Fending off Nerdiness

Nerd is not a bad word. What's wrong with being a nerd? Be a proud nerd. Tell him next time someone calls him a nerd to tell them "Thanks" I appreciate it! :)

What Peg M. said. The important thing is NOT to "fend off" nerdiness - cause you can't. But you can teach him to be confident in his own skin and to be well rounded. If he's that accellerated,you may need to get him into a school that could meet his needs, and that may solve part of the issue re. standing out as a nerd. But kids will find a reason to tease - if it's not brains, it's something else. Being confident and comfortable with himself is the best thing to go for. Tattling for name calling isn't worth the problems it would cause. If they were physically harassing, etc., that would be different.

tell him bill gates is a nerd but he is the richest man in america :) he is going to be who he wants to be maybe slightly suggest a diffrent wardrobe but he probably wont wear it. I think telling the teacher will make it worse. he will learn to deal in his own time own way

Think how he would feel if he read your post. He's smart enough he would understand every word. Wouldn't he interpret what you wrote as, "MOM doesn't think I'm cool"?

Why think in terms of "I cannot control his outrageously advanced vocabulary"? Why would you want to? Why worry about "Way to cement himself as a nerd!" Why say, "In the real world, it's not cool to be too smart?" Is that really a message to give a bright child -- that he should tamp down the vocabulary and the discussions about science etc. so he will fit in with the crowd? Will you still want him doing that in middle and high school -- going with the crowd and wearing what's popular and being sure he doesn't stand out?

Saying "I don't like it when you call me that" and walking away is a mature response; so was his own instinctive response of just walking away. It's not a tell-the-teacher offense, unless it escalates. But his own instinct was good. "Whatever" only eggs on the name-caller. Walking away denies the name-caller the satisfaction of a response.

He's going to get made fun of. All kids do. Kids like him especially do--by kids who aren't like him. But he's not alone; help him find his real friends, his peers who have advanced interests like his. You may soon find that among the kids in his class, his peers with whom he can have real conversations on his level, they'll soon be jokingly competing to see who can use the biggest words, who knows more about acids and bases, who can have the wildest science project, etc. They'll all be uncool together and they'll love it. I know. I have a fourth grade nerd with delightfully nerdy friends.

It will take some time before they can really learn not to care what other kids think of them; they're still so young, and at this age they want everyone to like them, and want to like everyone in return. And they'll get stung by remarks other kids make. My child still does too. But if parents teach them to walk away and be themselves, they eventually will learn that not everyone's opinion of them matters. Their teachers' opinions matter, and the opinions of their real friends, and most of all the opinions of their parents. But if their parents are worried they'll be labeled nerds, the kids will learn to worry about it too.

Blessed are the nerds, for they shall inherit the earth.

All three of my kids are geeks. Thank God for it!

Your son handled the nerd incident beautifully, IMO. Sounds healthy and well adjusted. Sounds like he's cool and SMART!

You can't have control over other people's kids, but you can 'bully-proof' your own. Sounds like he's well on his way.

Congratulations, and enjoy him!

:)

My kids are nerds and proud of it. They like sci-fi and computers, eat "weird" food at home and understand more about building things and computer games than playing sports. I say, tell him to embrace his nerdyness! He should tell people who call him that "thank you!" My oldewst son wears a fedora and tailored leather coat to school. On dress down days (our public schools have a dress code) he loves his pink polo shirt. He almost exclusively wears khakis. He has surrounded himself with other nerds in his honors classes, finding out who else thinks it's cool to be smart, and is a happy outgoing teen.

I once heard a kid on tv say this to someone who was bullying him about being a nerd: "Someday I will be grown up and better looking, but you will still be stupid enough to think I care what you think of me." I don't necessarily encourage that approach, but you get my drift.

I agree with you that tattling to the teacher over this relatively harmless name-calling would be a mistake. On the other hand, teaching your son to roll his eyes would be teaching him to return the disrespect he received from a little girl. I don't see how that will enrich your son's social life – he could merely become part of an escalating "us vs. them" dynamic. It would be far healthier to teach him to smile and say "thank you!"

If we want our children to grow up in a kinder, more peaceful world, we would do well to teach them the tools that help them live kinder, more peaceful lives. As Ghandi taught, "BE the change you want to see in the world."

I wouldn't put too much stress on being "cool," particularly if it's like a mask of inauthenticity that you're teaching your son to put on. We are all different, yet we try so hard to meet some social "ideal" that shifts and changes from one decade to the next. People spend a lot on the appearance of "cool," but that doesn't make it real. What IS cool is being the best "me" that each of us is able to be. Trying to be someone else is a recipe for insecurity and unhappiness.

