Watch Parents Use Emoji For The First Time

If your parents haven't totally resisted the modern world, you probably text and FaceTime with them every now and then. Emoji, however, are a different story. If you're the offspring of someone who has truly taken their texting to the next level, you probably remember your parents using emoji for the first time — and probably received a confusing mess of smiley faces and kittens in the process. As such, BuzzFeed's video depicting three sets of parents documenting their very first emoji-based experience is incredibly relateable — and, of course, hilarious.

The setup was relatively simple: Three pairs of parents were given cell phones and told to write each other messages using only emoji — no words allowed. Then they had to decipher each others' texts. But here's where things got interesting: Rather than opting for simple, straightforward messages, the parents went a little overboard, essentially attempting to write War And Peace and A Brief History Of Time with nothing but a few pixels. Though, I guess if I'd never used emoji before I'd probably get a little too excited and throw in a few extra "thumbs up" images for good measure.

So here — let's play a game. Can you decipher these parents' text messages to each other? Don't forget to scroll down to watch the full video!

1. Face + Point + Hand + Mail

Answer: Can you pick up the mail?

Of all the texts, this one was the most straightforward — even though the middle two symbols look like a euphemistic hand gesture a 12-year-old would use.

2. Dog + Arrow + SOS + Do Not Walk + Monkey

Answer: Can you walk the dog?

This is no ordinary dog-walking situation; this is an emergency! Though, perhaps the monkey at the end of the text implies that Fluffy wasn't walked and the results are something that no one wants to see.

3. Hands + Woman + Car + Every Vegetable Ever

Answer: Can you go to the grocery store (and buy me these things)?

He may be reinforcing traditional gender roles by asking his wife to "go to the grocery store in her mini van," but hey, at least he's choosing a high-vitamin diet.

4. Sun + ID + ???

Answer: Can you pick up the mail?

This couple actually both texted each other about picking up the mail. Yet, compare this to the first text and the shift in emoji verbosity is astounding.

5. Fist Bump x2 + Car + Mail

Answer: Did the mail truck come?

First of all, who texts about the mail this much?! Though the last two emoji pretty clearly imply some sort of mail vehicle, I can't say I fully understand the presence of the three hands. Do you fist bump your mailperson when they deliver your Amazon Prime order?

6. Smug Face + Walking

Answer: Are you still running?

This seems to be a pretty specific situation for this couple in particular. According to the woman on the left, her husband is always out running; she seems to be questioning why he is spending so much time on this reported exercise. However, the emoji translation of this seems to say, "Hey there man in red shirt, you are looking fiiine!"

Watch the full video below for more hilarity:

Images: Adam Lehman/Flickr; BuzzFeed/YouTube (6)