Tuesday, May 13, 2025

What are some of the best ways to introduce my mother (born 1961) to Reddit and have her start her own Reddit account?

 

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What are some of the best ways to introduce my mother (born 1961) to Reddit and have her start her own Reddit account?

How do I give her, a member of Generation Jones, the best possible introduction to this fabled social bookmarking site and motivate her to get her own account?

I think she'd be pretty interested in finding out what I post from this account, by the way.

 

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[–]Either-Judgment2311962 83 points  

My god she’s not old and decrepit at 64! Send her a link. If she likes it she’ll let you know.

[–]Pristine-Ad983 24 points  

I'm 61 and can handle this site 😄My advice is to have her find some interests and follow those subreddits. Keep it simple.

[–]-justkeepswimming- 7 points  

Jeepers I'm still the one everyone in my family comes to to figure out technology and solve computer problems.

[–]mimimanatee 4 points  

Exactly, just explain the subreddits and how there is one for every topic you can think of—love your air fryer? Welcome! Costco fan? She’ll fit right in. Gardening, retirement, travel, stocks, Canada, women over 60, cute animal pics…. Adding photos might be something she’ll have questions about, and quoting from a post. But I predict she’ll just read for a while.

[–]JohnExcrement 4 points  

Criminy. I’m 72 and it’s child’s play. What generation does OP think invented computers??

[–]gtirby 3 points  

72 here also. Computer Scientist by training. Reddit is fun and easy.

[–]Commercial-Spite-700 2 points  

Ikr. I’m 62 and get the daily email with links. I have to read each of them daily plus go to the app and read others

[–]tangouniform20201956 1 point  

I’m 68 (still) and have been here for (checks profile) 4+ yrs.

[–]Lame-username62 18 points  

You took the words out of my mouth! Geez. I’m so tired of a lot of young folks nowadays who believe that anybody over 35 should be put out to pasture.

[–]sweet_neighbor9 13 points  

Right? Damn whipper snappers….

[–]Fair_Moment7762 12 points  

She’s older. Old enough to be pissed if you explained it like that.

[–]Faeriegrll 9 points  

I’ll be 71 in June. You kids!!

[–]lucyland 6 points  

;-) this 66 year old is chuckling.

[–]Scared_Rain_9127 9 points  

Could be 63. Like me. Nov. 1961 😂

[–]idiveindumpsters 1 point  

Christ, there was an 80-something person in here the other day

[–]MercuryRising92 1 point  

I'm 67. The IT team used to ask me questions - that they could have easily Googled or should have known. They used Microsoft office - not correctly - but cludged it to make it look okay. 

Many of my non-tech friends in their 70s and 80s use the computer regularly for email, zoom meetings, healthcare, and clubs.

[–]Old_gal4444 36 points  

I was born in 1956. I don't understand the problem. Tell her there is some truly hilarious and educational stuff here. It's become my favorite in less than 2 months.

[–]FurBabyAuntie 9 points  

And kitty pictures...DO NOT forget the kitty pictures.

I was born in 1962. I'm here for the kitty pictures...and puppy pictures...and What's That Book....and...excuse me a moment...Star Wars is HOW OLD?!?

[–]Holiday-Window28891964 3 points  

Oh, yeah, like r/OneOrangeBraincell and r/HuskyTantrums are hilarious...

Not to mention BoomersBeingFools, alllll the various AITA subs, pettyrevenge, crochethelp, and so much more.

OP's mom will find her favorite new waste of time lol!

Not to mention, we 60+yo folks are kinda cool, too. 😁

[–]Mr-Duck1 47 points  

Just send her a link to a great thread?

1961 does not make her old. George Clooney was 1961. Barack Obama was 1961. She’ll figure it out. And if she can’t? There are people born much later who are technophobes. She may be beyond help.

[–]bgthigfist 26 points  

I was born in 65 and have been on Reddit for over a decade now. I just checked and my reddit account is old enough to drive 🤣

[–]Mr-Duck1 14 points  

‘65 and twelve cake years here. I am tech support at work for people much younger. It’s not about age it’s about mindset. My wife is five years my junior and hates technology.

[–]audible_narrator 1 point  

Also 12 years, third username

[–]montred631963 3 points  

Same

[–][deleted]  

[removed]

[–]Piano-Beginning 5 points  

Its me fave too!

[–]TheIUEC20 6 points  

Have her read some threads from r/AITA . Me and my wife love it !