My son-in-law is pretty nerdy, in that he's really, really smart and doesn't worry much about fashion. He just chooses the clothing that serves him well and keeps him comfortable. His socks don't show, so I guess he's cool enough. He does well socially, and he is not overly involved with what people think of him. And I admire him tremendously – he's a man of integrity, good will, generosity, and humor. His little boy is getting some great role modeling.

My husband is pretty nerdy, and he's the best man I've ever known. I'm so proud to be seen with his geeky old self.

As the parent of a "nerd," I can tell you that it's NOT TRUE that it's "not cool to be a nerd." I think that's a stereotype.

However, you need to teach your son to be proud of who he is. His response should be, "Yup, I'm a nerd and proud of it." You need to tell him that's how he should respond and then let it go. Do not make a big deal out of it or he WILL think there is something wrong with being a nerd.

He absolutely should NOT tell a teacher. Come on! If he can't handle being called a nerd (a compliment, in my books), he might as well shrivel up in a little ball right now.

My son's friends, the "nerds" on the debate team, are the coolest, most interesting kids I've met. Their conversations are fascinating, unlike listening to most teens.

Dress him "cool" if you want -- it's nice for anyone to dress fashionably -- but teach him to be proud of his uniqueness. If he's not ashamed of it, the other kids won't pick on him.

I think you should take the approach of telling him to be proud of being a nerd! Nerds rule the world! ;) I am a biologist and my husband is a physicist and we have many many scientist friends. In grad school we hung out mostly with the other physicist. Yes, they were nerdy in all they knew and what they like to discuss but not always. But most of the time they were very very cool and interesting people. Be proud of your awesome son! Do make sure as he gets older that he is good with social behaviors though...able to talk to all kinds of people without talking down to people, not standing too close, etc.

My daughter has gone to "nerd" camp for three years. It's a summer camp for the highly to profoundly gifted.
One year they analyzed Greek tragedy, one year Shakespeare, one year POetry. THEy have analyzed great masters in Art, Music, and literature. THey bring their violins and flutes, guitars and clarinets. They have discussions with Harvard professors. She loves every minute of it. In fact there is a rival nerd camp at the same college, she says her group of nerd friends were better than the other group of nerd kids because they (her group) was smarter and had more challenging books and activities. She has gone since she was 11, this summer will be her fourth time.

Embrace his nerdiness. He may one day find a cure for cancer, then the whole world will want to be his friend. If you down play the importance of education now, even in attitude, he will pick up on it and not want to do his best in school. Let him walk to the beat of a different drummer.
Let him know how much you love his nerdiness. I have let mine know how much nerdiness is cool. She even says it to me now, at 15. She would rather go to her nerd camp this summer than anywhere else.

I'm a proud mom to twin 9YO nerds and encourage them to follow their interests and take pride in their love of learning, and remind them that people who call other people names are often doing that because they're jealous. If someone called either of them a "nerd", they'd take it as a compliment :-).

And fortunately, in our techno-heavy world, you can easily remind your kid (and he can remind anyone who teases him about "nerdiness") that "nerds" are largely responsible for the information technology and computer animation industries, among other things. If you use a computer or a cell phone, watch a Pixar movie, or play Wii, you can thank the nerds for making it possible!

Also, you can encourage him to participate in things like Odyssey of the Mind, where he can use his skills with peers who are similarly bright and full of "nerd potential". http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/

I recommend this often, but here goes again - consider enrolling your son in Martial Arts training. Not only does it teach self-confidence, the ability to speak up, and self-defense, it's actually "cool"! My daughter and I have been training in Karate since she was 5 and now at 8, I love the self-confidence I see in her. It is not about physical agression, it's about confidence, respect, and knowing that you can handle yourself if necessary.

I trained in TaeKwonDo previously for 5 years and taught children's classes for two years. The kids who were not in other sports and might have been a bit more timid at first were the ones that benefited the most.

I would tell my son to say "thank you!" or "...and proud of it!" confidence can go a long way in a situation like this. Being a nerd IS cool and the older he gets more and more of his peers' jealousy will give way to awe and respect - provided, of course, that he remains a nice person and a humble person.

