How Did We Raise Kids Before Smartphones?

My oldest baby will be 15 in a few short months.  He was born before the first iPhone was marketed.  He was born before Facebook was created. 

And I'm not sure how we survived his early years without a smartphone.  How times have changed!



We had to tell people by word of mouth that we were expecting -- no texts or Twitter posts.

We went to the bookstore for books on pregnancy and childbirth.  If we had a question, we opened up our copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting".

We packed CDs in our labour bag, instead of creating a playlist on iTunes.

We had no social media to share newborn pictures on.  We actually saved paper copies of the newspaper that had our first newborn picture in it.  I'm pretty sure there's no digital copy of it anywhere either.

We used pen and paper to track diapers and feedings, instead of a baby caring app.

I didn't have a phone to check email on or browse blog posts while nursing in the middle of the night.  I prayed, dozed or passed the time thinking.

We didn't have a flashlight app with a low setting that we could use to check on a sleeping baby in the dark.  Instead we had to stand in the dark room for a few minutes until our eyes adjusted to the dark.

We asked for home remedies for blocked milk ducts and colic in person, from our mothers, sisters and friends, instead of asking Facebook or Google what we should do.

When we went to the park, I had to bring a magazine if I wanted reading material.  Like, an actual print copy magazine.

If I wanted pictures of the baby playing outside in the kiddy pool, I had to remember to dig out the camera before heading outside.

When we took pictures of the baby, we had to wait at least 24 hours before we saw them -- if we were willing to pay for rush printing.

And then when we wanted to show off those pictures, we actually had to carry the prints around with us in an album or Brag Book, instead of storing them all on a phone.

We used to check the thermometer on the fence outside if we wanted to know how warmly to dress the baby.  If we wanted to know the forecast, we either turned on the TV or opened the newspaper.

When I went for a walk, I had to go into a store or ask someone with a watch to find out the time.  I also had to use a phone booth to call my home phone to check for messages when I was expecting a call.

When we wanted recipes for baby food, we headed to the library instead of Pinterest.

When we had a question about vaccinations or symptoms, we called the doctor, left a message, and then waited for her to call back, instead of checking WebMD.

Recalls on baby toys and equipment were publicized on the 6:00 news, instead of filtering down through Facebook posts and Tweets.

I loved the simplicity of raising a baby so many years ago, with changes in child-rearing happening at a much more manageable pace. 

But I also love the conveniences that instant access to the world wide web brings via my smartphone.

What do you think -- is our increasing dependence on technology and the internet a good thing?