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Making New Memories with Grandfather via Walmart Best Plans #cbias
Making New Memories with Grandfather via Walmart Best Plans #cbias
If you’ve been following me for a while you know my Mother recently passed away (March 2014). Before she passed, my Mother was not the matriarch but she was center point of our family. She was a wife and friend to my dad. She was a mom to me and my siblings, and perhaps more importantly she was Gammy to six grandchildren. My mother was the glue that held our family together. And when my mom had something to say she often used her cell phone to call whomever, whenever. She was the ultimate communicator. Our mother kept us all on speed dial. Mom had very little regard for time and therefore more often than not she would blow up our phones morning, noon and night 24/7. And now what was once at times a minor nuisance has turned into the most horrible sound of all. Silence.
I learned years ago to just answer her phone calls the first time, because the alternative was an endless loop of ringtones. And another thing, mom didn’t believe is leaving voice mails, so she would call until she got what she wanted, you on the other end actually talking to her. My mom was constantly communicating with us keeping us informed about everything, so I didn’t have to really worry about my Dad.
Then she passed away, and like the old saying goes, “You’re gonna’ miss me when I’m gone.”
Our whole world changed that day in an instant. Gone are the days of hearing her voice. Gone are the days of having mom make a fuss over the smallest things. Gone are the days where six grandchildren entertained their grandmother. And more poignantly, gone are the days of getting phone calls from her.
I live about 35-minutes from my parents, so it was never a big deal to jump on the highway and head to Jackson to check on everyone. However, with being a busy Mom with three active boys and a wife, working full-time and juggling everything else in-between, it’s hard to just stop what I’m doing to run down there. But now with my Mom being gone, it’s even more important that I have the ability to check on my Dad.
Before my mom passed away, our parents had an expensive cell plan and they paid too much for so little. They were paying over $100 a month for their cell phones and it was just basic service. I knew immediately that my Dad needed to switch to a cheaper wireless plan, and so I began searching for something reliable and well within his budget. What could I get that was not expensive but would give him unlimited talk text and data/web. My Dad doesn’t really do the whole text message thing, but the grandkids have vowed to get him fully onboard. In the meantime, I wanted a plan that would give him an unlimited talk package so he wouldn’t have to worry about going over his minutes when talking to friends, family, his church community, and even his friends living outside of the country.
But most importantly, he needed a good way to stay in touch with me. Well, me and the rest of his children and grandchildren
Being a new widower and learning how to do a lot of things on his own (like paying the bills, grocery shopping, and running his own household) are new for my Dad. I try not to freak out or get over anxious when he doesn’t answer his phone. And there are many days when he doesn’t answer, and naturally we all worry about him.
While shopping around for phones recently at Wal-Mart one of the store associates told me about Walmart’s Family Mobile plan.
Now, my dad 71-years old and he didn’t want a fancy phone with a lot of things he just wasn’t going to use. He just wanted the basics, something practical. After browsing around and asking a lot of questions I decided on a Nokia 521 Smartphone. This one has a few extra bells and whistles, but is still basic enough to not get overwhelmed in trying to figure out which buttons do what, and we’ll be there to help him every step of the way.
The boys and I picked out the phone along with the $25 basic Starter Kit (and 2-months worth of service). I like the no-contract feature. If this doesn’t work for him, we can always cancel it. No worries. For just around $30 bucks per month, my Dad will get unlimited talk and text. And if he wants to call his buddies in Grand Cayman and Honduras, it’s just .05 cents per minute for international phone calls.
But most importantly this plan is also practical, frugal and will work with almost any budget!
And setting it was so easy. I went online and it took me about just 5-minutes to activate and set the phone up. However, you can have it activated in the store as well.
The boys were so excited about showing their grandfather all of the ins and outs of his new Nokia 521. I think the boys spent more time pouring over the phone’s features than he did, but he got the hang of it.
After about twenty-minutes of back and forth the boys finally agreed to take turns showing their grandfather all of the features on the phone. And, for an additional $10 per month, he can get internet service for his phone as well. And it is a good thing, because my dad wanted to know if we could put the bible on his phone and I told him I’m pretty sure there is an app for that too.
