Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families

by Natania Barron, Kathy Ceceri, Corrina Lawson

It’s fast becoming a geek world out there, and all moms need to show off their tech smarts and superhero-like skills in order to keep their savvy kids entertained and engaged. Geek Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families explores the many fun and interesting ways that digital-age parents and kids can get their geek on together. Imaginative ideas for all ages and budgets include thrifty Halloween costumes, homemade lava lamps, hobbit feasts, and magical role-playing games. There are even projects for moms to try when they have a few precious moments alone. With six sections spanning everything from home-science experiments to superheroes, this comprehensive handbook from the editors of Wired.com’s popular GeekMom blog is packed with ideas guaranteed to inspire a love of learning and discovery. Along the way, parents will also find important tips on topics such as determining safe online communities for children, organizing a home learning center, and encouraging girls to love science.
Being geeky is all about exploring the world with endless curiosity. Geek Mom is your invitation to introducing the same sense of wonder and imagination to the next generation.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Crafts, Science, Childrens, How To, Reference

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Natania Barron is a writer with a penchant for the speculative; she is also an unrepentant geek. Her work has appeared in Weird Tales, EscapePod, The Gatehouse Gazette, Thaumatrope, Bull Spec, Crossed Genres, Steampunk Tales, Faerie Magazine, and in a number of anthologies. Her work often incorporates Victorian aesthetics with magic and science fiction, treading between genres whenever possible. Her first novel, Pilgrim of the Sky, debuted in 2011.

She has since published a music fiction novel (ROCK REVIVAL), a trilogy of novellas set in early 20th century high society with monster heroines (THESE MARVELOUS BEASTS), and her Arthurian retelling QUEEN OF NONE will be re-released by Solaris Books in May of 2024, along with its two sequels, QUEEN OF FURY and QUEEN OF MERCY.

Solaris Nova is also publishing her queer Regency romantasy trilogy, Love in Netherford, starting with NETHERFORD HALL in '24 and THE VISCOUNT ST. ALBANS and THE GAME OF HEARTS in '25.

Natania holds a BA in English/Writing from Loyola University Maryland and an MA in English with a concentration in medieval literature from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In her spare time she cooks, bakes, drinks wine, crochets, plays guitar and ukulele, and enjoys nature. She lives in North Carolina with her family.

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice selection of crafts and activities to do with kids that are entertaining and/or educational and not especially dangerous. From the very practical like last-minute supper or costume ideas to writing and game prompts to trigger creativity. An excellent book to have around should you suddenly find yourself in pandemic lock-down.

Library copy

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a dude, and previously have enjoyed the Geek Dad project books very much. The Geek Mom book is another animal, with a different approach and contents, but one that ultimately I think even more highly of. The Geek Dad books are almost entirely project-focused: a few pages of a project, followed by another project, on and on. There are some good projects and recipes in the Geek Mom book, but the book also adds more than this, it helps inspire both in its adult reader (of either gender, I must add!) and the kids (or students, etc.) involved with the projects and recipes to *think* beyond the surface level of "Cool Project! OK what's the next project..." to approaching life as an experiment, as an experience of joy whether it's "build this gizmo" or noticing something odd about the vines snaking around a tree on a hike. It's about getting *out there* into life, a self-kick-starter package of "there's more to being human and especially being a parent than making sure the kid's 100% safe all the time, let's go ADVENTURING and take something apart". While the projects etc. are certainly suitable for all ages and genders, it is especially awesome that this book will (hopefully!) be enjoyed by lots of girls who can grow up to tinker and make and ask questions. Recommended highly for parents and teachers, and hopefully there'll be a book 2 with even more projects and such before too long.

[Thien-Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have I been so proud to be a geek mom. In my school days, the term geek was not used an a compliment (along with nerd), but I think I need a badge that reads, "Proud Geek Mom." With my professed love for Dr. Horrible and Buffy the Vampire's musical episode, it's safe to say that I"m a card carrying member of the club.

Thanks to the new book Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families, I can share my geeky passions with my kids. The book is co-written by the bloggers of Wired Magazine's Geek Mom Blog: Natania Barron, Kathy Ceceri, Carrina Lawson, and Jenny Williams. Reading these talented women's bios made me feel proud to be a mom. They show that you can be a mom and still pursue your passions.

Read the rest: http://www.imnotthenanny.com/2012/10/...

