Life
My mom told me that this day would come. I was about 10 years old when a boy teased me at school for being on the Academic Bowl team. She told me that, one day, people would think it was cool for me to be a geeky, smart person. Now that I have become a mother, I have had to have the same conversations with my kids. It's one of the reasons why geek moms are the best moms, because we totally get it.
Sure, it took 30 years, but it's amazing (to me) that I no longer get the side eye for admitting that I like Star Wars or science or for spouting the results of the latest research study. I am a total geek. While I've never been ashamed to be myself, it's awesome to finally live in a time when being a geek is "cool."
From TV shows, films and novels about space, Dystopian futures (that actually don't seem so far from reality in 2016, unfortunately), time travel, comic book characters, fantasy worlds, and Pokémon Go becoming everyone's favorite pass time, it seems like being a geek is actually trendy. One one hand, it's nice to get some street credit, but on the other, it's a shame that society is now just catching up to what I've known all along. Being a geek is awesome, and geek moms are the best moms, hands down.
Don't believe me? I find your lack of faith disturbing. (That's a Star War's quote for the uninitiated. Don't worry, you'll get it. Patience you must have, my young padawan.)
We Know How To Be Funny
I am funny, or at least punny which is essentially funny (please don't fight me on this). I know movie lines and make science and math jokes. My kids don't always laugh, but I know how to have a good time and be silly.
We Know How To Deal With Bullies
While it's not necessary to have learned experience to help our kids through challenging moments, it certainly helps. I was the girl who didn't know to wear pink on Wednesdays, who was a Mathlete, a Science Olympian, and a member of the band, drama club, and speech team. These things were awesome for my self-confidence and gave me some mad skills that I still use today. I never want my kids to feel bad for being themselves, and I hope I can teach them how to stand up to bullies, for themselves and others.
We Know How To Cosplay
I don't just love science fiction, fantasy, and comic books; I also cosplay. That means I have tons of costumes, makeup, and a willingness to dress up, dye my kids' hair funky colors, and have a ton of fun with them in the process.
We Know How To Be Proud Of Our Intelligence
Being smart is cool. Not just in 30 years, but now. Anyone who says differently is just jealous. I want my kids to do their best and to have fun learning about whatever topics interest them. I hope to foster in them the joy of lifelong learning, science, literacy and an ability to use their knowledge to make the world a better place.
We Know How To Use Technology
I am pretty tech savvy, which means I am great at helping my kids make and edit videos, find apps, and do internet research. I don't know everything, but I do know how to Google what I don't know and find answers to their 500 daily questions.
We Know Pop-Culture
I'm a cool mom. I am a little baffled to be the mom that knows and likes the same things as my kids. It makes me deliriously happy to see them read books, like science, and play video games, and to have those things be cool.
We Know Which Movies Are Worth Seeing
I love going to movies and there are so many films and TV shows out now that my children and I can enjoy together. It makes parenting less painful and way more fun.
We Know We Shouldn't Take Ourselves Too Seriously
Geeky parents might be smart, but we also know how to be silly and have fun. We know which Hogwart's House is the best (Hufflepuff) and what lines from Star Wars have been misquoted so often that nobody gets them right.
We Love Science
I freakin' love science. My kids are fully vaccinated, and I am an informed and evidence-based parent. What's more is that we do a ton of science at home. Anytime my kids want to design and experiment and test a hypothesis, it's on. Unless, it involves fire. Last night my daughter wanted to see what happened if she melted silly putty on the space heater. It's all fun and games until you hear the word "sizzle" from the other room.
We Don't Care What People Think
Honestly, I not only don't care what people think of me, I actively support my kids in finding out and being who they are no matter what. I have occasionally been challenged when my kids have been into things like cheerleading and pageants, because those pastimes aren't my thing at all, but I support them in choosing their own adventures.
Being a geek has taught me to prioritize individuality over conformity, brains over beauty, and knowledge over social status. I hope that these are the values my kids learn to hold dear, especially as they grow into awesome adults. I plan to be by their side with the best puns, snarky shirts, and science facts while they do it.