Yes, this Mother’s Day will be hard for our family because there is an impossible void which can never be filled. Yet, I know she is in a better place and it brings me comfort knowing she no longer suffers with the pain and sorrow a debilitating illness can bring. Life altering events can shake you to the core and one starts to begin to appreciate the small things in life. Because ultimately it is not the thing which is lost but the things that still remains and are cherished which gives you hope.
It is so comforting knowing that we still have my Dad, our new center, and we have been able to build a closer relationship over the last few months.
It gives me great peace of mind knowing that now my dad has a reliable phone, and in many ways it is a dependable lifeline which connects us in more ways than one. And although we will still make the drive to Jackson and check on him, in-between those trips we can just pick up our phone and talk to him, it is as simple as that. So, thank you Walmart Family Mobile for making this family connection a reality.
Dad is now discovering the many benefits of having a smart phone, and naturally we had to take a few selfies. So, I guess you can teach an old dog some new tricks.
Although it may take a while for my dad to adjust to life without mom, he is making progress. It is hard to see my dad as a bachelor and being being on his own. He told me Saturday night he had friends over and they were outside barbequing until 11 p.m.! It’s cute to see him just being “one of the guys,” but it’s also a good thing.
In the end, all the boys’ technology tutoring paid off, now my dad has gotten pretty good at using his new phone and I think he even surprised himself at how easy it is to use. It’s also reassuring to know that with the lowest priced unlimited plan, I can now check up on him and my dad can call me anytime he needs anything, and it because this it is so affordable it won’t break the bank.
This Mother’s Day if you’re stumped on what to get your Mom or that special someone you love, think about the Walmart Family Mobile plan.
Having this wonderful way of staying connected is working wonders for our family, and being able to make new memories with our Dad and Grandfather is priceless!
I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how hard it was for your father and for you and your family. Your boys really seemed to help their grandfather learn the smartphone ropes to help him stay connected. #client
So sorry for your loss! The photos of the grandkids showing grandpa how to use his new phone are priceless.
Thank you- they had a great time! And I feel better knowing he has a better phone to stay connected with us! Now just to get him to answer it- charge it, etc lol
I am so sorry about your mom. I am newish here, so I didn’t know that. I blow off my mom’s calls all the time because she is a big time talker, but now I will think twice about that.
So sorry for the loss of your Mom – I can’t even imagine. I think a lot of us daughter’s are closer with our Mom’s, and it seems odd to try to pick-up a relationship with Dad after all the years of Mom keeping us up-to-date on everything going on!
I am glad you got him a phone where you and the kids can keep in touch with him more, and that he picked up using it so quickly. For such a great price, we’ve actually started talking to my Grandma about getting out of her plan and signing up with Walmart Family Mobile as well.
Phone plans can be so confusing! I am so glad you are there for your dad to help him with this.
Sorry to hear about your mother. Thanks for sharing your story and for sharing how easy it is to get a cell phone at Walmart!
I’m so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately I don’t have a relationship with my mother so on Mother’s Day I’m just happy to spend time with my children and family.
Your mom did sound like a matriarch! And I love your dad’s suspenders!
That is so nice….making those wonderful memories and capitalizing on time with family. That’s what life is all about
So sorry for your loss. I’m glad you are finding ways to keep in touch with your dad!
Those pictures are so sweet! I never knew either grandpa, but thankfully my son has 2 and a great relationship with both. And you know he teaches them and me how to use the electronics we own!
Mitch
The kids will have him tech savvy in no time! That’s a great idea to go with this plan for him!
I love this! I REALLY enjoyed reading this article I also loved the picture
I’m so sorry for the loss of your mom. I’m sure she is looking over you this Mother’s Day 🙂 It’s great that you were able to switch your dads plan and save a bunch of money. It’s a great way to keep in touch!
I’m so sorry about your Mom. I love that your Dad will be easily connected to you and his Grandkids though!
