For the last number of years, if my father wants something…he simply goes out and buys it! In fact, usually before occasions when we ask him what he’d like…he lists off a few things he’s in need of and then within a day or two, goes to the mall and gets whatever he’d suggested! It’s like he doesn’t trust that we’ll get the “right” pair of slippers, sweater or shirt that he mentioned. Even better, sometimes when he’s getting gifts for Mom, he uses the excuse to buy something for himself as well! Or better yet…he gets Mom the thing HE in fact really wanted!
So…finding the perfect gift for Dad that he doesn’t already have or hasn’t already purchased himself…is a little bit of “mission impossible!”
The bottom line is, Mom and Dad don’t really want for anything…except to spend as much time as they possibly can with the people they love. They are there for all of us and do their best to make sure we have everything we need (and a few extras as well.)
Over the last few years, my Dad has had a few medical issues beginning with a heart attack in 1999 and more recently, some issues with his hip. Mom has just put in a rough couple of years that had doctors unable to figure out what was wrong for quite some time…until she ended up with emergency and scary surgery just this past February. She’s recovering well.
Mom and Dad are on the road to some healthy changes in their lives. Most especially, now that Mom is on the mend and feeling better than she’s felt in quite some time.
Challenged by Best Buy to find my father the perfect gift for Father’s Day, I headed to the Bayer’s Lake store and met Jordan from the Geek Squad who took me for a browse around the store explaining a number of fantastic products.
While a wee bit out of my Father’s Day budget, I was completely mesmerized by the Sony 4K TV much for the clarity of the picture as for the amazing video showing a “water deer” jumping through the woods.
BECAUSE IT’S A WATER DEER!
I learned a great number of things about the products as Jordan was incredibly knowledgeable and the perfect shopping companion…and I was quite surprised to learn that not only does Best Buy have a wide range of musical instruments, but they also TEACH music lessons on-site!
We explored the store and looked at everything from retro polaroid cameras to fancy drone ones.
And come October, I’m sure there’ll be a kid in my house doing whatever he can to try out the new Virtual Reality gaming equipment!
There were countless things that caught my attention but we spent the greatest amount of time looking at the vast array of Wearable Tech Devices. This, to me, would be the PERFECT Father’s Day gift for my Dad…one for him, and another for my Mom.
Essentially, Wearable Tech Devices are designed to help you become more active…they monitor sleep patterns and allow you to see exactly how much restful sleep you’re getting each night, they track distance traveled, steps taken and calories burned…they can also be used to record your daily intake of calories and you can track all of your stats from your smart phone or computer. Essentially, they are designed to help you live a healthier lifestyle.
We went through the various brands and features and in the end, I settled on the the FitBit Blaze for Dad and the FitBit Charge HR for Mom. Both have heart monitors which to me, was super important.
Jordan explained a great many features and after we picked out what we thought would be best for my folks, he suggested I bring Mom and Dad back with me, and he’d help them set up their new devices.
We arrived the next day with iPhones in tow and both Jordan and Wayne stepped in to help with the set up of Mom and Dad’s new toys! Wayne, who has been a geek for 20+ years, was happy to see my father as they’ve gotten to know each other rather well over the last few months. Dad actually has a Geek Squad Membership where he pays a monthly fee and the folks at the Geek Squad help him with his laptop including setup, security and software support both in-store and online!
Jordan and Wayne had a look at Mom and Dad’s iPhones and ran a few updates…even setting them up with thumbprint entry. Next, they installed the app for the FitBit and took the time to help my folks set up their profiles and show them a few features on the app. Following that, they unpacked the new devices and set them up…showing Mom and Dad the buttons to press to get the information they needed.
While Geek Squad Agents are on the cutting edge of the latest and greatest tech products and services, they were also patient, easy-going and incredibly helpful through each stage of the process.
PLUS, while they were setting up Mom and Dad’s devices, Wayne took some time to chat with me about some of my Tech needs regarding my Mac…and I’ll be in to see him in the next few weeks to work out a few kinks.
ALSO…I took a selfie at the Geek Counter!
A photo posted by Queen (@queenofcurtains) on
We’re four days in to Mom and Dad wearing their new FitBits. As luck would have it, my Mom’s sister was visiting for a few days and happily showed my folks a few things as she’s been wearing one since December…plus, they’ve become FitBit Friends and plan on doing a few challenges together!
My parents have set a few personal goals for walking and stair-climbing and are getting a kick out of seeing who can do the most steps in the run of the day. In fact, mom has taken to getting her own cups of tea since there’s no point of Dad earning any of her steps!
I have a feeling these two are going to really have a great time challenging each other as there’s that competitive edge, a desire to live a healthier life…and a whole lot of laughter.
And speaking of laughter…check out this photo outtake! It looks like Mom’s trying to squish Jordan’s head (and if Dad keeps asking her how many steps she did…she might want to squish his too!)
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Pop into BestBuy or visit them online for some fabulous gift ideas for the #BestDad in your life…and while you’re at it, make sure to include their Geek Squad Protection Plan…I have it on quite a few of our tech purchases and it helps to give a great deal of peace of mind.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Best Buy Canada. As always, opinions and stories are my own.