Mar 9, 2009

Not Your Mother's Milestones

My son passed a milestone today, a new digital milestone. Today he asked me what his email address was. Not his street address or his phone number, but his email address. In a way that I had not expected, that question made me feel proud of my son and somewhat frightened at the same time.

I was equally proud of him when he passed all the typical milestones too, but those I expected all along.
I knew he would take his first steps and say his first words, but this felt different. This question from my four year old son made me realize without a doubt, that he really will grow up to inherit a world that is very different from mine now. I imagine my parents felt the same way the first time I asked for the tv remote or maybe how to use the microwave. In their day, children learned to tune the radio or fill ice cube trays.

Even though we are somewhat technologically conservative in this house (I don’t have an iPod), the gadgets and their lingo have managed to creep in. He tells me to "re-boot" when things don’t work and to wait he's "loading" if he takes too long to answer me.
Our children like every generation before them will define the look and shape of their world and I wonder how long it’s going to take before I no longer recognize mine.

6 comments:

Holly said...

What a clever boy!

Anonymous said...

That's simply adorable. I think I would have fallen off my chair in surprise. The times, they are a changing.

The Mother said...

There'll be another milestone when you start asking him for computer advice.

DJ said...

Holly: Sometimes too clever, lol
Obimom: I made him repeat the question twice, just to be sure I heard it right!
TheMother: At the rate things are going, that should be occuring any day now.

Anonymous said...

I had never considered that! How cute that he asked for his email address. LOL My kids were once more computer savvy than me but I have surpassed them. Now, a cell phone and Guitar Hero, don't ask me a thing.

Anonymous said...

I remember the first time my youngest was taking too long to answer something and she looked at me, tapped her finger to her head and said "hold on, reloading". It is just amazing how different things are for our kids than for me or my parents.

There is a link to a contest at my place where you can win one of my lovely aprons. Stop by if you can.

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