[–]SnooCupcakes7992 6 points  

That’s where I got started - saw AITA stories on other sites like Buzzfeed and migrated here…

[–]Perenially_behind 3 points  

That's what got me to sign up. I had been a lurker for years, but I wanted to comment on some of the AITA threads I read on other sites. I soon realized that there is no point. Those are big ponds.

[–]RoadRunner1961 3 points  

Tons of subs related to specific interests. Start there. I’m also a 1961 vintage woman.

[–]thenletskeepdancing 18 points  

I get much more pleasure from the smaller subreddits than the big ones. This is a great subreddit. I also like r/GenXWomen, r/Menopause, r/AskOldPeople , r/LivingAlone, r/simpleliving. If she leans left she might like r/50501 . Getting advice and support from any specialized health subreddits is great. I love r/covidlonghaulers Look up any niche hobbies she might have like r/tarot or r/TuxedoCats

I avoid the big ponds unless I feel like engaging with young argumentative assholes, which is never.

[–]VaguelyArtistic1965 10 points  

Personally I avoid the GenX subs because they seem to be populated by a lot of young GenXers and I personally found it hard to relate. They also like to yell older GenX that we're trying to co-opt GenX. YMMV.

Eg, it feels like most of the users relate to Bart, grew up with Bart, while we're the age of the writers.

[–]Electronic_Exam_64521965 11 points  

I agree, born in ‘65 and feel the same way about the Gen X sub. I was berated by one of them because they said I sounded like a boomer because of my earliest memories and musical choices, so dumb!

[–]thenletskeepdancing 7 points  

I stay away from the main Gen X sub because it's a bunch of douchey frat boys a lot of the time. But Gen X Women are cool on their sub.

[–]1999_1982 1 point  

Eg, it feels like most of the users relate to Bart, grew up with Bart, while we're the age of the writers.

?

[–]ladeedah1988 15 points  

My kids told me about it and I was hooked. The key is to get away from the Popular area. Help her find her interests. I follow many hobbies, professional areas, financial areas, etc. Get away from the pity parties and childish areas. Prepare her for the fact that she will be banned for simply stating a fact or opinion.

[–]norcalnatv 12 points  

send her a link to r/generationjones

[–]martialgir 9 points  

As a woman who discovered Reddit within the past couple of years and also born in 1961, it is now my number one site to lurk. I am constantly laughing out loud at the clever, snarky comments about everything, the informative links and commentary on current issues (unfiltered and reflecting the actual street pulse) as well as the Reddit threads steeped in nostalgia for generational Joneses like me, she will love being enlightened.

[–]Agile-Entry-5603 9 points  

You’re talking like she’s 95. I’m just a year younger.

[–]4ofheartz 4 points  

Right. lol.

[–]Haunting-Corgi3899 3 points  

It reads like either ragebait, or AI nonsense.

[–]FurBabyAuntie 3 points  

Steering may not change anything...

I mean, I found AITA all by myself...(bunch of dummies, I agree, but I found it...!)

[–]Justtryingtohelp1317 7 points  

I feel insulted. In way older than that and feel that you assume we can’t handle something as simple as having a Reddit account. This is ageism at its finest.

[–][deleted] 4 points  

I'm 64, have been online via chat/boards/ platforms such as Reddit, FB, IG, ICQ, IRC, Discord, since 1995.

Show her the basics, show her this sub and feed, she'll get the hang of it.

A message : Hey Mom! I'm Gen Jones and I'm all over the internet. It's not hard, just let your son/daughter show you how to use it!"

[–]lucyland 2 points  

IRC tracks. I’m suddenly feeling nostalgic for Alta Vista and Mosiac. And Macromedia Freehand.

[–]Lybychick 5 points  

Make sure she’s on Reddit and not ReadIt …. I was happily on the wrong site for weeks.

Block AITA and AIO …. they’re just made up stories farming for content for crappy online “news” services…comments get quotes on FB as well.

[–]SnoopyFan6 5 points  

I was born in 1962. I’m so happy I found Reddit because it seems so much more polite than Facebook. I deleted my FB about over 5 years ago and never looked back.

Show her some subs that may interest her. Start with this one. I didn’t even know I was a Gen Jones until I saw this sub. So glad I don’t have to say younger boomer any more. If there’s one for your state/province/area, show her that. What are her hobbies? Personally, I’ll follow pretty much any animal sub, especially about dogs and most nature related subs. There’s something here for everyone.

[–]CoppertopTX 3 points  

I'm a year younger than your mom, and retired from 20 years in tech support. I assume your mom has a device to pull Reddit up on. Find some over the top momster in law tale and send her a link.