I was a total nerd in high school.
Or so people thought.
I wore glasses, and somehow that made me seem smart enough (in science class, anyway) to want to copy from. Too bad they got the same "D" I did.
I think all you can do is have a family culture which unabashedly values learning. I can tell you as a woman, I know that there are a lot of people who feel girls shouldn't appear "too smart" in certain company. It's insulting. And it's silly that any child who is bright shouldn't feel comfortable being bright.

People who are secure within themselves don't need to stereotype others as nerds or geeks. They've got enough going on as it is, and can appreciate the value of other smart people. Tell your son that. He can be gracious to the insecure people who feel so defensive they have to insult him to feel better about themselves. He'll be the winner in the long run.

H.
BTW- My husband says "you don't narc to the teacher when someone calls you a nerd". I'll take him at his word, since he spent the greater portion of high school playing Dungeons and Dragons. Gotta love him.

I say leave him alone. Short of him getting seriously bullied in a way that warrants intervention, he'll be fine.

Contrary to what others are saying, it sounds like your son has no problem with his "nerdiness." It's everyone else around him who seems to have a problem with his exceptional intelligence.

If you and husband avoid going there, and labeling him as such, or avoid making a big deal about his gift, he won't have a problem, regardless of what the kids dish out at school.

He'll find other kids like him and that will be his clique and his cool. All kids, whether they're in the gifted program or not, deal with bullies. It's an unfortunate problem in todays schools. Blame it on clique mentality and labels. Why do kids have to get pigeoned holed into types?

Do something original and don't go there at your home. He'll be confident if you're confident in him. He'll feel like he fits in, if he fits in with the people in his life that count.

If he could care less about the current trends like rubber bandz and cool clothes, don't pressure him. Even if he wears it to humor you, he won't ever appreciate it, or even get it if this isn't his basic essence or what he's into. Let him be himself. He'll astound you. And as someone else mentioned, he's the stuff leaders are made of. Encouraging him to be trendy will make him a follower. Why would you want that when you were blessed with the child (if fostered well) who has the stuff to grow up to be a leader and trendsetter of tommorrow - instead of a cliquish brat of today. ;)

Your kid sounds smart enough to hold his own under any circumstances.

All kids struggle with confidence and peer teasing, for one reason or another. You can definitely treat some of the "symptoms" with things like cool clothes. No harm in that at all. Another confidence builder is just "walking tall" -- Appearing physically confident. And no. I do not mean try to turn your son into a jock. Appearing physically confident can be as simple as good posture, looking straight ahead instead of at your shoes, striding instead of shuffling (heck--- a little swagger never hurts), making and keeping eye contact. All of this subtle body language could have added quite a lot of emphasis to his original response to teasing. His silence was a good choice but accompanied by a dead-eye stare and and roll of the eyes...Even better.

While you and I know that being smart is gonna get him far in life -- Being gifted doesn't mean you don't have feelings. Sounds like he has great parents to guide him thru the treacherous waters of adolescence.

So... I see a lot of "embrace it" responses. Personally, I completely understand where you are coming from. Kids are CRUEL, especially in these times. So much so that the rate of suicide from "bullying" is higher now than it ever has been. I think doin everything possible to help him not become a victim of bullying is one of the beat things you can do for ANY child... Most especially the ones who are going to be obvious victims. This is not to say he should "dumb down" to fit in, but that ALSO you can help instill qualities that help him fit in more. Some of the things I personally have found is that gifted children have a tendency to constantly correct other kids... This will alienate him. Teach him that even when he knows something that someone has saidis incorrect, just stay quiet. Also work on inter personal communications appropriate for hi age group, try to get him interested in things the other kids at his school are iterested in. And to be honest, I do think you are right about his reaction to the bullying- is telling a teacher the mature response? Of course, but 2nd graders aren't mature and this is just going to push him further into te nerd category. Acting as though he is too cool to care is the best way to get around it at thi point. Maybe as he gets older, different reactions would be more appropriate, but for now- I think you are going in the right direction!!

I agree with you, unless the teasing is more like harrassment it would be better to just shrug it off and let it be known it doesnt bother him. However that asks for a lot of maturity for a young second grader. If you watch kids at school the kids who are confident and secure with themselves do not get teased or bullied Tell your son Bill Gates, and others, are and were nerds- should we feel sorry for them? Its ok to be a nerd as long as he is happy Maybe you could help him find a social hobby, if he doesnt like soccer and baseball, there is tennis, bowling, golf (these are good sports because many adults continue to enjoy them) Tai Chi and other martial arts help kids develop self esteem and again widen his circle of kids with whom he shares an interest.

