Last Updated on April 13, 2017 by Marie Bautista
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With all the technology we have now, I can’t help but scream at my kids when they complain about how slow the internet
connection is, why I always put my cell phone in silent mode (“Mom, it’s a
phone! You are supposed to hear it ring!” Fine, and I don’t want you bugging me to buy
you new jeans or the latest One Direction CD while I am having a meeting. Okay?
), and what research material to pick up among the 1,260,000 hits in .18
seconds that they searched for in Google.
connection is, why I always put my cell phone in silent mode (“Mom, it’s a
phone! You are supposed to hear it ring!” Fine, and I don’t want you bugging me to buy
you new jeans or the latest One Direction CD while I am having a meeting. Okay?
), and what research material to pick up among the 1,260,000 hits in .18
seconds that they searched for in Google.
Back when I was in the second grade, my only Christmas wish,
aside from, of course, having a Malibu Barbie complete with her pals, her
swimming pool, and her Ken plus a complete collection of The Hardy Boys books
(I like them better than Nancy Drew), was to have my own, repeat, my own
encyclopedia (my brother would not be allowed to touch it).
aside from, of course, having a Malibu Barbie complete with her pals, her
swimming pool, and her Ken plus a complete collection of The Hardy Boys books
(I like them better than Nancy Drew), was to have my own, repeat, my own
encyclopedia (my brother would not be allowed to touch it).
Eventually, I was able to get my World Book wish, which book
agents sold for a hefty price (book agents used to make big, fat
commissions. I used to dream of selling
books part time to my grade school classmates so I can get my Barbie!). Two years later, by the way, my uncle gave me
a World Book CD, which can be updated online provided you don’t lose the case
or the key number, with a price less than one percent of the encyclopedia’s
price.
agents sold for a hefty price (book agents used to make big, fat
commissions. I used to dream of selling
books part time to my grade school classmates so I can get my Barbie!). Two years later, by the way, my uncle gave me
a World Book CD, which can be updated online provided you don’t lose the case
or the key number, with a price less than one percent of the encyclopedia’s
price.
I wrote all my high school paper on typewriter. Seriously.
The liquid paper was heaven sent! I would have white spots all over to
cover up for my typing errors. (FYI, liquid paper is a brand of correction fluid invented by a typist named Bette Nesmith Graham who was fired for making a typo. There were no delete or backspace keys in old typewriters.)
The liquid paper was heaven sent! I would have white spots all over to
cover up for my typing errors. (FYI, liquid paper is a brand of correction fluid invented by a typist named Bette Nesmith Graham who was fired for making a typo. There were no delete or backspace keys in old typewriters.)
In college, I had this very old Auditing professor who insisted
that we write down all the account codes, names and amounts by hand, on yellow
working papers (you can buy them at the bookstore in various column numbers). Using liquid paper, by the way, was out of
the question. We have to draw a straight
line over the error, write the correct one on top with our initials or
signatures beside the correct figure.
that we write down all the account codes, names and amounts by hand, on yellow
working papers (you can buy them at the bookstore in various column numbers). Using liquid paper, by the way, was out of
the question. We have to draw a straight
line over the error, write the correct one on top with our initials or
signatures beside the correct figure.
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| FROM Flicker |
For my research or ordinary reading pleasure (the Kindle
keyboard or the idea of the iPad was way beyond imagination yet), I had to go
to my high school library, consult the Library card catalogue (which I am so
sure kids now don’t even know how to interpret), and endure an hour of staying
in the library while a life-sized statue of St. Maria De Goretti, with her
life-sized eyes piercing eyes, and hands clutching a dagger and a lily would
stare and scare the sheeze out of me. (I
googled for St. Maria’s images, by the way, and those images are a lot tamer
and cannot compare to my high school’s statue of her!)
keyboard or the idea of the iPad was way beyond imagination yet), I had to go
to my high school library, consult the Library card catalogue (which I am so
sure kids now don’t even know how to interpret), and endure an hour of staying
in the library while a life-sized statue of St. Maria De Goretti, with her
life-sized eyes piercing eyes, and hands clutching a dagger and a lily would
stare and scare the sheeze out of me. (I
googled for St. Maria’s images, by the way, and those images are a lot tamer
and cannot compare to my high school’s statue of her!)