Now, if you will excuse me, my husband says I need to get off Reddit and help the grandkids in their game.

[–]Fit-Presentation44 3 points  

I’m 61 and have learned so many tips from subreddits. From skin care to cleaning to gardening and more. Help her find subreddits geared to her interests!

[–]calliessolo1959 3 points  

Gee whiz I was born in ‘59 and did it all by my lonesome.

[–]Evening_Dress7062 2 points  

r/70s r/fuckI'mold r/over60

[–]desertboots 2 points  

The Jorts story.

[–]One-Lengthiness-2949 2 points  

I'm 61, signed up for reddit a year ago. Played around with it here and there, when I was bored , I actually thought it was pretty silly. Then one day I opened it up, saw something, interesting and got hooked. 😂. So I'd tell her just hang in there and see how it goes.

[–]BigMamaRama1967 2 points  

I love Reddit! My favorite subs are the ones around my favorite hobbies and the guilty pleasure tv shows I don’t tell anyone I watch IRL. 🤣 I also really like the opportunity to be exposed to topics I wouldn’t otherwise think about, like watching people pressure wash their patio or something. (I have been on Reddit for a long time, but I started with some auto generated user name that I really never related to so I made this new account a few months ago.)

[–][deleted] 2 points  

My son gave me a link to a story series someone had written and I just went from there.

[–]RetiredHappyFig 2 points  

Dang, I was born in 1961 and I’m young. I’m also technologically savvy (having had a career of almost 40 years in IT). So don’t write her off!

[–]COACHREEVES1963 2 points  

This sub.

r/askoldpeople r/70s r/thewaywewere r/ vintagetv

r/any hobby or music or animals (esp dogs or cats, down to type and puppies/kittens)

Those are a start on what I think I personally would do.

[–]pufferfish_hoop 2 points  

What are her interests?

[–]RogerClyneIsAGod2 2 points  

Ask her what are her interests because I'm sure there's a sub for it.

From r/gardening to r/PeriodDramas to r/kittens to r/Barackobamasankles, there's a sub for everything.

[–]reduff1964 2 points  

As a 60-year old, I would say just give her the web address and tell her to check it out. She's not THAT old. Jesus. If she's interested, I imagine she can figure out how to set up an account.

[–]sheisalib 2 points  

Born in late 50s. WTH????

[–]Wikidbaddog 2 points  

1960 here. Does she have any particular interests or hobbies? I got into Reddit two years ago because dog subs and since then I’ve found a sub for just about every niche interest I have.

[–]ironmanchris1963 2 points  

I joined 7 years ago and I have to admit, there was a learning curve, but she’ll catch on. Just like life, Reddit gives back what you put into it.

[–]Life_Transformed 2 points  

She has already seen Reddit if she uses Google at all. If you want her to check out certain subreddits, just show them to her. Special interests/hobbies, health problems, a surgery coming up, diet, exercise, planning a trip, city she lives in, pets, planning retirement, applying for social security & Medicare, etc.

[–]cheresa98 2 points  

What are her interests? I (62F) got hooked on history r/askahistorian, real life drama r/AITA, too many cat threads to list, r/VintageMenus, and on and on. When I first found the series Stranger Things, I found a fan thread to help me understand some things.

I follow my city’s thread, the news, and so much more. I think it helps if she’s one to comment and jump into the discussion. On Reddit, lurking is not as fun for me as it is on, say, X where I feel I’m going to get harassed if I make comments that don’t toe today’s party line.

I hope she joins!

[–]txcarbuff 1 point  

I’m 62 and started with r/thebachelor. I joined 5 years ago. Then I just expanded from there.

[–]HR-Puffenstuff 1 point  

AITA is the gateway drug.

[–]Electric-Sheepskin 1 point  

Introduce her to r/menopause and r/askwomenover60

They are informative, supportive communities for older women. It's really nice to anonymously chat with women who know exactly where you're coming from.

[–]Rengeflower 1 point  

Just install the app and set up an account. She can click on it if she wants. Show her a few subreddits in particular that she might like.

Warning-I had to mute so many Am I the Assholę type subreddits because it started triggering me.

[–]BKowalewski 1 point  

Just do it for her. My son did that for me and told me I'd love it.....I'm now addicted

[–]Haunting-Corgi3899 1 point  

Sounds like the question is AI slop.

[–]Rhapdodic_Wax11235 1 point  

Don’t

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