An Open Letter To My Son, Who Yesterday Was Called A 'Nerd'

[The Straight Story]

Dear Izz,

The hardest thing to do, as a parent, is to let your kid go out into the world on his own, even if it’s just to to kindergarten. Dad and I may talk a tough game about loving that you guys are getting bigger, but if we’re honest, it’s pretty scary.

See, we were here before you. We remember when there was no you at all, and then one day we watched the teeniest flutter on a screen when you were just 9 weeks into being something other than ether. You were only a few millimeters long, but we already loved you.

And when you were born, you were a mysterious and helpless little lump who needed us so entirely that you weren’t even conscious of yourself as an entity yet. And that was a heady experience for Daddy and me. Never before had we known what it was like to create life, and suddenly you were here -- both separate and a part of us.

Yesterday I watched you skip into school, eyes full of sparkle, so proud of your new glasses and haircut. We got you the same black Ray Ban frames that both Daddy and I wear, by far the coolest ones they had at Lens Crafters. We also got you a super short haircut just like the one Dad wears, so that your hair wouldn’t get in the way of your new specs.

All weekend long, our friends and family were enamored of your new look and told you how awesome you looked, how much you looked like Dad, so you felt really good about now being the second kid in your class with glasses.

But everything changed with one word from a boy in your class.

Nerd.

more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/an-open-letter-to-my-son-_n_2839504.html

[MineralMan]

1. Nerd is a term of endearment.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[MindPilot]

2. Tell that kid who called you a nerd

"in 10 or 12 years you are going to need me a lot more than I'll need you. And then you are going to have a problem."


Good words from Mom! A lot better than what I got when I was that age which was "you must be doing something to attract the bullies" and "they attack you because they are jealous of what you have" (we were so poor, my pants had patches on the knees, and everything that was mine had been the previous property of at least 3 other kids. I doubt they were envious of anything.)

[csziggy]

12. Like the girl who called me a "slob" in fourth grade

Who asked to let her cheat off my history test in tenth - she thought she needed that to pass the course. Which was the easiest class I ever took, by the way. Every test question was straight out of the end of each chapter and every answer was in the chapter and easy to find.

I was a "slob" to her because my clothes were hand me down, home made, or bought from Goodwill. Because I was not into fashion then - or ever, because in fourth grade I wasn't trying out hair styles and slipping makeup into my purse. And most of all, because I was making good grades. In 1962 "nerd" was not a common word. "Slob" was the best insult she could come up with.

I laughed at her and told her if she couldn't pass that class she didn't deserve to graduation. She and two other cheerleaders (yes she was one of the "cool" kids and a cheerleader) flunked the test and the course and had to take history over the next year.

[tk2kewl]

3. my kindergartener's getting an eye exam next week

[leftynyc]

4. Point out it's the nerds

like Bill Gates that can change the world. It's the nerds who are working to figure out the universe. When was the last time a jock did something like that. Tell him to wear it like a badge of honor.

[Purplehazed]

5. Nerds rule! nt

[bemildred]

6. Nerds rule the world.

If anybody does.

[Tikki]

7. Nerds make the World go 'round.

Someday you'll remind him of that day and he'll smile.


Tikki

[sir pball]

8. Nerds of the world unite!

That was my self-adopted nickname in school, a play on my last name and vast intellect. And it was cheerfully taken up by everybody around me, with no negativity whatsoever. It's all in showing the world how you let the word define you..

[OldDem2012]

9. Tell him about all of the famous people who wore glasses in the past....

....and those who wear glasses now.

Too many to list.

[HughBeaumont]

10. "We are the music makers. We are the Dreamers of Dreams."

"Oh, and 75% of NFL players and 60% of NBA players are either broke or bankrupt within three years of retiring and have health problems out the ass. Enjoy your HGH!"

Who am I kidding? Come up with all the cute retorts in the world - the victimizers run the planet and control history. Bill Gates is an exception, and even he's far from a friend to labor or progressive causes.

[jwirr]

11. In my family we are proud of the nerd lable which often means that someone recognizes that you are

very smart and not hiding it.

[mainer]

13. My son loved being called "nerd" and he had "nerdathon" parties.

where the smart kids got together and played computer games. It got to be the cool, in-thing to be invited to at his school.

Embrace the word, be proud of it, and soon everyone will want to be one.

[liberal_at_heart]

14. we've taught our son anyone who would call you that isn't worth bothering with

If they are going to behave that way, all they prove is that what they think does not matter.