I am so glad that your dad has a reliable way to keep in touch with you and the kids now. Sorry about your mom!!
so sorry to hear about your mom. Happy to learn that you were able to help your dad and you can be worry-free! Btw. not a fan of shopping for phones and plans…so much fine print!
I’m so sorry about the loss of your mother. Your dad is so lucky to have you and your family around him. Those pre-paid phones are so convenient too.
I’m so sorry about the loss of your mom. Your dad is so lucky that he has you and your family around to help him out. Those pre-paid phones are so convenient too!
I am sorry for your loss with your mom but it looks like you have found a great way to interact with your dad! That is a victory!!!
This reminds me of when my mom got her first iPhone this year. She had no idea what she was getting into! I am still teaching her how to use “emojis” and “Suri.” Your kids look so happy and willing to help their grandpa which is awesome!
So sweet to see your kids help Grandpa work the cell phone. Sorry for the loss of your mom.
That’s a great monthly rate. I’d surely take a closer look at it once my contract was up if the network they run on improves in my area.
I love that there’s no contract! And that’s very affordable too!
I’m so sorry for your loss. Your dad is lucky to have family like you and your children. And it’s so great that you’re looking out for him (and that your kids would walk him through all of the features a new phone brings!)
I’m so sorry for your loss. Your dad is so lucky to have such a great family around. And it’s so great that you’re looking out for him (and that your boys are so willing and eager to show him all the features a new phone can bring!)
My story is similar to yours. My mom passed away in ’07 and our whole world turned upside down. Even now, there are so many days that I feel like I could still pick up the phone and call to tell her about the latest thing little man has done or just to chat. We only lived a couple of miles apart so I saw her every day but we even talked each day on the phone. I miss her SO much! Especially her voice. She was just learning how to use a cellphone about a year before she passed. Never really got the hang of it though. Now, we’ve given our dad a cellphone. A simple phone…nothing fancy. He doesn’t know how to text, but at least he has a way to call if we’re needed while he’s out and about. Services like Walmart Family Mobile, REALLY are such a great help at such a great price!
I am sorry for your loss. I couldn’t imagine. I get to see my mom every day and I am so thankful for that. To spend time with family is the most important thing I can think to do. 🙂
I hope that your dad adjusts to his new normal soon. I can not imaging how hard it must be to lose your partner in life.
He is slowly starting to– it’s been hard but we’re trying to adjust to this big huge loss in our lives.
If he’s got a good sense of humor he might like jokes sent from the kids through text. If my grandfather had a cell he’d get a kick out of that
That’s a great idea Melinda- thanks!
We were just talking about the older generation getting the use of cell phones, and convincing them it’s a good thing to do. My in-laws have adjusted beautifully to technology (my MIL knows way more than me), but my mom…nuh uh. She doesn’t even have Internet, and her phone is securely attached to the wall (and has a cord, lol).
I’m sorry to hear about your mom.
So sorry for your loss. These pictures are timeless memories.
Sorry for your family’s loss, but loving that you are sharing your daily lives through technology. It’s great that WalMart can make these plans affordable for the family!
So sorry for your loss. The pictures of the kids showing him how to use the phone are just priceless!
I am so sorry about your mom. I love when younger generations can teacher older generations and vice versa. We all have so much to learn from one another.
Preserving memories is just so important. I’m truly sorry for your loss, and I am wishing you better times ahead.
I lost my dad 3 years ago and the silence is deafening! Looks like you found him a great plan though!
It was so wonderful of you and your children to find a phone for Grandfather! I hope that the phone keeps your children connected with their grandfather! I’m sure it will provide him a comfort and happiness to have it around.
This is so sweet! I love that Walmart has such great plans.
An amazing story. Hope this new phone works out for grandfather and keeps the family close
Thank you for sharing your story! I need to get my Mom on board with texting – she HATES it!
I’m sorry you lost Mom but it’s so good your Dad has the kids to keep his mind occupied. Love the photographs with him trying to figure out how to use that phone.