Kids today have it so good!

"When I was your age, I had to walk to school, up hills, both directions!"

As a parent you realize how far we advance in technology from generation to generation when your kids bring up certain aspects of 'yesteryear'. I then think of all the things we had or did as kids that they will never experience.

My older daughter asked to go to a restaurant last Friday night. Having nothing planned for dinner and not interested in fighting with her, we decided to oblige her request. So we set out on our usual 30 min drive to find a something different for dinner. Having just seen a commercial for the Olive Garden's new menu items, hubby and I thought that would be a good choice.

We arrive at the restaurant and its a 25 min wait. Typical for a Friday night. The kids hang in the car watching their DVD while we circle the lot to find a space. We finally go in and get seated.

This particular restaurant has been around since I was in high school (not doing the math to figure out how old I am!). But more importantly the decorations are kind of 'retro'. My 5 year old is taking it all in as he looks around. Lately he is obsessed with the newness of situations. "I have never had that cookie before so I want some", or "We never went there before". This time he was trying to dig back in his memory banks for some recollection of remembering this restaurant, and was having trouble. I explained that he had been there but it was probably a while ago and he didn't remember.

So, since he didn't remember, therefore this restaurant had to be "Old".

Z - "How old is this restaurant, Mommy?"
Me - "Well, Z, I went here when I was in high school so its been here a few years."
Z - "I have never been here before."
Me - "No, Z, we have all been here before but it was a long time ago."
Z - "So do you think this restaurant was built when they used type writers?"

Type writers? First off, I am sure this place always used some type of computer, which is what I told him. But secondly, how does he know what a type writer is? We obviously don't have one. Maybe its something they teach in 'technology' class? I found that reference odd. Maybe because I don't think of a type writer as old (since I had one as a kid) but to my 5 year old it may as well have been an abacus.

I find it fascinating to watch him learn about the differences in the generations and what he determines is old vs new and how old he must think we are! I am sure we did that as kids too but its more interesting from this vantage point.