Parents and Internet
Probably we are the first generation to grow up with the Internet as a routine part of our lives. We have taken to this technology effortlessly. But unfortunately, the same can not be said about our parents… This knowledge gap is very intimidating for our parents, who have to scramble to keep up with this very weird world.
I honestly get very impressed when I talk to my parents on skype, because I remember the first time they bought a computer for themselves, and what a big deal it was for them. They would rotate in calling me or one of my brothers or sisters every day wherever we were to tell us that a disaster happened and something is not working! My parents decided to face their worst nightmare and learn how to use this terrifying … terrifying … TERRIFYING thing because they wanted to stay in touch with us my sisters, brothers and me… we happen to be one of these families who are scattered around the planet…… and since I have spent my entire life fighting relentlessly with my dad, given that I always thought we are SO different… now I have been comprehending that maybe the problem is that we have always been too similar…… I think learning how to communicate using the Internet is the sweetest thing that my parents or anyone have ever done for me!!! Because I can imagine how hard it was, and I know it was done for pure love.
I mean the patience and effort my parents have put to learn how to print, where to find the letters, how to open the internet, how to check their emails and reply to them, how to chat with us, and now to skype is simply remarkable. I remember once at the very beginning of that computer days…I was chatting with my mom, and I sent her a photo on the internet, it took me TWO hours on chat to tell her how to open the bloody thing… we got stuck at drag the window to open it, she just could not comprehend the coordination between clicking the mouse and dragging the window at the same time… after the two hours she really got frustrated and told me “ khabast il dinia… I will wait till your dad comes” which means I screwed up, I have no idea what I have done, leave me alone! and I just laughed from the bottom of my heart, because for the first time I understood that we take this whole internet for granted, but actually it is not that intuitive.… we waited till Mr. Man our hero Mr. Dad came to save the day.
Now I see that not only they know how to use it, but they BRAG about it to their ignorant friends, which is always enough to bring an amused smile to my face…. I know that I have been talking a lot about my parents, but I am having a feeling that I have not felt in a really long time… I am homesick!
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wallahi ya Mariam I tried. Very very hard I tried. I managed to have my mom reply to me emails once in a blue moon. Then she stopped. My parents started complaining that I don't keep in touch, so I decided that calling them is a much better option.
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one day i'll succumb and create a user name on LJ.
iyas
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We all tried believe me,my mom cant wait for the computer to open she just get bored and leave just imagine if i have to explain something which is difficult what will happen
At last remembered to put my name:P
Mira
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This is why my parents brag
they are very aware of their achievement! just kidding 
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Well i think they should coz they really made progress
btw my mom is nt even 40 yet i wonder what will she do if she was older 
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you just made me feel really really old
I mean your mom is about maybe 10 years older that i am… I have friends your mom age… maybe your aunts were in school with me… ifft 
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well no one said it was easy! it took an enermous effort both ways… keep the good faith, they will turn around, once all their friends are hooked… and trust me it is coming.
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- Lina
When dad bought the first computer (with windows 3.1) years and years ago he took a computer course and was the one to teach us the basics!! Alas, he eventually lost touch with it as fast progress was taking place… now he can check his email but finds it easier to have me do it and type his replies for him
mom has yet to make any progress, she's been planning to take an ICDL course for ages but hasn't got around to it… may be when we're no longer at home or when one of us is abroad they will have a good motive to learn 
One of the things I love most is how mom learned to send SMS messages… it took her a lot of effort and time, but now when I have a difficult exam, I get this msg before that says “Good Luck darling. Love, mom”. It is the sweetest thing on earth and always makes my day because I know how long it takes every time!!
Great post Mariam
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Hahahaha well my mom got married at the age of 18 and i was born when she was still studin in uni. Dont feel bad
my younest twin uncles (Ihab and fadi) are 6 yrs older than me less than the difference between me and my sister which is 11 yrs. My grandma is 50 smthn she got married at the age of 14 
you cant envy them 
we in the 20th century now hahahaha 
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I know…I know… but it is kind of sweet to have a mother who is not much older than you are… sort of older sister. I wanted to have this with my kids, i think i have missed about 10 years
no regrets of course… i am happy that things have changed and we can do all the things that we do… and not have been tied at home nursing kids at the prime of our youth…. but it is still cute! also it is quite funny, how i have friens that could have daughters who are my friends too 
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I hear you girl
I remember the first email i have recieved from my mother. still have it as a matter of fact… you are right, once you leave home, your parents would learn all that stuff… necessity is the mother of invention!!!!
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Hahahaha ya ur right
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My mom is the master of text messaging. She sends me at least three a day:-) I made sure to get a mobile here that allows for the text messaging option so I can keep in constant touch with her. As for the E-mail, well, it proved to be a very challenging option for her so she gave up. She only e-mails me when my sister is around to help her open the computer..he heheh
Great post by the way
—Natasha
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Hareega
lol hilarious topic
I remeber the momnent i tried to teach my father how to use the internet. We ended up getting nervous and he started screaming at me because he thought i was a bad teacher, and honestly i can't blame him
I came to america last year, and before i left i told him “i want to see you sending an e-mail to me, without help!”
it's been a year and i'm still waiting !!!!
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Teaching my father to use the computer was my chance to get even with him for teaching me to drive. Both times we ended up with big arguments; I ended up taking quite a few driving classes and he ended up figuring out the computer on his own with some help from others. Still, no emails from him.
-jameed
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well at least it is driving, it is fun…not getting back at him for teaching you jadawel il darb, Allah yikhreb bethom!! shoo i hate them… I think if i ever want to get even with anyone, it would be for that very painful experience!!
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Harrega …
I see that many of you guys are still waiting… I thought the wait ends once people leave the country.. but aparently my theory is wrong. By the way, i had to check with Natasha to make sure you are a guy, and not some girl with a cool open minded character.. she confirmed it!!!! sorry man, thinking that is probably the worst thing that anyone could do to you … please forgive me! but the name is misleading i mean why not harreg!!!why the a at the end… ifft sorry again!
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Jadawel il darb were my childhood's nightmare! I have a pathologically weak memory (but am exceptional smart otherwise :p ). When we had to learn the multiplication tables in elementary school, our mean teacher would have all the kids stand up and extend their hands, she would then walk by us one by one with a ruler in her hand and ask each a multiplication question; if the student answered correctly then the plague would move on, but if not, then you get a smarting slap with the dreaded ruler! Needless to say, I always got slammed, and almost failed math that year. But, once math turned from memory to logic in the higher grades, I got nothing but 100%
-Ziad
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Niyalak, after jadawel il darb I still have something called mathophobia!
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Hareega
lool harreg, in arabic grammar there's something caled “mo2annath ta2neeth lafthi” and hareega is one of these words which seem to be feminine but it's a masculine name. Everything evil that kills people should be masculine lol.
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