My school life must seem slow and ancient to today’s students.
“I know, right, mom, but do we have to hear all these
back-in-time thingies?”
back-in-time thingies?”
With my kids, there was no life before Google. They were born with Google, they grew with
Google, they rely on Google for every answer (suddenly, the Mom’s not having
the last say anymore!). They even consult Google when they want to have a
perfect bum! (I know so. The computer
was made to brilliantly store web pages you kids visited in “History”).
Google, they rely on Google for every answer (suddenly, the Mom’s not having
the last say anymore!). They even consult Google when they want to have a
perfect bum! (I know so. The computer
was made to brilliantly store web pages you kids visited in “History”).
There aren’t many things I remember doing as a kid with
technology. There were arcades, Atari
and Nintendo games, of course, but I preferred reading books, hanging out with
friends watching VHS movies, and roller skating.
technology. There were arcades, Atari
and Nintendo games, of course, but I preferred reading books, hanging out with
friends watching VHS movies, and roller skating.
Kids today don’t know what real struggle is! Back to the days when cell phones were mere
figments of imagination, nobody can talk to you on the phone before your mom or
your nosy brother did! You cannot imagine
how hard it is to try to sneak on the phone way past midnight, really hoping
the parents, or the nosy brother, were sleeping soundly.
figments of imagination, nobody can talk to you on the phone before your mom or
your nosy brother did! You cannot imagine
how hard it is to try to sneak on the phone way past midnight, really hoping
the parents, or the nosy brother, were sleeping soundly.
Plus, way back then, you can’t use the phone when you’re online. You will just here the tinny sound. Just saying.
And oh, I remember my daughters’ reaction to the framed records at Kenny Rogers’. They must be around 3 and 5 back then. “Mom, is that a big CD???”. Nope, it is a record, and you can hear it at different speeds. You can hear The Eagles suddenly sounding like the Chipmunks!
But, those were good old days.
We were able to survive and boy, did we have fun.
We were able to survive and boy, did we have fun.
What things do you remember doing without technology? Do you think you could survive a life without
your apps and your gadgets? 
your apps and your gadgets?
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I embrace new technology but I sometimes miss the good old simpler times of the past.
I can survive without them. There are a lot of fun things to do with my time anyways, like spending more time with family and friends.
Before Google, I remember encyclopedias to get information or resource for my assignments or reports. I remember afternoons of piko, patintero, luksong baka, doll houses, dolls, luto-lutuan and jackstones. Before Google, I remember afternoon naps and snacks upon waking up. Life back then was simple and less complicated, happier and more sociable personally. Our kids are now called digital natives because they're born in the presence of all these advanced technologies that keep on updating with a blink of an eye. Hope when we get older, we keep up as well! 🙂
You know there are times that I long for the good old days that you described in your post. All these modern conveniences are good but I notice stress levels in general are so much higher inspite of it. I'm hoping to expose my daughter to as much "old fashioned" ways as I can. A slower life than now.
Seriously, there were typewriters without backspace? Kainis yun hahaha! Technology is great and all, but I think the downside is, kids these days get too impatient and they lack the kind of resourcefulness we have before because we didn't get things at a mouse click or by simply tapping a screen. When I still didn't know about the internet, I learned to love the school libraries and doing research manually. That was a good training….nowadays, research is easy peasy heheheh…
I love Nancy Drew and haven't gotten around to reading the Hardy Boys series. Maybe I should start collecting that since I have 3 nephews.
i was lucky, when i was in grade school i already use google for my school researches and projects; but i think i can live without these high tech
I used typewriter before and I always go to the university library. When there's no photocopier machine yet, we will copy those information in the books. I also used encyclopedia but now everything is in the net with just a click. Well, honestly, I can't live without the computer and cellphone now, hehe.
Mommy Maye
http://www.momaye.com
I too grew up with Google but am sure that I'll be able to survive without apps and the modern ammenities too if I have to.
