins (Or So I Thought)

It all started innocently enough. I was texting my grandma, Nana Jean, about her upcoming birthday dinner. I casually added a “🥳🎉” at the end of the message, you know, to spice things up. Seconds later, my phone buzzed. It was Nana Jean.

“What in the Sam Hill are those question marks with hats on them?” her text message read.

A giggle escaped my lips. “Those are emojis, Nana! They’re like little pictures to express your feelings,” I explained, launching into a detailed (and what I thought was a very patient) lecture on the wonders of emoji communication.

Lost in Translation: The Case of the Misinterpreted Peach

After a crash course in Emoji 101, I thought I was getting through to her. Nana Jean even managed to send a “👍” which, in her defense, she thought was an actual thumbs up. Progress!

That is, until the next day when I received a text from Nana Jean about my upcoming trip to visit her. It read, “Can’t wait to see you, honey! I’m making your favorite peach cobbler! 🍑”

Now, I love my Nana’s peach cobbler as much as the next person, but something about that lone peach emoji felt…off. I hesitantly texted back, “Thanks, Nana! Can’t wait to see you too! 😊”

The responding text came almost instantly: “Oh, I didn’t mean THAT kind of peach! Goodness gracious! 🙈 I just meant a regular peach for your cobbler! 😂”