My friend came out of her office the other day completely dumfounded. “My daughter sent me a text asking where to put the stamp on the envelope” she told us still reeling from the question. Her daughter had never had to mail a letter before, either she had done it for her or she used email. This got several of us talking about what our kids don’t know and how crazy we think that is.
Here is our list:
- How to address an envelope for snail mail and put the stamp on it.
- What and encyclopedia is.
- How to dial a rotary telephone
- What a card catalog is
- How to roll down a car window with a rotary turner.
- How to load film into a camera
- Waiting until film is developed to see a picture you took
- What an 8 track is
- How to use a typewriter
- How to use a road atlas
There are many many more things that kids today don’t know how to do or what they are and the list gets longer each day. It’s sad that our kids won’t experience some of these things.
I
s there anything that you think should be on this list?
Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day, remembering how when I was in school if someone wanted to be your boyfriend/girlfriend they would slip a note in your bag whereas I’m sure that now it’s all done online. Takes away from the actuality of the experience, I think.
Katia recently posted…101 Ways (OK, make it 6) to Incorporate the Word Poop into a Conversation
Katia That’s so true, now I think they text or post on FB.
This is funny. We tease our kids about things they don’t know all the time. Of course they pick on me when I have to ask them how to show me something online.
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My kids do the same thing with us. They get us just as much as we get them. I try to explain to them that when they have kids and they get older there will be things that their kids won’t have ever witnessed. They don’t believe us so we will have the last laugh.
I babysat my 4 year old niece the other day and I have an extra, old throw away camera that you have to move the dial to progress the film. I told her she could take pictures with it if she wanted. Because she is so young I knew she wouldn’t have ever seen anything like it. She is a very intelligent girl for her age, but she kept looking at the back like the preview picture was going to magically appear on the cardboard back. lol I kept saying, on this type of camera you have to wait until later to see what the picture looks like. It’s like a special surprise. She wasn’t impressed. haha
Liz from WomanlyWoman.com recently posted…Women Who Make America from PBS Makers #fem2 #MAKERSchat
Liz I’m sure that was a sight to see. I try to expose my kids to as much “old timey” stuff (their term not mine) so they can appreciate what they have. Like your niece they are never impressed.
That is funny and definitely something to think about.
what about “How to count money”? OR “what is money”? This is def. the day of debit cards…is it not!!!
Kim its funny that you mention that. I was at a store the other day and used cash, I don’t do that too often, the girl at the register had no clue how to count the change back to me.
You know how they say things have a way of making their way back in style, tho those things I dont think will ever come back..lol..sad tho. I do have to say I asked was asking some people in the house other words for something and my daughter had a thesaurus in her room from her teacher..I was amazed..lol..and she is 13. Great post..
Kelly lynn recently posted…Trying to get the hang on moving over
Never say never…bell bottoms came back and those of us that wore them in the 70′s said they would never come back. Boy were we wrong they came back with a vengeance!
My 20-something kids can’t read a map! They are so used to looking up info on the internet and Google maps that when I handed my son a map when we were in Orlando he didn’t know what to do with it. (We’re Canadian so our phones weren’t working on the US lines.)
We drove around and around looking for our hotel until I finally recognized where we were and found it by landmarks. . .
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It’s never too late to teach them. Reading a map is something that can come in handy as you found on your trip. We have become a society that relies heavily on technology and when its not available our kids haven’t a clue. Thanks for sharing your map story.
I always try to teach them something new about what we used to have to do.
That’s a great idea Tess.
I love this post! I had to show my daughter what a VHS Tape was. She still doesn’t know what a cassette tape is. I must have thrown all mine away.
New follower here.
-Ellen
Ellen @ Bad Word Mama recently posted…Touchy Feely…
I had a friend who’s children hadn’t seen one either. It’s so weird the things that were innovative and new when I was a kid are non existent now. Thanks for stopping by Ellen.