What we mean

A number of people I know always wait for some younger member of their family to sort out their problems with smartphones,laptops etc.If I ask them why,  they say they are no good at doing it themselves.But I think many of then have never tried to do it.The obvious way is to buy a book like say,Computers for the Older and Wiser.But then I heard a friend repeat several times that she can’t cook.I just don’t believe that someone could not cook anything at all.Maybe they are thinking of  a Cordon Bleu level of skill.
But I see that if you have someone near you who can do all those things then you are unlikely to bother to learn them
Some people seem to believe that clever people know how to do things without learning them just as they believe top level musicians don’t need to practise.Of  course ,some of us are quicker than others.But, if you really want to cook, you will learn.
The disadvantage of constantly asking your children to do things for you is you feel less intelligent than you really are.And you don’t  seem to realize that to learn anything takes time.Remember riding a bike?
Since we all learn to talk except for babies born deaf, then we can learn other things
Perhaps  it is a way to get your children to visit! And it stops people asking you to fix their gadgets