Here's some food for thought when it comes to trying to fit in;

I find when folks work at trying to fit in by wearing what they think is trendy clothes, or speak the trendy lingo, or participate in activities that are hip or try to excel at things to garner the respect of the masses...they wind up looking like geeks doing it.

Trying to be something you are not is what makes people geeky because they have to work at creating what they think in their mind is "cool". Most of the time they miss the mark and look goofy doing it.

Being real, being yourself is natural. It isn't awkward because it's the law of nature that we are the way we're born. There isn't a person on the planet that has tons of friends and the respect of all. And if they do, it's because they have something people want, not because people genuinely like them.

Think of the most charismatic and powerful people in the world, Bill Gates included, and I'll bet you a million bucks, the only person in the world who really loves Bill for who he is, and not his money and what he has achieved is Bill...and maybe his wife and his Mom. I wouldn't be surprised if we found out he was the lonliest man on the planet.

You can't buy friends. And fitting in, is no guarantee of a happy let alone successful life. The only guarantee it gets you is fake friends who won't be there when you need them or who will stab you in the back if you have something they want.

Do yourself and your kid a favor and stop worrying about what other people think about you and live a happy life being and doing what makes you happy. Be real people. Strive for authenticity. In the end your son will thank you for encouraging this.

Help him become himself - by building his self esteem as a nerd. I know nerd seem like a bad thing, but he can be a cool nerd. If he socializes, makes the "nerd" thing his own niche, then he won't be ridiculed so much.

For instance a typical nerd is smart, geeky, antisocial, shy and dresses weird (but the weird is really part of their personality in not wanting to be the center of attention or out there.

So if your son is really a nerd, why not encourage the smartness, but when a student calls him nerd, tell him to say "Yeah but I'm a cool nerd" and use some of the cool words they use in school. Wearing the bands, etc is part of it too, but let him be himself.

Our daughter and her friends were and still are geeky, brainiacs. They have always been interested in more intellectual subjects, but they also know how to have a good time.

At our daughters schools, it was always considered good and cool to be Geeky.. They are the kids that got to participate in the academic competitions. They were looked up to. She was actually a little envious of the kids that were coordinated and athletic.. She compensated by taking up Rowing (her own choice and request), which she is excellent at.. It gave her tremendous confidence..

Allow your son to be who he is and I do think giving him different options on how to respond is good, but also remind him everyone is unique, thank goodness. Being intelligent is a blessing, but it is also something we can be humble about. Being called a nerd, can be answered with "thank you".
Or, "I do not like your tone". "Please do not call me names." "Whatever " is also fine, but let your son decide who he is and let him answer in his own voice.. Our daughter would have thanked the person, for calling her a nerd, or ask them "Are you jealous?".

And yes, IF he feels harassed, he should tell his teachers.. They need to be aware of this inappropriate behaviors.

Congrats! Your son is an intelligent and wonderful young man! I would be proud and tell him so every day! Our daughter is at the top of her high school class, and we have always told her that we think being "neerdy" is cool in our house. Funny thing is, lately it is becoming more and more socially acceptable and people are re thinking the way they look at this group of people in general. Last year at the " Evening of Excellence" at our daughters school, an event where the school hands out the different awards and scholarships that kids in the high school have earned throughout the year, (which you have to be invited to by the way), we noticed a few very surprising but WONDERFUL things. Most of the biggest scholrships for the most accredited schools were recieved by some surprsing kids. The "class clown" recieved the scholarship for being in the top 10 in math and science in the COUNTRY!!! The kid is a BRAIN!!! He is also adorable, and ALL the girls LOVE him! Turns out, he is VERY popular. Actually, most of the kids who recieved the scholarships for acadhemics were from the "popular" crowd, were considered quite Neerdy to a degree, but also were not missing out in ANY other area. They were either involved in the athletic dept, theatre, or some other group at the school. It was AMAZING. Our daughter is big time into the arts and theatre. She is amazing. She is so talented, and gorgeous I may add. LOL! Her boyfriend this year is the capt. on the swim team. (jock and theatre. Never would have happened in MY day) Things are changing........ Good luck with your son. As long as he gets support at home, has some good friends of his own that he knows like him NO MATTER how smart he is, he will be fine. It will all work itself out. Good luck! Tell him to watch the Big Bang theory. The show is a hoot! My daughters all wear t shirts that say "proud to be neerdy chicks" LOL!

I'm an elementary school teacher and a parent of toddlers.

