If you’re asking what the heck? I can’t blame you! Pregnancy can seem like a long nine months, and you’re already overloaded why would you add a discussion of blockchain to that list? Trust me I get it. As a Mother and an Obstetrician, I can attest to that just about on every level. As my oldest son turned eighteen this year I realized just how fast it all goes. Not only does it move fast it is overwhelming and daunting to keep up with their world. Yes! throwing my hands up in the air, burying my head in the sand, hoping for the best have been a few of my coping mechanism …… Oh, and if I am, to be honest, let me not forget the tears too, we probably need to underscore this last one. So what about blockchain and pregnancy? We should probably start with blockchain. Perhaps a simplistic definition for the purpose of this conversation might suffice. Think of blockchain as a decentralized public spreadsheet that emphasizes transparency. If the predictions are correct if your pregnant today blockchain will be an everyday part of your child’s world. The technology will change and disrupt many of the things we do today. And certainly many of the things your child will be doing. Would you not want to keep up just a bit? What if you had just a few minutes now just to imagine what that might look like, could it help you in your parenting? Maybe helping with the daunting age-old task of every parent….. just keeping up!
What if back in 2000 (the year my son was born) I ran across an article that talked about Social media and how my child’s life might be different with snapchat, Instagram, Kik whats app and we chat. Maybe even just a cursory read might have at least familiarized me to a point where I could have spared myself from some of my overwhelming blissful ignorance, trying to figure out my child’s world has brought me. Which I might add is not so blissful when you’re a parent today, trying to keep them cyber safe. So again, not to overwhelm you as you are getting ready for your gender reveal party, sorting through the best car seats, baby bottles, or getting the nursery ready. What might a glimpse of your child’s world look like in just a few years? just something I thought you might want to ponder if only for a moment.
As a mother of two teenage boys, not surprising gaming is the pain point that comes to mind. It has certainly been one of my biggest toughest challenges as a parent. As daunting as this has been for me, constantly nagging( as my son would say) monitoring, threatening, confiscating gaming equipment to balance schoolwork and responsibilities. Blockchain will surely in the future muddy the water a bit more for you and it might not be a bad idea to just take it in a wee bit now. Fast forward a few years when not only will your son or daughter be playing excessively, but will have the ability to be rewarded with cryptocurrency( digital currency) for playing, reviewing or even liking their favorite game and If that wasn’t bad enough, guess what? they’ll be storing all that crypto in their digital wallet (No bank account needed) showing up with the latest sneakers you didn’t buy and you know they couldn’t afford. Not to scare you just a reminder blockchain will be changing the world around you. On the brighter side, we will see definite improvements like tracking things your family consumes on a supply chain to ensure better safety. Food industry giants such as Walmart, Kroger and Tyson Foods have begun automating their supply chains by tracking key information including the temperature, quality and shipping dates of certain perishable and non-perishable goods dramatically giving us the opportunity to improve food safety. So instead of an E-coli scare causing you to stop eating lettuce cold turkey, we will be better able to exactly pinpoint the source and even prevent the outbreak altogether. We can also look forward to your life getting a little easier when it comes to things like having all your family’s health records in your possession on the blockchain for you to decide how they will be shared. Knowing the title records of your home are stored on a blockchain safe and unaltered or reassured the used car you’ll buy this little bundle of joy one day will have trustworthy history and safety records stored on the blockchain. Yes! the world around you and your little one will be changing rapidly, taking in small glimpses of the future can help you keep pace.
Pregnant and Stressed? Trust me you’re not alone! A Parenting tip on blockchain you don’t want to miss
Additional resources on this topic: 5 Blockchain applications that are shaping your future
How blockchain can save our foodBlockchain in Automotive
Photo by: Suhyeon-Choi Unsplash.com
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