I think the question you're asking (if it's anything like the question I'm asking myself) is, what will you have used technology/the technical abilities you hav

I think the question you're asking (if it's anything like the question I'm asking myself) is, what will you have used technology/the technical abilities you have to do--to make the world better for people in general? Or something else? I agree with you--your kids (and people in general) will care so much more about what you make possible through database optimizations, etc. They won't care about the bits, they'll care about the end result that actually means something to them. Is your database optimization making it easier for people to coordinate, find food and shelter when they need it? Or is it helping police to more easily use facial tracking to find "the perp" (i.e. someone who looks enough like them) and prosecute them? I think most of the comments saying "your kids won't care" are misleading. They won't necessarily care about the technological details, but again, they WILL care about what that enables them to do, or others to do to them and those they care about.