I frequently give my parents my electronics when I upgrade to a new model.  Last weekend, I gave my mom a first generation iPad.  It won’t do everything the newer, cooler iPad Air I just got will do.  But for my mom, it’s cool and new.

Every time I give her something new, there’s a learning curve for her.  I really enjoy helping her learn a new device and even though it can be frustrating at times, she is always incredibly grateful…for the new technology and my patience.

I find a sense of accomplishment when I can help one of my parents with something.  They’ve spent a great deal of their lives helping and teaching me new things.  When the roles start to reverse, it’s magical.  It’s a way to give back to the two people in this world that have done more for me than anyone else.

But, I can’t help seeing the other side of this…

While I enjoy helping my parents, it often makes me think about who would help me when I’m their age.  I never had kids.  I didn’t plan it this way, but life usually hasn’t work out the way I planned.  Luckily my sister has three boys I’m close with.  I hope they will keep me in mind as they progress into adulthood.

Do you enjoy helping your parents?