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Children's Books for Geek Parents?

Posted by Cliff on from the a-niche-looking-for-an-author dept.

Lithium_Golem asks: "My wonderful daughter will be nine months old next month and I figure that it's time to buy her some new bedtime story material. My problem is that I can't find any children's books that describe fathers as white collar workers, let alone computer geeks. For example, many of the stories I find portray the ideal father as a fireman, carpenter or truck driver. I'm not looking for anything specific like 'I love my dad because he's a programmer,' I'm just looking for a story that will help her understand what I do for a living when she's older. So, readers of Slashdot, does anyone know of a children's book written by or for geeks, or should I write my own?"

6 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Easy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just try any old technical manual off your shelf. They'll know just what you go through every day, and it'll put 'em right to sleep, too.

    Next?

  2. You're the book. by amide_one · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Childrens' books won't be her only source of understanding. You want her to know what you do? spend time with her. Tell her yourself. Explain it to her as best you can for whatever age she's at when she wants to know.

    My dad's a physicist. I don't remember any kids' books (when I was nine months, nine years, or now) that really "feature" physicists on the same level as truck drivers and cops. I learned what he did because he told me. And I cared 'cause he was there to tell me ;)

    To paraphrase something rather different, "you may be the only book about programmers your daughter ever reads".

  3. Eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I read books about kings, and firemen, and soldiers, and... my father was none of those, and it didn't matter. My father taught me about what he did by teaching me himself about what he did. You don't need a book for that.

  4. She doesn't care what you do by thegrassyknowl · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Your daughter is very young. She doesn't care what you do for crust. She doesn't care what firemen and policemen do for crust either.

    Your daughter cares about you and her immediate family. They are her entire world right now. Just spend time reading big colourful books with her. Cuddle her, change her, feed her, do all the things parents are supposed to do.

    There's not point trying to teach her what you do. In the grand scheme of things it's not really important as long as you can support her and love her.

    There is inherrent value in teaching her what people like police and firemen do though, she may need to call upon them early in her life.

    Let her learn and understand you as she grows and develops. Kids aren't stupid. They're surprisingly smart, and they absorb so much more than anybody gives them credit for. She will figure it out in her own time, provided you are willing to share with her at her pace.

    --
    I drink to make other people interesting!
  5. My son (6) just told me by Kalak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I read him the the question, and here is what my son said:

    I want you to write a book. Not about you, but about a story. "How about dinousars, please?"

    q:Do you want to learn about my work?
    a: sure

    q:Do you want to learn it from a book?
    a: yes

    q:Would you rather I wrote a book about work, or about a story?
    a: a story about dinosaurs

    q:so, how would you like to learn about my work?
    a: going to work! (excited about this).

    from my son: I hope you get my dad to teach me about it, and to try do do the same things at work, and I hope you have a great day, end it with a smile. If I ever come over to work, please have a great smile ready for me. I hope you have a fun day at work.

    In short, being a dad is more important than being a geek, They'll learn about your work in time.

    --
    I am, and always will be, an idiot. Karma: Coma (mostly effected by .hack)
  6. Why bother? by theonetruekeebler · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. May she bring you many years of joy.

    In the meantime, don't bother trying to be the protagonist of a story in a book somewhere. From her point of view, you're Daddy. Do the daddy things well, and love her well, because what you do for a living is incredibly peripheral to her life---it's just something that you go to in the morning and come home from ("Yaaay! Daddy's home!") at night.

    Read her stuff you enjoy reading and that she enjoys having you read to her. Read her Where the Wild Things Are and James and the Giant Peach. Read her lots and lots of Seuss. Read her stuff you enjoyed as a kid. Read her Pooh. Read her The Monster at the End of This Book, starring Grover. Do the voices when you read---she'll be giggling at your Grover impersonation even when she's in college.

    When she asks her what you do for a living, don't point to some character in a book: Tell her. Show her. Invite her to the office along for an hour or two and show her off to everybody you work with.

    I swear to you it doesn't matter what you read to her, as long as it amuses and stimulates her, and as long as you do it out of love.

    --
    This is not my sandwich.