Role Reversal

Remember when you were little and you wanted to be just like your parents? You had good reason to, after all they had been around longer than you and had gained more experience, know-how, and most importantly, money than you would see for a long time. I remember thinking that I would never own anything as high-tech as my dad's waterproof camera...

Well now the tables are turning. Our parents, seeing the ways we spend our money, are turning to us for inspiration. Again, this makes sense, as we now have money and know what is new and trendy. The Internet has made up for experience and know-how in that we now know how to use message boards and reviews to decipher which products are best and which prices are lowest.

Exhibit A: Josh bought me my cotton-candy pink, flowered beach cruiser for Valentine's Day two years ago. Since then it has been enhanced with a matching bell and basket. I bought him a black cruiser for Christmas, with foam grips, a headlight, and a cup holder. As Josh's parents live nearby, we ride them over to their house often. They borrowed our bikes and took them to the beach, only to show up two weeks later with bikes of their own. His mom, on a cherry red version of my bike with matching bell and his dad on a black and silver bike like Josh's with the same headlight and cup holder. I thought how cute it was that his parents are now looking to him for stylish advice.

Then I received my wonderful camera for my birthday. My dad loves photography but has not owned a nice camera of his own in ages. He also loves digital photography and understands it quite well for his generation. He has bought my mom nice cameras and has been disappointed that she didn't get more involved in learning their unique and pricey features. He seemed impressed by my camera, and more impressed that I was learning to use it so well. He loved pictures that I took on a weekend trip with the family and his praise was substantial--for him. Now he has bought himself one. I am quite proud, actually. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, as they say...