Bringing Up Geeks: How to Protect Your Kid's Childhood in a Grow-up-too-fast World
Today's "culture of cool" has changed the way kids grow up. Rather than enjoying innocent childhoods while developing strong, authentic characters, today's kids can become cynical—even jaded—as they absorb the dangerous messages and harmful influences of a dominant popular culture that encourages materialism, high-risk behaviors, and a state of pseudo-adulthood. Author and mother of four Marybeth Hicks suggests an alternative to the culture of cool: bringing up geeks. In this groundbreaking book, she redefines geeks as Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids and inspires parents to free themselves and their kids from cultural conditioning while instilling in their children truly important values. (Berkley Books 2008, a division of Penguin Group USA, ISBN: 9780425221563)
Watch the trailer for Bringing Up Geeks
Praise for Bringing Up Geeks
“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
“Today’s popular culture is robbing from an entire generation of children their most treasured possession – the sweet innocence of youth. Bringing up Geeks is a breath of fresh air, and we owe Marybeth Hicks a debt of gratitude. It’s required reading for any parent struggling to raise a child in a society that’s lost its moral compass.”
L. Brent Bozell, President, Media Research Center
and founder of the Parents Television Council
"In an era when children are being systematically robbed of their childhood, Marybeth Hicks offers sound advice on how to let kids be kids and still grow up to be fulfilled, responsible, well-rounded adults. Bringing Up Geeks makes more sense than anything I’ve ever read on the subject of raising children."
Pat Sajak, Father, husband and host of “Wheel of Fortune”
"Every parent in America should own and read this book... it brilliantly helps with raising a child in our culture today. That's the most important and difficult job there is -- and this book is simply an enormous help. It could have just been titled "The Parent's Handbook'. Do yourself and your kids a big favor: get this book and use it! You'll be thanking the author for many years to come."
Eric Metaxas, VeggieTales writer and author
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God (but were afraid to ask).
"Hooray for Marybeth Hicks! In her funny, original and engaging new book, she shows us everything good about parenting against the culture. Far from being a nerd, this mom inspires us to raise GEEK kids by helping us see how they will be so much more cool than their peers when it comes to finding real joy, in today's world -- and tomorrow's."
Betsy Hart, Syndicated Columnist
Author, It Takes a Parent: How the Culture of Pushover
Parenting is Hurting Our Kids -- And What to do About It
"Marybeth Hicks offers marvelous advice about how to protect and preserve the innocence of childhood in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world."
Bobbi Conner
Host of NPR's "The Parent’s Journal" and author of Unplugged Play