GeekMom

Why Doesn’t Jon Snow Know Anything? (Could It Be a Lack of Parental Guidance?)

May 6, 2016December 15, 2017Lisa Natcharian

Ten strategies to help guide your child through tough times.

Mother’s Day Fantasies: Mommin’ Ain’t Easy

May 4, 2016December 8, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

My first baby was only five weeks old on my first Mother’s Day.

Like many mothers, I had Mother’s Day fantasies. You know the ones:

Sleeping in
Breakfast in bed
A leisurely, hot shower
Heartfelt card and flowers
A hot meal at a restaurant
Go ahead, you can laugh. I’m laughing over here, too. We can be so naive the first time around, can’t we? Let’s just say that my first Mother’s Day was a stark contrast to the fantasies I coveted.

Everything I Needed to Know About Introverts I Learned From the Hulk

May 2, 2016December 8, 2017Lisa Natcharian2

When someone you love is an introvert, you may wish to be that necessary sounding board, but find yourself perennially outside the “wall of protection” that they’ve built to safeguard their sensitive inner life.

Living on the Edge: Is There a Little Asperger’s in Every Geek?

April 23, 2016December 8, 2017Lisa Natcharian4

Social observers have begun to notice the commonalities between “geek” behavior and Asperger’s behavior. How much of our lovable eccentricities are actually behaviors “on the spectrum?” And why should we care?

Why Did Kylo Ren Turn to the Dark Side? (Helping Gifted Children Who Feel Like Outsiders)

April 16, 2016December 15, 2017Lisa Natcharian2

It can be lonely being an outsider. Kylo Ren illustrates a common theme that regularly tortures parents of geeky and gifted children: what is to prevent my clever and uniquely charismatic child from becoming frustrated with his lot as an outsider and turning to the Dark Side?

In Defense of Fanfiction

April 10, 2016December 8, 2017Jena Burne5

Fanfiction is often scorned in society, but it is so much more than the work of a small minority of fans. It gives everyone a written voice, even those who didn’t feel they had one before.

Raising a Mini Geek

April 6, 2016December 8, 2017Lisa Natcharian

Are you raising an adorable geek? Here’s a handy chart to help you integrate into his or her world. (Hint: You’ll need to start by learning the significance of the statement, “You shall not pass!”)

When Your Kid Creates Fantasy Worlds, Pay Attention

March 31, 2016December 9, 2017Lisa Natcharian8

Specifically, it appears that children who create elaborate pretend worlds tend to grow up to contribute significantly to the world in unusually creative ways. Whether these contributions are ground-breaking literary masterpieces, or innovative technological advances, or pioneering reorganizations of traditional social conventions, research indicates that creative success can be predicted by this innocuous childhood activity.

educational games, strategy, logic, reasoning, board games, family games, homeschool, parenting, play

Stratos Spheres: A 3-Dimensional 4-In-A-Row Game

March 22, 2016December 15, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

What if I told you that you could take your Connect Four love to the next level with an updated game that you can hold in the palm of your hand?

Children’s Live Shows: A Survival Guide

March 14, 2016December 8, 2017Karen Walsh1

No matter how amazing a live kids’ show is, it will still likely feel as though you have been thrust into the 9th Circle of Hell. The ways of survival are arduous but manageable.

The EASIEST, Least Painful Book Log Ever

March 14, 2016December 15, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley14

My first real word, after Mama and Dada, was bookie. I would follow my mother around the house, like her little shadow, with a book in hand. All the while I’d be repeating, “Boooooookie bookie bookie bookie bookie!”

Growing Down: What Mothering Has Taught Me

March 9, 2016December 15, 2017Tesla Doty2

Being a parent helps us grow up. It also helps us grow down! Here’s a look at what I’ve learned in my few years of being a mother. From becoming more responsible to reliving my favorite stories with my children, being a parent has been a blast!

I Need to Fun More

March 8, 2016December 8, 2017Nivi Engineer1

I know it’s not a verb, the word “fun,” but maybe it should be. Forcing me to use the word “have” before it, making it something I must acquire, adds that much more distance to the goal, an extra obstacle I must overcome before reaching my desired level of happiness.

STEM Strewing

March 7, 2016December 15, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley3

You can’t go very far these days without hearing someone talk about STEM. Or STEAM. Or STREAM. Why is STEM so important? Are your kids getting enough STEM at home? Should you incorporate more STEM into your day? And, if so, how?

10 Reasons You Need to Drop Everything and Build a Fort… Right Now

March 3, 2016December 15, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley9

One time, as a child, I built a fantastic fort that withstood four New England winters.

I was so proud of it! I would spend entire afternoons holed up in that sacred place. I’d get lost in an imaginary world, or while away the hours lost in a favorite book. I’d love to know how many books were read in that space!

Of course, my brothers and I built many forts over the years, both indoors and outdoors, but the outdoor forts reigned supreme.

The House of Chaos: Surviving Family ADHD

February 12, 2016December 7, 2017Amy Weir5

What do you get when you mix four people with attention deficit issues and one case of Parental Imposter Syndrome in one house?

Portcullis Peeps: What They Are and How to Find Them

February 2, 2016December 7, 2017Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

Referred to as intellectual peers in gifted literature, Portcullis Peeps are those friends who get you. Those friends around whom you are free to be your unabashed geeky self.