These links are worth a click:
Granted the only thing I know about REI is from the one article but it does seem like it takes on a common sense approach. There are some things that sound a little odd but some of the methods mentioned in the article are things I’ve been doing for years like narrating what I’m doing be it changing a diaper, getting them dressed, giving them a bath….anything to talk to them because it helps them to learn about the world around them and helps them with their communication skills.
- TC on
All four of my kids are weird. I think we are raising them all the same. Although what punishment will work for one it won’t work for the other. So we have had to get creative. Rules are still the same, NO bullying, NO hitting, NO name calling, common sense stuff.
Our 9 yr old boy loves science. On his own right now at night he reads a science book he got from Barnes and Noble and is trying to memorize the periodic tables. And in the morning he tells me all about what he learned and has memorized and I have to act very excited, because that is what he is passionate about.
Our 6yr old well she is completely weird. She walks around with disposable gloves and cleans up garbage in parking lots, roads, school playground, and even in the stores. (if she doesn’t have the gloves she still picks up garbage, yuck) She is passionate about animals and the environment. And that’s about all she talks about. She will get up in front of class and ‘lecture’ about leaving the lights on and how that is a waste, and how when they get older like her (mind you they are her age) they should stop eating the animals. (She wants to save them as well, the rest of us are carnivores) We all joke that she should have been named Uniqua.
I just go with the flow. I ask them questions, and get excited like they do when they tell us something, I say that they are weird all the time. and that weird is good, embrace them and hell in the end they have actually taught me a few things here and there. Nothing wrong with weird, although because they are and I can usually be seen rolling my eyes when they aren’t looking my eyes are starting to hurt. Lol
- mary on
@mary- your kids sound awesome!! maybe you shouldn’t call them “weird”. weird has a negative stigma attached to it. i think unique is better.
- Anonymous on
mary – your kids are funny and awesome!
- marina on
Ha, mary i can relate, i love that my kids are all really different.
my oldest son, 7 year old, sounds a lot like your son, he is really interested in science and in learning, he prefers factual books to fiction and he is always asking us questions about all kinds of things.
my oldest daughter is quieter, very sweet and really understands people. she loves nature and animals and lots of girly things. she not as extrovert as her siblings, but get her on her own and she talks about all kinds of things.
i have twins, the girl is outgoing, cheeky, funny, full of energy. she loves sports, being outdoors, anything that’s messy. and has a weird fascination with monsters and aliens. the boy is much quieter, on the shy side. incredibly sweet and caring, very loving. he’s very artistic, loves painting and craftwork and music and reading. and he’s very considerate.
and my third son is noisy, has to be, youngest of five. loves cars and anything with a motor, is always climbing on things and running around. has a wicked sense of humour and is very loving.
i don’t think any child is weird, if they’re unique, that’s great. it will serve them well in life 
- JM on
I don’t like the word ‘weird’ to describe people but keep raising those unique kids! When I was a kid, I did some of my own things and wasn’t afraid to stand out at times, but as a teen I tried so hard to conform to the norm. I had a hard time when trying to find what I truly wanted to do with my life and I didn’t really stand out when I went to apply to colleges. I think raising a child who is unique and has a strong sense of who they are and what they want to do, will make their lives better and easier in the long run!
- Erika on
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