Many years ago I read a book called the ‘Learning Revolution by Gordon Dryden’. It mentioned that children would be teaching their parents how to use technology. I read that with interest and over the years discovered that is true!
I purchased my first mobile phone when my daughters brought theirs from the money they earned in their ‘after school’ jobs. They wanted to keep in contact with their friends and I wanted to keep in contact with them.
As I was learning to send my first text messages, my daughters would often ring me after I had sent my text and ask me what I was trying to say. Then I would get a lesson! Now ten years later with my new IPhone I was sending my usual xoxo
(kiss, hug, kiss, hug) which they’d taught me at the end of my text message and somehow I sent the words ‘zoophone’. I laughed at myself as I resent a second text about the qualities of my text messaging and Iphone’s qualities, to my daughter.
Her reply,’ yes automatic text can be a nuisance, you can turn it off’. Well a few weeks later, I haven’t learnt how to do that, maybe I’ll wait until she visits from Australia and can do it for me.
However, I do miss the welcome message from my old phone ‘your daughters love you’. I also miss the ring tones she had loaded onto it, Hotel California from the Eagles when it rang and a Red Red Wine when I received a text. Maybe she can load those onto this as well!
With Facebook, one of our social network crazes, I had been using it to keep in contact and read the news about my daughters’ activities while living in Australia.
However, I was convinced by my online mentor I also needed to use it for business as well. Yes, I said, I can use facebook and she assured me ‘don’t worry about your daughters friends messages, you can block them out’. Sure I thought I can learn to do that! So, online I go and read my daughter had the flu and off work. I sent her a Get Well message, and a few medical tips as mothers do, only to find a few minutes later a reply from my other daughter saying “Mum, you need to put it on HER wall, not send it to yourself.”
I chuckled as I realised….ten years into this game, I still had lots to learn and as the book the Learning Curve said, our children are teaching us technology and I’ve still a long way to go.
So, if you’d like to connect with me on Facebook, send me a message and I’d love to meet up with you. My attitude is positive and I’m sure I’ll learn to do it right…one day! Meanwhile, I’m still enjoying them teaching me.