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't have to give up RPG, video gaming, cosplay, comics, gardening, space camp, etc. just because you have kids. Bring them along! I have a past as a comic book geek and am married to a Geek Dad. When hunting up activities and projects I might try with my four year old, I find it easy to come up with cut & paste type projects, and harder to find things that are STEM oriented. All manner of geekery is celebrated here, though I think it's a little heavier on the tech/gaming geekery than fibercraft/cooking activities.

Basically, if you bought Goldie Blox for the child in your life, this book is probably right up your alley.

[Bunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great in theory, not so much in delivery. Garden like a geek! Rocks like a geek! Music! Cosplay! Blank cards! Home schooling! It's like they tried to cram everything in as quickly as possible, to show hey, Geeks can be cool, too!

The problem is that this book is most likely going to be picked up by those same Geeks who actually kind of know about that already. And there's not much here for us.

::shrug:: My kid thinks wearing glasses makes her a "geek", so what do I know.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book is if mom is a geek and wants to make her kids the same way. I am an SF and anime fan who doesn't do the con scene, and the Resident Kid isn't a geek supergenius, just a regular kid who likes science and nature. My first reaction to the book was that it was as if Donna Erickson watched too much bad skiffy. I'll just pick up some books of simple science experiments to complement the Erickson books I already have, as well as the young birder resources and various kid cookbooks.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I hoped it would be. I thought it was a full book of activity and craft ideas. It was actually about 50% text, little sections by each of the authors explaining about different types of geekery and how that has to do with mom-ing, and then a couple of activity ideas in each section. I wasn't too interested in the activities either, especially because I have 3YO and most are for older kids.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was such a disappointment. Apparently Geek Moms like myself are only interested in cooking, making costumes and jewelry, reading about superheroes and building secret hideouts out of boxes. The only science in this book was making borax crystals and ooblek. I really expected hands-on simple STEM projects. My son has a subscription to Kiwi Crate, and the monthly projects he gets in the mail are so much more geek-worthy.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would have been incredibly helpful if Christopher was a couple years younger. There were clever ideas for indoor games and science experiments. The information was still cool as something for me to use at a library program or with my nieces. I recommend it for parents who are geeky and embrace it!

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would make a great gift for a geek-mom-to-be or one with little ones. Some of the stuff in there is downright off the charts wacky (don't blow up your microwave with the grape trick), but it'd make a fun conversation piece with some fun projects, ideas and things to talk about/try with the kiddos.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this is a book I should own, just so I can thumb through it at my leisure. It doesn't seem to do well on the Kindle...

But! I've got two projects marked as interesting and am excited to try them with my little!

[Eirajel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for what I was looking for at the time. I knew I was a bit geeky but didn't really know how to transmits bits and pieces of my geekiness to my little girl. So there are tons of get great tips, crafts, experiments and recipes. Really helpful new hobbies to explore too.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book. It offered many ideas for projects to do with your kids, a book list here or there, as well as occasional "just for mom" sections, like how to relate to the non-geek mom. Some of the projects look really fun and others just look really messy (but presumably, also fun?).

[Angie]

I wish I still had little kids. It would have been a blast to do some of the activities in this book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of original ideas and interesting information here.

[Emilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideas and projects for sharing with young geeks.

[Melanie R Meadors · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just a fun book :). Lots of great project ideas to do with the kids. I homeschool, and thought it provided lots of good starting points for larger research and learning experiences.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be my go to book for the summer with my 3 boys

[Kristie (fabk) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! What a fantastic book! I can hardly wait until babe is old enough to start teaching him my geeky ways! Lots of great ideas in this book!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great ideas!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blog is better...book seemed more fluff then tips and/or projects.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read sections of this and skimmed the rest (was looking for Summer Reading inspiration); nifty ideas! Don't agree with everything therein, but that's what an open mind is for, yes?

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I happened upon this in the library; glad I didn't buy it.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

May not be a mom, but I saw the name and decided to check it out. Interesting, funny - not sure how much is applicable for everybody.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun activities with your kids

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. There is a bit of most everything in it. I enjoyed the bits on costuming and introducing tea to the family table.

[Literate Duck · Rating 2 out of 5]

had high hopes given the author's background. i'm not good at crafts, and i did not find much innovation in the ideas included in this book. most ideas commonsense, some novel ones.