<p>[Why</a> I’m raising my son to be a nerd - CNN.com](<a href=“Why I'm raising my son to be a nerd - CNN.com”>Why I'm raising my son to be a nerd - CNN.com)</p>
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Interesting article from the perspective of the folks we don’t usually see on sites like CC. Yay for the author and his perspective.</p>
<p>Can we clone this author and send him out to influence other parents?
With dads like him, the achievement gap would close much more quickly!</p>
<p>I understand the power of an attention-grabbing headline, and I applaud the idea behind the article and the thread, but can we get away from terms like “nerd” and “jock”? I’m trying to raise my son to be a human being.</p>
<p>^ No, we need words like that so people know their place.</p>
<p>^^ Ummm… what about the nerds who are jocks also? Which place do they belong in?</p>
<p>I believe this same columnist recently wrote another great column about not dressing his daughter to look like a slut. I can’t find the exact link but it was awesome. I love his work. I think he and I are probably are opposite ends of the political spectrum, but his parenting ideas are spot on!</p>
<p>It’s not so much that the author applauds his son’s academics as well as his athletic ability.
In my opinion, it’s the fact that he’s a Dad who takes a strong positive role in his son’s life and it’s the good father/son relationship that encourages the son to want to be the best that he can be.</p>
<p>In case anybody didn’t play the tape, this is an African-American dad. I think that matters–in a good way, in my opinion.</p>
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<p>On the cast of Glee, of course! ;)</p>
<p>I guess my son is a nerd; I know he worked very, very hard in high school to be a scholar.</p>
<p>The ONLY indication my son received from our state or from the federal government that he followed the right path was that he was awarded a Robert Byrd Scholarship. And then, on June 2, my son got a letter saying funding had been cut for the Robert Byrd Scholarship so he wouldn’t get that.</p>
<p>I hear a lot of big talk from the President and others that we need more scientists (the field my son is going into). However, where are the incentives? Or even just encouragement. He would make a boatload more money if he went into investment banking.</p>
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<p>I think it matters a lot. A nerdy African-American kid may have a harder time socially in school than, say, a nerdy Asian-American kid. Parental approval of academic effort may help to offset this.</p>
<p>Marian I second what you said, being a “nerdy” African American kid myself. Or as people call me, a “white girl.” (an insult to themselves)</p>
<p>olderwisermom- you got my interest so I found the other column-<a href=“Parents, don't dress your girls like tramps - CNN.com”>Parents, don't dress your girls like tramps - CNN.com. It is very funny and I have always wondered what these parents were thinking!</p>
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<p>I agree. Balance is key. The presence of a father who is a positive male role model in the life of a child, male or female, gives the child a real boost toward personal well being and academic success.</p>
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<p>I am not sure what this means. Can it be any kind of dad?</p>
<p>…“then we have to grab our pom-poms and paint our faces and celebrate intellectual curiosity with the same vigor we do their athletic achievements.”</p>
<p>Love the imagery. Thanks for sharing this article.</p>
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<p>I don’t see anything wrong with being a nerd or a jock, anymore than saying my kid is a leader, a theatre kid, or a musician. Or later a man, a college student, and a social activist. Or I self-identify as a bookworm, a soccer mom and a liberal. These categories do have shared meaning to us or we’d not use them, and self-identification with social categories is a critical and healthy part of who we are (so long as its self identification, the identification is positive and not constraining to what we choose to become). Nothing in the article suggested the kid couldn’t be applauded for and become a nerd AND a jock. </p>
<p>Let’s not get so hung up on feel-good political correctly terminology that we miss reality and the advantages bestowed on social identification. Seriously, would it have been silly for data to say, “I’d like my boy to grow up to like reading books, be proud of doing well in school, and for example, be a kid who enjoys a circle of friends who prefer old science fiction movies, playing in the orchestra and writing computer code on the weekends”. It would not only be too wordy but also inaccurately describe what he means.</p>
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See Marian’s answer above. Nobody would print this article if it were written by an Asian dad.</p>
<p>Embarassing? Maybe, but as soon as I read the “hoops” comment, I knew…At the same time, that assumption would not fit my family at all.</p>
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<p>I don’t see how the dad in the video differs from an Asian-American kid’s dad. As a matter of fact, the kid mentioned in the video/article has much easier time in school than many Asian-American kids. The dad belongs to the upper echelon of society.</p>
<p>The article is addressed to the general audience. If the article is addressed only to the poor African-American communities then it matters.</p>