“Every so often a book comes along that I tell my friends they absolutely must read… Read this book, declare your status as a geek supporter or geek parent, and create a better life for your family… This is the time for us to take back our children’s childhoods, and in doing so to claim our role as strong, protective parents.”

Dr. Kimberly M. Thompson
Associate Professor and
Director of the Kids Risk Project
Harvard School of Public Health

Marybeth's GEEK Blog

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Ever feel like you're the only one?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

 

For the past few weeks, I’ve spent lots of time on the road speaking at parent education events about raising Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids (GEEKs!) It’s gratifying to see so many parents come out on school nights or give up weekends to learn how they can fight the influence of popular culture and help their kids enjoy a wholesome, innocent childhood.
 
Lots of folks approach me after my talks to tell me of their concerns and their triumphs in raising geeky kids. I’m always struck by the similarity of their comments. What do I hear most often from the vast majority of parents who attend my events?
 
“I feel like I’m all alone.”
 

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Don't just be a geek parent, tell the world!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Whenever I speak to parent groups, invariably someone approaches me after my talk and says, "I thought I was all alone! It's great to know I'm not the only geek parent out here." I'm always glad to reassure moms and dads that our geeky parenting style is counter-culture, to be sure, but we're not in it alone. Now, you can declare your geeky parenting philosophy loudly and proudly with apparel from the Bringing Up Geeks Store! Your "Geek Mom" t-shirt or "Geek Dad" hoodie will tell the world you're confident in your geeky parenting decisions. Plus, you'll certainly find other geeky folks who will ask you where you got such a cool shirt! (Geek is the new cool, after all!)

Visit the Bringing Up Geeks store and treat yourself to a geeky item that reminds you you're the coolest parent around. Because it takes a cool parent to raise a Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kid!

Keep up the great parenting!


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The book is NOT "Bringing up misfits"

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Last week there was a lively discussion on the Wall Street Journal blog “The Juggle” about my book. Thanks to Stefanie Illgenfritz for bringing the book to the attention of Juggle readers – and as well for joining me on Wednesday’s edition of NPR’s “On Point with Tom Ashbrook” to discuss it.

I always knew my take on parenting would seem offbeat to some, and that’s OK. The fact that I define my family as “geeky” strikes some folks as unflattering, but it never seemed that way to me. We’re comfortable with who we are and around our house we try not to take ourselves too seriously, anyway.

But it turns out that many folks assume – at least in WSJ blog comments – that I’m advocating a parenting strategy that turns out social misfits. Ack! Nothing could be further from the truth!


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Are your kids geeks?

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

If someone called your kid a geek, would you be flattered or offended? That's the question at the heart of my book. In fact, my geek parenting crusade began when I decided to declare loudly and proudly that my children are pretty geeky -- and we're OK with that!


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