Wednesday, August 6, 2014

A Wish For Nerdy Children

As a parent, I have all sorts of hopes and dreams for my kids. I want them to grow up healthy & happy, to go to college and find careers they love. Their jobs don't have to be prestigious as long as they really like what they're doing. And it doesn't involve a stripper pole or prison. Beyond that, I'm fairly open-minded. However, there's one point I'm adamant about - I must have nerdy kids.

Nerd and Geek are often used as insults by other kids, but as an adult, those terms can become badges of honor. I'm proud of my nerdiness. I embrace my geekhood. I want the same for my children.

To be fair, my children were basically doomed from the start. I've attended six Harry Potter conferences. I'm a YA writer. I make crafty things that involve glue guns, paint and occasional trips to the first aid cabinet. Most of my wardrobe consists of t-shirts relating to 80s cartoons, books, Doctor Who and Monty Python.

My husband is an avid comic book reader, participates a role playing dice game with friends every other Friday and has an entire room dedicated to Star Wars. Most of his wardrobe involves comic-book themed t-shirts. We are unabashed geeks that support each other and refuse to grow up. What chance did our kids have?

There are signs that our wish for nerdy children may pay off. My 10-year-old daughter reads comic books just like her dad, is currently watching season 2 of Doctor Who and has a book obsession to rival my own. My 3-year-old son will take story time over most other activities any day and has more picture books than legos. If you have a little boy, you know they own a LOT of legos. I am cautiously hopeful that my little nerds will grow up proud of their various interests and will remain avid geeks. If not, I may have to disinherit them.

Let other parents dream of future doctors and lawyers, of prom queens and football captains. I'll be happy with two goofy book-loving, comic-book-reading, video-game-playing cultural misfits.

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