It’s a weird reversal of sorts. In many households around the world, kids were the first to get their hands on new tech. It all started with the video games of old, with their reset buttons, cassettes and unreliable data cords. Parents would stand menacingly over Mario or Tetris or Spartans and scowl at their kids as play time extended to hours. Then came better and better forms of entertainment that required nothing more than a couch, a screen and some controllers – Xboxes, Play Stations, PSPs, you name it.
And then, came the smartphone – and it was the first time you could go to your dad and tell him, dad, you could really use a smart phone. It was the kids who gave their parents the first taste – here’s the calendar app, mom, it will help you keep track of appointments! And look, email on your phone!
Next time you checked in with them, it was out of control.
Mom and dad made WhatsApp groups with their whole generation, sharing jokes by the dozen and never reading any. They’ve got Bubble Breaker, Angry Birds and Facebook. You stand there wondering how to give them a dose of their own medicine, but what can you say? You’re just a kid (!).
So here’s a quick list of warning signs your parents need a technology intervention.
1. They talk only on WhatsApp.
2. They spend more time on breaking bubbles than looking up.
3. When you try to talk to them, they say “I’m listening” without looking up.
4. They spend more time making playlists than listening to music.
5. They show you 9Gag photos on their phones (or worse, read them out) and expect you to LOL. Literally.
6. They introduce you to an interesting game – you try it skeptically, pressing a few buttons now and then. Then you look up, and an hour went by, and your mom is still right next to you looking over your shoulder intently.
7. Sometimes you are sitting next to them, and they are both looking at their phones – and they suddenly start laughing simultaneously.
8. Visits to actual temples are being replaced with Temple Run.
9. They have Fitness Buddy, but they never go jogging.
10. They begin to talk about upgrading smart phones within a month of buying one.
11. (Despite Point 1) They downloaded BBM.
If any of these is true for you – get up! Take action!