This post is part of the Tech Tuesday series brought to you by NTEC.
I have a MBA, and many other accreditations, earned over 35 years of leading-edge wisdom in the telecom, technology, and Internet of Things (IoT) industries. So, how does my nearly 5 year-old grandson seem to know more about the Internet of Things than I do?
Recently while child-sitting, we ran into one of those situations where my grandson decided to test my authority and take control of a very mild disagreement. In this case, bed time. No doubt, as the grandparent, I had already let things go too far with bribery and future broken promises to compromise for a reasonable bed time. (Hey, we were having fun, and let’s not talk about the recent sugar infusion!)
With all workable promises fully exhausted, and at my wits end, my dear grandson threatens me with the now overused…
I’m calling my mom and dad.”
Thinking back on those same type of threats within the past six months, I think he’ll be heading towards my cell phone at any moment. Instead, he bolts directly out the front door of his parents’ house.
What the heck? Where’s he going? He’s running away? This isn’t good. My daughter is not going to be happy with this outcome. Leaving without a stick and a bag o’ stuff? This isn’t a normal runaway situation… is it?
Next thing I know he’s ringing the doorbell insistently. He never even had the front door closed and Ring! Ring!
Seconds later mom and dad are “answering the doorbell” via their smartphones from wherever they were at the time. Who’s at the front door past 9pm this Saturday night? And, while I’m on duty!
Then, it hits me… I’m in trouble, now. Just like when I was in the 7th grade and getting sent to the principal’s office for another paddling. This toddler has ratted me out to his parents via the IoT doorbell! I know I’m the one in trouble since it’s:
- past his normal bed-time, and
- he’s unhappy and whining with a major sugar buzz, and worst yet,
- he’s outside the house past dark, in his P.J’s, and oh yeah, it’s really cold outside.
This is my fault!
I’m considered an IoT industry expert for crying-out-loud! My career is to consult with companies in developing and implementing the latest and greatest IoT solutions for “everyday activities” and I’ve just been completely outwitted by someone under 3 feet tall.
Once mom and dad got home and implemented their distance “doorbell discipline,” grandson went off to bed. When he comes to my house, we keep an eye on him from two rooms away via an outdated and antiquated analog static-lateen baby-monitor. Mom and dad watch everything digitally 50 miles away in the back seat of an Uber ride from their smartphone-enabled cameras in every room in their house.
Times have changed… and they’re rapidly accelerating. Give me back the back seat of my ’75 Dodge Charger and the 8-track player, please!