We know that parents can sometimes be really embarrassing, especially when it comes to tech – how many times have you had to show them how to take the perfect selfie, or helped them with the WiFi code? You might even have found yourself in a nostalgia-filled snooze-fest when they try to explain tech from their childhood to you, brick phones anyone?
In Toy Story 5, released on 19 June, Jessie is worried about being replaced by Lilypad, the latest must-have piece of tech, which Bonnie becomes addicted to… but the film also features a group of unloved retro tech toys that have been forgotten about, as well as a deflated flamingo pool toy and a well-worn garden gnome.
We asked radio DJs Siân Welby (Inflatable Flamingo) and Jordan North (Garden Gnome) to play the role of parents explaining some old tech in a game we like to call…'Back in my day!'
Jordan: They were cool.
Siân: They were cool.
Jordan: That in your suit pocket!
Bonnie’s Mum: Bonnie, there’s a package for you.
Bonnie: Oh, thank you, thank you.
Lilypad: Hi there, I’m Lilypad. Let’s play.
Siân: Hi, I’m Siân Welby, and I’m playing Inflatable Flamingo in Toy Story 5.
Jordan: Hello, I’m Jordan North and in the film, I’m playing Garden Gnome.
Siân: Parents love a ‘back in my day’ moment. So look, it’s our turn to have a go. We’re going to describe this old tech to a teenager, starting with the phrase ‘back in my day’.
Jordan: Ah right, back in my day.
Siân: Oh, a movie was physically kept in a box. You had to physically insert it into the machine, and then you had to press play. If you wanted to rewatch a bit, you had to physically rewind it. If you didn’t rewind it, you got a fine, didn’t you?
Jordan: Yeah, you did. And back in my day, if the film was really long, like Titanic, you have to put in the second cassette — or did you have to turn it around?
Siân: Oh, I’ve got one of these. Back in my day, if you want to play a computer game, it was physically in your hand on a little thing called a Game Boy. The batteries - you had three batteries. It lasted years.
Jordan: Lasted forever.
Siân: Lasted forever.
Jordan: Back in my day, if it stopped working, you used to go… blows.
Siân: Yeah.
Jordan: You got the dust out.
Siân: So you’ve got the game card. You have to blow it if it’s got a bit of dust, and then it would work. And when it turns on, it goes “bling”. Is it charged up? I want to hear that noise. What a game.
Jordan: Back in my day, this is how we listened to music.
Siân: And a Walkman, it was called. You wouldn’t have earbuds. You would have over-the-head, wouldn’t you? Headphones.
Jordan: They don’t even go in your ears.
Jordan: Oh. Back in my day, this was the ultimate. Like, if you had these, you were a proper business person.
Siân: A flip phone was the one.
Jordan: Pretty cool!
Siân: The way you pulled up… I think they could have come back, pulling out the aerial - can I just touch that?
Jordan: Back in my day, this is how you spoke to people.
Siân: And I have to say, when you actually look at it, and they call them like a brick, it reminds you of a walkie talkie, doesn’t it? They were more like walkie talkies.
Jordan: They were cool.
Siân: They were cool.
Jordan: That in your suit pocket?
Siân: Oh, back in my day, if you had one of these, you were elite. A camcorder.
Jordan: Back in my day, you’d have it like that. Let’s use it like that, and all you could hear was your mum and dad talking on it.
Siân: And you’d hear the “blink”. I can hear the sound it makes when you turn it on.
Jordan: You’d be there in the paddling pool in the garden and your dad were going, “what are we having for tea? You took that chicken out? What? Oh, I’m not taking it out. You take it out.”
Siân: Film the boys open the Christmas presents.
Some of the old tech references Sian and Jordan mentioned are reminders of useful habits that can help when it comes to studying and wellbeing. We've got some top tech-inspired Study Support tips to help you out as you enter the final few weeks of school before heading into the summer holidays.
Tech-inspired Study Support tips
1. Recharge your batteries
The school year is almost over and you might be feeling like a retro Game Boy on low power and needing to recharge your batteries – one way to recharge is to practice self-care. Dr Radha says: "You matter and caring for yourself matters too, so put some time, energy and space into designing your own bespoke ‘self-care’ package."
If you are feeling a bit drained after your exams, check out our wellbeing pages for more tips to boost your energy!
2. Does music help you study?
In the 'Back in my day' game Siân Welby and Jordan North reminisced about Walkmans for listening to music in the 80s and 90s. These days you'll probably listen to music on your phone or smart speaker instead. But did you know that there are benefits to listening to music whilst studying?
Dr Catherine Loveday, an expert in music and memory at the University of Westminster told us that: "As well as having a direct impact on mood and alertness, many people find that listening to music on headphones at a low to moderate level is a good way to block out distracting noises in the environment."
3. Reduce screen time
It would've been pretty difficult to get hooked on a brick phone – they were pretty basic, after all! But today you might find yourself endlessly scrolling through your smart phone. Have you ever stopped to wonder if you might be using it a bit too much? Our most recent BBC Bitesize Teen Summit survey revealed that 38% of teens we spoke to spend five hours a day on their phone.
If you'd like to find out more about what kind of phone user you are, play our 'Are you "addicted" to your phone?' quiz. Once you've discovered your phone personality, you'll get some tailored tips to help reduce your screen time.
Finding a healthy balance between tech, wellbeing and study habits can make all the difference when it comes to motivation heading into the summer holidays. Take a look at our tips for getting into a good routine this summer so that you can recharge over the break, helping you to feel confident, refreshed and ready to start the new school term when it finally arrives.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
Are you addicted to your phone?
Take this personality quiz to see what kind of relationship you have with your phone.
How to deal with embarrassing parents
YouTuber Raylee, aged 13, gives us her inside track and first-hand account of how embarrassing parents can be when you are making the move to secondary school.
