A couple of months ago, I was in Silicon Valley. During my travels, I toured the Computer History Museum. If you or your child are fans of computers and technology, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California is a must see. Even if you only have a remote interest in computers and technology, the Computer History Museum provides an invaluable lesson for all parents.
The More Things Change
Having only a slight interest in the history of computers, I bought a ticket and entered the museum. I have to admit, I was blown away. I was aware that computers were involved in nearly every aspect of daily life but I had no idea how long computers had existed. I was amazed to learn that computing had existed for more than 2,000 years.
I was even more fascinated by the evolution of the computer. From this big clunky device called The Babbage Engine to the proliferation of the internet, it was obvious that computers and technology had come a long way. Originally engineered to be a stationary object capable of making one calculation at a time, modern computing has morphed into something that could not have been initially imagined.
The More Things Stay The Same
Yet for all the evolutionary changes and advancements of computers, the purpose and principle of computing has remained the same. Computing and computers have always existed to solve problems and advance humanity.
I called my son that afternoon to tell him about my visit and all the wondrous things I had seen. During our conversation, it dawned on me how similar parents are to computers. As I attempted to share my theory, I suspected that my son was probably thinking there are few similarities between parents and computers. Computers are smart, interactive and innovative and parents – well – not so much.
Let’s Talk About Evolution
Like the origin of computing and the first computer, todays’ parents have the same objective as the original human and the succeeding ancestors. Our prime directives remain: procreate, nurture, protect and train.
Although humans are essentially the same, parents and parenting must evolve. Feeding a child no longer requires hunting and gathering, yet parents still have to work if their children are to eat. Protecting children is no longer associated with fighting wild animals, yet parents still have to protect children from the dangers of a modern society. Training a child to survive in this world is different, but the same.
While parents are not as smart as computers, I still maintain that the best parents are like computers and technology. For as much as the world changes, the world stays the same. Good parents, great parents understand evolution and adapt their prime parenting directives to meet the challenges and opportunities of the changing world.
Good parents, great parents never stand still. Good parents, great parents evolve.
What do you think? Are you at a parental standstill? Or, are you constantly evolving like computers and technology? Share your thoughts below!