I would stop worrying so much about the nerd factor. It seems like worrying about his clothes and what other kids think and what is cool passes that on to him.

The most important thing is that he is self confident and happy about who he is. Then - when someone calls him a nerd (or short, or tall, or skinny, or fat - ALL kids will get teased) he will have the confidence to just brush it off.

Also - teach him how to pick good friends who value the right qualities - being kind, friendly, helpful, etc. When he talks about friends at school, ask him why he likes them and what actions they do that make them apealing to him. Emphasize the importance of having kind friends.

Develop interests or hobbies that have wide appeal to other students. A couple of the brainiest little boys I ever taught were AVID football fans, and used their great brains to crunch football stats (even keeping stat sheets from recess games), analyze games (college and pro!) and debate the merits of teams and players. Your son does not need to like football (these boys just had dads that did) but try to find something that has a wide appeal, so that he can have things in common with other kids to talk about.

Unless he is being bullied (more severe than name calling here and there) I would have him either brush it off, or do as your husband said and say, assertively, "I dont like that. I dont call you names. Please do not call me names." Being confronted like that will make most kids feel bad, and will stop the behavior. It also teaches your son to be assertive and stand up for himself. If it is a systematic bullying, talk to the teacher.

Good luck!

It sounds like you have an amazing little boy. I think he sounds just wonderful! So what if he is a "nerd?!" Look to his future...what will the "nerds" be doing? What will the "other kids" be doing? He has a successful future ahead of him...just like you and your husband. Let him be himself. Teach him to be proud of who he is. Show your unconditional love for him. Don't teach him to change himself or his actions to make others happy. Self-confidence is one of the best gifts we can give our children.

As for your husband's comment about your son's reaction to name-calling...I think what he said is TOTALLY appropriate at that age! We want our young children to "use their words" to tell others when they don't like something. We also want them to turn to an adult for help when their friends don't listen to their words. What we DON'T want our children to do is "ignore" it but really keep internalizing it....then someday explode in anger and frustration. That creates perfect victims for bullies.

Congrats on a wonderful, exceptional kiddo. I agree that he shouldn't go to the teachers. If he has an issue that he can't handle he should come to you. My son (also ahead, like 5th grade level in 2nd grade, rather than truly gifted like your boy :) Was being bullied last year and this kid kept taking his hat and had even hit him. My advice? I told my son to punch that kid as hard as he could next time he got hit. Not popular with the school maybe (he was reprimanded at school, but I told him he would be in trouble at school but not at home) Guess what though? no one has bullied him this year. My point is that I think you will help him to navigate the world better than the teachers would. Also good job trying to fend off "nerdom" :) Your boy is a smart kid and should be able to understand the social acceptablity of certain things (like clothing) Anyway I am sure that whether he has a rough or easy time of it, with supportive parents he will grow up to do great things :)

I liked your son's reaction to being called something. he just pretended like he didn't hear it. rolling eyes may be good too the next time he cannot pretend he didn't hear. i also tell my kids when something not nice has been said to them to turn around and say: that was not nice. did it make you feel good saying bad things?
i have also told them to seek an adult when something like this happens.

Your kid is great! Let him be who he is. He can tell you what he wants to wear, whether it's cool or not. There are kids who like being nerds and are very happy in their group. If you are worried about him being picked on, it will happen at some point, as it does with everyone. Teach him great social skills as well as skills that will help him assert his confidence and make sure he is not ever a target of bullying. I think his ignoring the nerd comment was a good one to try first. He needs to be aware of how to handle himself and what to do if he feels someone goes too far or starts to bully. He should never worry about being himself or wearing cool things if that is not who he is. I would not want to stifle him in any way, but rather encourage him to be the best he can be whatever way that is. You could even teach him some retorts for the rude comments. If he is called a nerd, he can turn around and tell the offender that may be, but someday he will probably be signing that child's paycheck :)

Oh how I love the "nerds"!!!!! Let me count the ways.... (and the things they came up with that i never could!)

Old-school nerds-
Electricity
Plumbing
Cars
Planes
Boats
Indoor heating!
FIRE (LOL!!!!)

New-age nerds- (just things I can see from where I sit)
Dvd/Bluray
Cable
Ipod
Laptop
Internet
Facebook
Mamapedia
Cellphone
TV
Speakers
On and on and on and on the list goes!

