Article summary
Here at Atomic, we spend 40+ hours a week being designers, developers, and various other roles that go into producing pretty awesome software for our clients.
But that leaves 120ish hours a week that I, and many other Atoms, spend being a parent. And it only seems natural that we would apply a little “tech” to that role as well.
Is the Gmail Account Available?
There are lots of factors involved in choosing a child’s name, and in today’s world one of them really is: “Is the Gmail account available?”
It’s something I did for my son when he was a baby, and for my daughter before she was even born (and before we actually told anybody her selected name). I acquired them their own Gmail accounts. Lucky for us, we don’t have a common last name, so both of them have simple Gmail usernames that use their actual names.
More than a Placeholder
Not only is it reassuring that the accounts can be theirs when they are older, but Gmail is also a modern-day way of recording a digital scrapbook.
Our children communicate with their parents and grandparents through their Gmail accounts (via me and my wife). This is easily accomplished by setting up multiple email accounts on our smart phones. Pictures are sent, and funny messages exchanged. This is all being digitally archived, and one day I can imagine they will really enjoy what they find in there.
Here is a favorite that I dug up. (Context: My wife and I were about to drop my son off at his Grandparents for the weekend, so we set the tone with a funny photo that my wife modified.)
And here’s the reply I received:
We are excited to share this funny example and many more with our son someday. Do you keep a digital journal for your children? What other creative ways have you dreamed up to document your children’s upbringing?