I grew up in the pre-cell phone era, when rotary phones had a mechanical ring that was noticeably loud and encouraged immediate attention.

This halcyon era was before the invention of robocalls, and calls from auto insurance repair companies. When the phone blared, we stopped dead in our tracks and raced to answer the phone. Back then, every call mattered because it came from a friend or family member.

Some of my most indelible childhood memories are of answering the phone and blurting out, “Mama it’s my tia from Mexico.”

In this high-tech society, boomers do not realize that the rotary phone of old has almost no resemblance to the smartphone of today. A cell phone is a small computer with calling as just one of its many functions.  In lieu of placing calls, youngsters text or send DMs. No one needs to remind me “OK boomer, a text message would have sufficed.”

Advice to boomers: Think twice before you call your children or grandchildren, you may be interrupting them from shopping online, swiping right on a dating app, doom scrolling, or watching the latest viral videos.

Many young people experience anxiety when answering the phone, even when they know it’s a relative calling. They are accustomed to communicating via text and are rendered almost mute when they are forced to engage in a phone conversation.

Word to the wise! If you cannot break your habit of placing calls, your nieces and nephews may block or ghost your stubborn old ass.