cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/41056130
At least 31 states and the District of Columbia restrict cell phones in schools
New York City teachers say the state’s recently implemented cell phone ban in schools has showed that numerous students no longer know how to tell time on an old-fashioned clock.
“That’s a major skill that they’re not used to at all,” Tiana Millen, an assistant principal at Cardozo High School in Queens, told Gothamist of what she’s noticed after the ban, which went into effect in September.
Students in the city’s school system are meant to learn basic time-telling skills in the first and second grade, according to officials, though it appears children have fallen out of practice doing so in an increasingly digital world.
I don’t mind ticking (up to a certain point), but my Dad used to have in his garage an analog clock that not only ticked but also had extremely audible whirring sounds. They were associated (I assume) with the gearing. Again, it never really bothered me - I didn’t spend much time in the garage and I’m pretty sure that clock had been around longer than I had (which is probably why it was so noisy). I was accustomed to it.
However, I remember the day my dad got hearing aids. One of the first things he observed was how noisy the clock was, asking if it had always been that way.
My dad spent a lot of time in his garage. Pretty sure that clock didn’t last out the week.
Hearing aids are such a QoL improvement once people admit they need them. There’s so much noise in the world that gets lost with age/damage. My dad got less irritable because he could actually understand normal talking levels. He definitely noticed some “new” noises in his house like yours did.
But now I have a new issue. I can hear him breathing and chewing through his own hearing aids since they’re cranked to 11. Whatever, I’ll take it.
My dad also got less irritable after. Before he got them, he got in a few (fairly slight) arguments with my mom due to him perceiving her as saying nonsense things - because he couldn’t hear the context. Unfortunately, my mom died before he got the hearing aids, but he definitely always loved her and the arguments stayed minor and surrounded by good connections. He fairly doted on her most of the time.
He lived for a long time after getting them and it was good to see, as you said, his QoL improvements.
I never had the issue you’re describing, but I think that’s in part because he could largely function with his limited hearing and mostly kept the aids off or on low settings. I’m glad you’re able to deal with the inconvenience!