5 GeekDad New Year's Resolutions

On New Year’s Eve, I posted a list of 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Geeks. Only one of those made any reference to kids, however, so I figured it behooved me as a GeekDad to make a list specifically for geek parents. Here, then, are 5 GeekDad resolutions for 2009:

1. I will show all of my favorite geeky movies, TV shows, cartoons, etc., to my kids as they become old enough for each. I will not be disappointed—or at least will conceal my disappointment—if they don’t like them as much as I did at their age. Unless they don’t like Star Wars, in which case weeping openly is simply unavoidable.

2. Conversely, I will also contain my natural outrage if my kids think Jar-Jar Binks is hysterically funny and a great character. This will be harder than having the sex talk, but I will muster the strength somehow, because my kids are their own people and as such are entitled to their own opinions. Even if they are wrong.

3. I will play video games with my children, but I will not force them to play any game they don’t like, and I will not force them to let me play any game with them that they would rather play by themselves. Yes, even LEGO Star Wars.

4. I will remind myself that I am bigger and stronger than my kids, so I need to take it down a level when lightsaber dueling with them. Even if that means they win occasionally. No, it is not dishonorable.

5. I will remember that my daughter (or son, I suppose) dressing Transformers and Star Wars action figures in dresses and hats is just an expression of her (or his) creativity and imagination, and will therefore pretend that the sight of a Stormtrooper wearing blue gingham does not make me throw up a little bit in my mouth.

Yes, all of those are Star Wars-related—just turned out that way.