Have plans to hit up your local Target or Best Buy the day after Thanksgiving to snag some awesome Black Friday deals? Consider this alternative which The Atlantic has proposed: upgrade your parents’ browsers!

Despite whatever stubborn objections your parents have whenever you bring up the subject about the wonders and joys of modern web browsers, it’s time to take decisive action. If reason and common sense can no longer sway them, you are left with no other choice but to make the switch for them.

I’ve actually attempted to get my father to switch to Google Chrome in the past, but to no avail(he’s a hardcore IE fan, and my mom is a Chrome user). Initially, I downloaded Chrome, Firefox, and the latest version of IE to his computer and made Chrome the default browser.

Deceptive, I know. Unfortunately, a couple of days later, I checked his computer once again, to find that Chrome had vanished. My dad had uninstalled it. Later that evening, I confronted him about his crime and he proudly admitted that he had uninstalled Chrome the moment he saw it on his desktop. Rubbing salt in my wounds, he added that when Chrome asked him to fill out a form explaining why he was uninstalling the program, he quoted himself saying that “I love China, and I’m a Microsoft shareholder.” (Reference)

Considering he’s on IE 9, I conceded for the time being and have left him alone. Maybe I’ll have to try once more this Thanksgiving holiday.

So, how to pull off your mini spy mission without getting caught? The Atlantic recommends waiting till after your Thanksgiving meal, when all the dishes have been washed, the last football game has ended, and everyone has fallen into deep slumber. At this point, pounce on their feeble machines, and do your business. If caught, distract them by explaining you’re just looking for viruses, or updating your Facebook.

However, The Atlantic warns that you take a more conservative approach. Specifically, if your parents are running on Internet Explorer, rather than download Google Chrome to their computer, update to the latest version of their current browser instead. That way, they won’t freak out with the sudden change (“hey, where’s the blue ‘E’ icon?!”) and more importantly, the transition should be less painful. In addition, make sure you’re at their side to hold their hand the first couple of times your parents use the new browser. They need all the support you can offer.