I realized I was raising a true nerd when, after tucking my son into bed recently, I spotted a piece of paper carefully taped to his bookshelf. It displayed an organized list of every book he owned, written down in neat handwriting.
“Is this your version of the Dewey Decimal System?” I asked, both impressed and slightly taken aback.
“Yep! I organized my books today,” he replied, beaming as he explained how each title was cataloged and where to find it on the shelf.
Silly me; I had assumed he was just playing on his iPad like any typical 9-year-old. Instead, he was down there honing his librarian skills. I hadn’t expected such nerdiness to surface until at least high school!
Over the years, he has shown plenty of signs of his nerdy tendencies. He has a fondness for cardigans, arranged his books in reading order before Thanksgiving, and even requested a calligraphy set for his birthday.
Then there was that moment just before summer vacation when I asked, “Aren’t you excited for the break?” His response? “Mom, I still have a lot of learning left to do. Don’t go all crazy.” So yes, the Dewey Decimal revelation wasn’t a shocker.
Steps to Embrace Your Child’s Nerdy Side
To ensure our son proudly embraces his nerdy side, we’ve taken a few intentional steps:
- We share our own nerdy pasts. Math was my passion, while his dad sang in an a cappella group. We engaged in plenty of nerdy hobbies yet still found partners who appreciated us.
- We celebrate his uniqueness. We teach him that being “cool” doesn’t mean excelling in sports. He’s not the most enthusiastic athlete, preferring to stay home and invent math problems or design structures.
- We remind him that nerds are influential in the world. Think about Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Stephen Hawking—being a nerd comes with significant responsibilities.
- We provide him with a wealth of books that nurture his interests. Titles like “How to Perform Magic Tricks,” “Understanding How Everything Works,” and “Creating Robots with Kitchen Utensils” are staples in our home.
- We equip him with strategies to handle potential bullying.
I witnessed this first-hand at the playground one day. He approached me, saying, “Mom! That kid over there just said I talk like a nerd!” My heart sank as I braced myself for a difficult conversation.
“What did you say?” I asked, preparing to launch into a motivational talk.
“I just said, that’s alright. That’s OK. You’re going to work for me someday.” My heart swelled with pride.
Additional Resources
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In summary, nurturing a proud nerd involves embracing their unique interests, sharing your own nerdy experiences, and providing them with the tools to navigate the world confidently. Encouraging their passions can lead to a bright future filled with creativity and innovation.