I think we all can agree that it’s probably not safe to have our nieces and nephews playing with heavy machinery. But in an age where technology is so prevalent it’s common that our favorite relatives will be exposed to a number of technological gadgets.
 
In my role as technology correspondent, I find some of the toys I get to play with at trade shows and from companies that send review units, can be a little daunting even for adults. Some of the devices that show up at the office are also fragile or delicate, especially for a younger generation. These might include phone chargers, cameras and lenses, laptops, tablet computers and even the latest wearable tech.
 
While this isn’t the case for speech to text recognition software, or a variety of apps, they all still require a learning process to figure them out and make them useful. In fact, a portion of today’s column was “written” as I dictated my thoughts across the room to my computer...and amazingly I didn’t get electrocuted.
 
So how can the Savvy Auntie or Uncle incorporate some good technology learning into the lives of the kids she or he loves? It’s pretty easy, but requires a little research and patience. As with many things the end goal shouldn’t be getting perfect understanding of the tech from your nieces and nephews, it should be enjoying the time you get to spend with them and your opportunity to share something you love with them.
 
There are three ways to do this—and these steps transcend most lessons you’ll share with the kids around you.
 
1. Figure out the device or application as completely as you can before showing it to your nieces or nephews.

It’s certainly gratifying to experience those “discovery” moments when you both find new features of a device or product. But it’s doubly frustrating for you and the children if you hit an operational roadblock that takes some time and research to solve. You’re always a better teacher when you know the subject inside-out.
 
2. Plan plenty of time for each lesson.

Think of how long it took you to understand your first mobile phone or video game. Kids today are pretty fast—especially the digital natives as we like to call anyone under age 18—although new technology requires a learning curve and some questions regardless of the intelligence of the users. For your younger nieces and nephews, encourage them to ask questions. For the older ones, ask them questions and encourage them to problem solve using the gadget manual or online resources.
 
3. Speaking of age, make sure the device or application you’re teaching nieces or nephews about is age-appropriate.

There’s no worse feeling than sharing a cool new piece of tech with a loved one and then finding out their parents won’t allow them to play with it. This includes advanced video games, some more expensive tablets or mobile devices, or anything that might push the boundaries of the wallet or maturity level.
 
Ultimately, technology can open a whole new world for nieces and nephews if you’re uncle enough to introduce them to it. Have fun. You might actually learn something new about technology yourself while you’re at it.

Jeff Cutler—http://jeffcutler.com—is a freelance journalist, social media trainer and content specialist. He regularly reports from CES—http://cesweb.org—and other technology trade shows around the world.

Photo: supakitmod
Published: October 29, 2013