• On Good Things Utah this morning – It turns out there’s never been a better time to be a ‘weird’ kid. Kids today are more likely, even encouraged, to explore unique interests than we were a generation ago. That’s a good thing. As soon as my 9-year-old twins dropped their scooters on the front porch and burst through the front door, I smelled spray paint. In the past, most parents would have been concerned their kids were involved in some sort of vandalism — but my twins are members of a graffiti club at school. As an artsy kid myself, I didn’t have access to things like graffiti clubs, mural arts programs, or LEGO robotics clubs like my kids do today. For many millennial parents like me, most extracurriculars were limited to sports (not my jam) or band and chorus.
    • In the 90s, my friends and I had very unique interests and were viewed as oddballs or “weird” kids by the rest of our peers, so we kept quiet about our love for cross-stitching or country western line dancing. But with the explosion of online connectivity as well as a broader understanding of how kids learn, more kids are able to explore their very cool and unique interests — and it’s been so wonderful for this weird kid to watch. All four of my kids have some very unique interests that have been a joy to encourage. My 11-year-old collects globes, coins, and flags. He recently wore an Air Force flight suit gifted from a neighbor to school for a week without any negative peer feedback. My twins are interested in every type of art that exists, but mostly large-scale installations like street art. They got to help paint our town’s mural, a highlight for them. My 4-year-old is in love with creepy dead things. She asked for a frog to dissect, and of course, grandma complied. Curious to know how far this extended beyond my own family, I asked around. Erin Thompson, the youth services coordinator at our town library, says her nearly 8-year-old is into Japanese Vocaloid, a voice synthesizing software used to create unique music, and how metro systems work. Richelle, another mom I reached out to, told me her fourth grade son is into maritime disasters like the Titanic. “I got him a Titanic ornament a couple of years ago,” she told me. “It had a picture of the ship sinking and people in the water… pretty morbid actually, but he loved it.” I asked psychologist Emily King about these intense interests. Her podcast and newsletter are a go-to for me with many parenting questions, as she’s spent time as a school psychologist and now in private practice with neurodivergent kids. It’s incredibly common for all kids throughout elementary school to have unique interests in hobbies as their brains are growing at an amazing rate. To read more about this article click here: https://www.scarymommy.com/parenting/theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-weird-kid or tune in to Good Things Utah for a fun Tuesday edition of the show!