Ugh, bullies suck!!! Tell your little boy everytime someone says something mean to think of all the things we would never have had in life if awesome, intelligent and cool people like him weren't around!! I LOVE the Bill Gates answer! And guess what else- smart people have good jobs and give back to society!
It sounds like he comes from a great family. I'm sure my husband would have a similar answer, and it's not really a bad one, but I can see how you would be worried about it. I think standing up for himself is smart. I think bringing a teacher into the situation is only necessary if he is feeling harrassed or threatened. Now begins the age where we must learn to stand up for ourselves (...a little) Is he very bothered by this situation or are you just trying to be proactive? You sound like a good momma for sure. Hopefully it will not escalate and he will learn that some people are just threatened by smart people. He sounds like a great kid!!!
I hope my daughter marries a nerd. Momma needs a vacation home in her old age!!! Hee Heeee!!!

While you've gotten plenty of answers, I just want to commend you on your efforts to help your son socially. This is often an overlooked part of gifted children. Because they are so much stronger intellectually than their peers, they have difficulty making friends and relating to others. As a teacher, I often see gifted children who are "weirdos" that others don't like. I try my best to work with them socially to develop friendships with their non-gifted peers. the reality is the majority of the world isn't gifted and they need to learn to coexist successfully.

Oh my goodness! I just want to thank you for bringing a smile to my face & a lil chuckle to my morning at work today! I adore your story & your son sounds adorably nerdy! I understand you have a genuine concern here but I think just ensuring your son has the right amount of self-esteem & confidence along with the realization that he is exceptional in academics & how to channel that will go a long way. I haven't finished reading all your responses but I am guessing you have a couple good ones at least. I do appreciate you being aware & concerned about your son & not in denial about how the average people react to their misunderstanding (or really jealousy) of the truly brilliant kids & humans in the world. It does make a difference to be able to bond & relate to those around you. You sound like an awesome mom to a prodigy! Congratulations!

try www.seng.org Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted - great stuff on helping our gifted kids. I like the Bill Gates comment the best, btw - don't forget Mark Zuckerbrot who created Facebook when he was in college! Giving him great role models is a wonderful idea.

Poor guy! Yes, he will get picked on! But poor everyone else, too. He will probably get a better job and make a lot more money when he grows up. I hope he hangs in there through school and realizes that he is so lucky because he is so smart.

My husband wasn't very smart through school. Mostly, he didn't try. When he first started college he always sat in the back. He would never tell people at work that he was taking college classes (weird, I know). Got his associate's and years later decided he wanted a bachelor's in engineering. Now, he cares a lot about making good grades, sits in the front, answers the teacher, and helps everyone. He said his nickname in most classes is Professor Aaron :-) I think he LOVES being the smart guy now, all though in high school he probably avoided the smart guys.

Also, kids get called all sorts of names in school and nerd is one of them. If he wasn't called a nerd it would be something else. Kids can be just plain mean. As long as he has a great set of friends now and doesn't try too hard to fit in with the "cool" kids then he will be okay! He sounds awesome and I would love it if my kids were like that.

I've enjoyed reading the answers. Makes me think of a cheer that students at one of the top ranking universities in our area used to say when their team was losing to a he-man sports-rule school: "That's alright! That's okay! You're gonna work for us some day!"

He is second grade so I woukd have him reply with I am not a nerd I am a (use word here for really dang smart that others have no idea what it means) I would try and build his confidence as much as possible. I would encourage him that no matter what others say smart is cool. Was it Bill Gates that said be nice to nerd look where we end up or something along those lines. I even like a reply of I am the coolest nerd you will ever know lol. After all again its the second grade. I have no problems with kids telling teacher and making them feel like its MORE than ok to tell teachers. In this day and age of bullies and retaliation by others I think we should all encourage our kids to tell when someone is bullying them. Still I dont think it hurts to build your sons confidence enough so stuff like that isnt going to bother him either.

I agree with you wholeheartedly! If he wants to be branded forevermore as a nerd (and a tattletale) then by all means, have him tell a teacher. I would teach him to (a) ignore it, (b) say "whatever", or (c) just agree with them--if they call him a "nerd", and he just says "Okay, so?..." it will quickly lose steam. He'll only be a target if he isn't happy in his own skin; bullies can sniff that out like a hound dog. As a former nerd (maybe current nerd depending on who you ask) I can tell you there are much worse things to be.

My daughter wore clothing that was 20 years out of fashion because that was what SHE liked.
Her vocabulary was off the charts from the time she began talking, in part because she was an only child and I never used baby talk with her.
When people called her a nerd, geek, etc., her response was, "You're mistaken. The word you're looking for is 'eclectic.'"