20th Century Parenting in the 21st Century

Have you seen the viral video where a dad gives his two sons four minutes on the clock to correctly dial a phone number using a rotary phone? The hilarious result highlighted just how much technology has changed since I was a kid, and served as a stark reminder that the rotary phone is my generation's horse and buggy.

After posting the video to my social media page and tagging my wife, I wondered how my own kids would fare in such a challenge. There was only one problem. I have no clue as to where I can ascertain such a device! How times have changed.

The technological wonders of the 21st century have made us more connected. Or have they? Thanks to the rotary phone, I can still find a sense of satisfaction in rattling off my childhood friend's phone number. Ask me for the cellphone number of any of my friends today and I'll have to consult my phone. Researchers call this "digital amnesia." The more we rely on technology, the less we commit to memory. This isn't just affecting phone number recall...I'm afraid we are experiencing "digital amnesia" in the way we used to have meaningful and intentional relationships in the 20th Century.

That reality hits home when we are gathered in the family room binging on a favorite Netflix or Amazon original series. It's pretty sad when we've got the television on and at the same time everyone has their head buried in their smartphone or tablet. I often find myself asking, "Is anybody watching the show?" Or, God forbid, the internet experiences a hiccup, the bandwidth is squeezed, or we have an outage lasting more than an hour -- we all get irritated and exhibit anxiety.


This is what prompted me to fight back against "digital amnesia" and resort to some 20th Century parenting. Get unplugged and get outdoors. One of the tools I'm using to reconnect with this 20th Century mindset is the hammock. Specifically these new sturdy, light weight, nylon hammocks. Price tag $30 each. Couple that with our $50 annual Georgia State Parks pass, and you are on track to create some lasting memories!

Hammocking is an immersive experience. Sure, you can watch a video of High Falls on the Towaliga River...but does that video come with the smell of the fresh forest floor, the feel of the mist off the rocks, and the warmth of the sun? Leaving behind the tablets also causes one to look around and resort to conversation for entertainment. Suddenly we realize that each of us exists. We marvel at the beauty. We become curious about the nature surrounding us. We desire to dig deeper into this natural world.

In the moment, I'm reminded again of what it was like to be a kid in the 20th Century before social media and the internet consumed our lives. I can see my children's minds engage with creativity as they look for interesting rocks and sticks. My oldest daughter rolls over some rocks and logs to see what kind of interesting bugs are hidden from view.

There'll be time for Netflix, Amazon, Minecraft, and Youtube at a later date. Right now we are filling the voids left by "digital amnesia" with real experiences.