Parents sometimes don't exactly.... Understand technology. It could be games, it could be the internet, it could be a cell phone that I had to program for my mom... Anything technology based in the last 20 years or so so we don't go back to typewriters. For instance, today I showed my cat to a member via webcam on Skype and despite the fact that the person lives on the other side of the ocean, my mom believes the member can still come over and steal him and rob us blind. And yes, that is true.
I can't really blame them. Given that most of us are in our mid-teens to early 20s (most), our parents are probably somewhere in the 40 to 60 range. If we say that computers really started taking off and becoming common in households in 2000 (it was earlier than that, particularly for game consoles, but bear with me), that means that they were probably in their early 30s at the youngest. These of course are based on generalizations about the site's visitors and the average age of procreation, but that's a long time to be acclimated to a way of life. Now to have something come in that turns it all on its head? It's going to be tough for you, compared to someone who has grown up with a computer or video game in our hands from early childhood. I can remember playing computer games as young as five years old. They are, unfortunately, also very susceptible to those tales of the internet being full of stalkers and pedophiles. Which, granted, there are some of, I won't lie. But it's not nearly as commonplace as some news likes to make it seem. I give my mom snaps, though. She can be computer clueless a lot of the time, but for someone her age (nearing 50), she's pretty skilled. She can make spreadsheets, write emails, and makes a decent amount selling stuff on eBay. Can't play PlayStation to save her life but we'll work on that.
lolz... Better than my mom. I forgot a paper when I was in high school once that I had to have her print. She got on a Apple with the instructions of my computer instructor and managed to print it. She still brags today that she at least knows how to turn on a computer when I tell her she needs computer classes. My dad is pretty tech savvy, though. He mostly got it from calling tech support and spending five hours on the phone bugging the living hell out of them. He had about fifty sticky notes all on his desk on instructions on how to use his laptop.
My grandparents and most of my family don't know how to use technology. My mom at least knows how to use a little bit, but she doesn't know as much as me. Well, I studied computers so that's a given. She can do common things that most people do, but when something messes up she calls me. Other than that she does pretty well. As for the rest of my family though . . . the words "technologically" and "illiterate" come to mind. It doesn't even have to be a computer. I've had to fix TVs and program remotes, or even show them how to work a cellphone. Small things that most would think were complicated. So, I suppose you could say that parents are always going to be bad with technology. I'm sure when I have kids they'll have something I don't know how to use . . . that's a lie, I'll be a techy for the rest of my life XD
Not only is it tougher to learn something that looks so overwhelming that late in life, but they may not even want to : Source : http://www.softpanorama.org/Social/Toxic_managers/learned_helplessness.shtml And that' s just one of the many cognitive biases that can get in the way.
It's kinda cute, my nephew which has a Ipad at seven has become a walking advertisement for it. He keeps on trying to convince my mom to buy one even though she has no idea what he's talking about and has no idea when I try to explain it to her. My Godmother doesn't understand violent video games at all. I mentioned Assassin's Creed to her once when she was taking me somewhere and she looked horrified at the mere mention. The conversation didn't go well despite me talking about what the Creed was about.
My parent's are like total hypocrites when it comes to technology. My mom says that technology ruins our minds and is a bad influence when she herself sits in her room like 3-4 hours a day just using her iPhone. Video games, she's always on my case on this. Every time I boot up a game on my computer or my console, she starts her (dear god) 1-2 hour rant on why video games are bad for me and they will make me a serial killer in my future. Call it her being concerned, but I don't see it that way. I don't want to get into a huge debate on video games and stuff, but I just think my mom uses technology as an excuse on why I'm doing poorly at school. At least my dad doesn't nag me too much on this case. He's mostly chill with technology.