Dominique @ Dominique's Desk
I grew up in the 70s and 80s, so not only was there no Google or Wikipedia, there was no Interwebs or cell phones! Our first computer was a Commodore 64 that you had to program yourself. lol
Although I've grown to rely on my phone and apps, when my husband and I go on vacations, I leave my laptop behind and try really hard to remain "unplugged." No TV, no cell phones, no computer…the only thing I couldn't live without is my Kindle 🙂
Hi, Bee! Can't live without my Kindle as well haha
What wonderful memories of times when people are not dependent on technology. Google is also my go to resource nowadays. I can't say I'd like to go back to pre-Google times, but it sure makes kids these days lazy.
In answer to your question, yes, I think so. I still can survive without these technologies because I was born without them. 🙂 I remember, I used to play y self made improvised car using cut and rounded slippers as wheels etc. It was really fun. Physical action was really there. Now, with my 3 year old son, every time he wakes up, first thing he'll say is, Nay/Tay, I wanna watch YouTube. What!@#$!% LOL!
I grew up without Google but times have changed, and things have become so much easier with the computer age… might be able to survive without the computer considering we grew up without it… but still too attached to today's gadgets since I bring my laptop everywhere!
I think I'll be able to survive without them except for cellphone which we really need when away from home.
I would say that childhood was more fun then when technology weren't as advanced as today. I now seldom see kids playing outdoors. I'm not even sure if kids today know how to play hide & seek. lol
It would be hard to stay away from my PC though I know I'll have more time for myself. I think I'll survive that for a week like whenever our internet connection is affected by a typhoon. But totally no virtual life? I cannot. 😛
our childhood was so much fun compared today, simply because we had experienced playing outside our house with larong pinoy like patintero, piko, chinese garter etc.
mas masarap dati kasi di kumplikado unlike now with technology. it seems like every kids need to have to their own psp, nintendo ds etc. i wish kids nowadays get to play all those larong pinoy we had before.
I can read a single novel for a day! Now, I barely touch my books! Somehow sad! ^^
I like the old times where the only thing that's in my mind are lessons and the only thing I'm getting hold of are books.
Nowadays, children get too addicted with the latest gadgets. In my generation, I got addicted with anime like ghost fighter, flame of reeca and cartoons like blues clues and teletubies.
I think we are of the same generation! LOL… And I agree those are fun discovery days! One good thing about my sons' school is that they are really encouraged to go to the library and research using books. Any reference or resource coming from the Internet is not acceptable. 🙂
Hmmm I think I was probably introduced to technology and gadgets quite early although I do know how it is to research in a library and to actually have to copy out of books. Back then, we doubted most everything we'd see in the Internet because you never knew if they were reliable. My fear now is that people trust Google too much. Hehe.
back when I am a kid I am happy to have a new clothes and shoe, we are not rich so providing the clothes for me and my 3 sibling is not easy, now, my nephew wants a mobile phone and my son wants PSP..-Singlemom Reviews
I read Mills and Boons! (do you remember this?)
I remember one of my highschool classmates reading this! My mom has lots! I try to sneak in reading them haha. sort of a tamer 50 shades of grey!
I an relate to this! 🙂 I was laughing really hard while I was reading this
"Kids today don’t know what real struggle is! Back to the days when cell phones were mere figments of imagination, nobody can talk to you on the phone before your mom or your nosy brother did! You cannot imagine how hard it is to try to sneak on the phone way past midnight, really hoping the parents, or the nosy brother, were sleeping soundly."
Akong-ako ito, hahahaha. Love this post!
So true. I often times have difficulty explaining things to my daughter about the difference of then and now.
I started using PC in 1991 and internet came the next year. So, before, I had a job to focus on and other things to explore. But when I've got to be a full time blogger, I discovered a lot about my inner talents. I think, google will go on until the end of the world.
My life before G was the frequent trips to the public library, a group study session with friends and long hours of reading classic books for entertainment. The generation now has it easy. They should live in our time and I bet, they won't last a second!
Pocketbook was my life. We did not have TV to watch shows on so I buried my face in reading pocketbooks lol.
I go to the library every day and borrow books and stay up all night reading them, not very different from what I'm doing now, haha. Funny, we can't be reached when we're out of the house (which could be all afternoon or all day just as long as they know and we come home by six) but our parents did not worry. But now, our kids have cellphones and gadgets and IMs and Facebook, and we worry even when we know where they are and what they're doing. Yup, times have changed.