Finally Joining the Video Chat Age

At some point over the past few years we fell behind the technology curve, and we fell far, far behind it. In college and in our 20's we were so up on everything cutting edge, but it seems that we continue to fall behind. But over the past week we took one big step - we video chatted with someone in another state. Not a big deal to most, but remember that we are somewhat technologically impaired. About a year ago we tried to connect online to family in Texas, but we still had to use the phone to hear the voices on the other end. Something failed along the way at some point and instead or pursuing it and fixing the problem we just let it slide (now you see why we fall behind the tech curve).

Then last week my in-laws called and asked if we had the setup to talk to them via the Internet, and that feeling of breathing in technology's dust as it whipped past us came rushing back. It is somewhat painful when the generation above you knows more about this than you do. But this wasn't the case. We did have the bits and pieces needed, and realized after a brief conversation with technical support (real technical support not just my husband - he had the conversation with the computer manufacturer due to some weird glitch) that we were up and running. And what did our kids do when they got on the video chat with the grandparents you ask?

Well, they watched themselves on the big TV. They danced. They made faces. They dashed in front of each other, waved their hands in front of their faces, and completely ignored the fact that their grandparents - who are in another state - were sitting there attempting to carry on a conversation with them. I'm sure you know EXACTLY what this behavior is - we've all done it at one point or another in our lives, but generally we're the only ones watching (well that or the store security!). So, while the conversation went very quickly, the grandparents, being the wonderful grandparents that they are, loved every minute of it. They didn't care if the kids yelped and screamed, or that they they danced around too fast for the camera to track. They saw their grandkids live, in full moving color. They just loved it. Guess we'll need to let the kids have some play time before the next call, but man oh man. This is the coolest thing. And yes, I know that it's been around forever, but you have to admit that the first time you saw Aunt Sue / Your Best Friend Rita from college / your brand new niece Jenny live on your computer screen you thought it was cool too.

This post is cross posted over at DC Metro Moms Blog.