Kids and Computers
I was in the Apple Store this weekend (bad idea. On the weekend, Apple Stores smell like my old high school locker room, but I really had no choice.) My second iPad had died and needed to be replaced. While I was waiting for my appointment with the genius, I watched the kids at the little kids’ table. Five years old. Two years old. It didn’t matter. They plunked their little butts down on the round leather chairs and got to work, hitting keys, moving the mouse around like the computer pros they were. Watching them, I was so impressed. I know there are naysayers who are afraid we’re turning our kids into little machines who never go outside to play, but to me, there was something reassuring about witnessing their concentration and dexterity . . . and their passion. Little brains are at work all around the globe; I want little American brains to keep up.
Are there little people in your family? Are you as computer literate as they are?
I got my first computer back in the day of dial up and pay by the minute Internet Service. These were exciting times since I lived in relative obscurity in what can only be remembered as my Hooterville. The PC and accompanying desk took up the whole corner of the bedroom and had left a sizable dent in the bank account. I tentatively set about staking my claim to our new purchase with a false sense of self confidence. To my way of thinking I was the Go To Woman when it came to programming the VCR. How hard could this be? Well I’ll tell you within one hour after click clacking my way through every version of Control Alt that was ever invented, I was presented with a black screen without even a cursor on it. No amount of cursing or praying changed anything. Enter my eight year daughter who surveyed the panic and said ‘ Mom Get a Grip’. She went into the control panel(there’s a contol panel?), clicked a few keys, blew a big bubble with her gum and sorted the whole sorry mess in seconds. Kids aren’t intimidated by technology the way I am, they were to that manor born.
I’ve always had to rely on my own ingenuity about tech stuff (no small kids around)and it’s served me well. I was the first to install email in Marketing at AT&T (we used dumb terminals) and, while I had some programming training, that wasn’t very useful except to prove to me that computers are just machines to be handled like any other machine. I found it was always good to use logic until it just didn’t work anymore and then either a) read the manual or b) ask the expert. I have a few friends who are still without PCs or cell phones giving the excuse that they “can’t understand” them. I have to say that I think that’s just an excuse. If they say to me they didn’t have the time to learn I tell them that they will save time after the intial investment of time, if they say to me “I can’t” I tell them that they are intelligent, logical beings and that’s all it takes. Just what happened to your ipad? While I’m a PC person I find my ipad fairly indestructable.
Love the pix of the babe on the laptop! Way back in 1982 our 13 year old son impressed us with his talent on his Commodore 64 when it first came out and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with his 8 year old sister, who was also quick to grasp. Now at 43 his is still a guru, happily earning a living with the big boys in the intimidating field of technology. I have no real clue how he does what he does!
Not surprisingly, our 7 year old grandson is following in his uncle’s footsteps, for he was litterally born to it and has been computer savvy since age 3. No concerns about lack of exercise here, for it is the only time he sits down, unless he is on Wii and still in motion. His uncle is the only one in our family who could possibly beat him on Wii and he carries his DS whereever he goes!
I used to ask my kids for assistance whenever I was in a jam, now I also ask my computer whiz grandson. However, I am at least more computer literate than my husband, who is actually in awe of me. Little does he know how little I know! LOL