HELP I'm getting dumber!

[Anonymous]

After staying home with two kids for two years, I literally feel like I've lost my intellectual edge. My husband and I are both lawyers and I hang on his every word when he comes home to tell me about his cases. He's a real estate litigation lawyer - when we were both working, his cases would put me to sleep. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to go back to work yet. I love staying home with my babies. Nonetheless, I feel like I'm getting dumber when I talk to other adults. So that's my venting. Can anyone recommend some books? I don't want to read War and Peace, but I would love to read something with true literary merit (if only to pick up some vocabulary!). Seriously, help me!

[Anonymous]

I just read "Little Bee" and loved it.

[Anonymous]

I am reading "Ada" by Nabokov and I can guarantee that it can provide significant intellectual exercise.

[Anonymous]

The Nabokov pp here. Just another thought. I think any book by Nabokov will provide that kind of literary merit, including vocabulary etc. Also, I am a big fan of Ian McEwan's books, he writes beautifully (Atonement, etc.).

[Anonymous]

I just read "Little Bee" and loved it.

Me too! I also just read "People Of The Book" (Geraldine Brooks) and that was great too - it's fiction, but it's extremely well-researched, historically accurate, and I learned a lot! I think I'm going to pick up her other one that I haven't read, "March," next.

[Anonymous]

I just think you have to stop psyching yourself out right now that you're actually dumb. Really? If you were dumb, you probably wouldn't even notice this or worry about being dumb. What's dumb is thinking that someone is not as smart because they haven't had a professional job in 2 years.

That said, maybe you need some volunteer work that uses your professional skills. Or take a class in something you find interesting and never had a chance to study before. I agree that reading might help too, but I guess it depends on what you're reading, and that can feel like a chore sometimes.

No one can make you feel dumb without you letting them, and that goes for yourself!

[Anonymous]

I second Ian McEwan.
Another book with a great literary feel to it is "Ahab's Wife". It has taken me a while to read it, but the author writes like someone from the nineteenth century. I was really impressed with it.

[Anonymous]

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. It's definitely challenging but not overly highbrow, if that makes any sense, and incredibly funny. It made me want to be smarter. You have to be up for a commitment, as it's something like 1300 pages and dense, but if you are looking for something with more substance than the latest Oprah pick, I can't recommend this book enough.

Check out this link for a taste of DFW. He's amazing. Sadly he committed suicide last year at the age of 46.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html

[Anonymous]

LOL! You could also try to do more puzzles, like sudoku, crosswords, ken ken, kakuro, etc. I do those on the train to work in the morning and some days I do them quickly and feel like the smartest person ever. Other days I screw them up and feel kinda dumb.

Tom Wolfe's "I am Charlotte [something-or-other]" was pretty good. Read it awhile ago. Since I had my daughter, I mostly read either total chick-lit trash or economics books (i'm an econ nerd) so I'm probably not much help for recommendations.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks everyone! I'm making a list to take the book store this week based on your recommendations. I never even thought about crosswords, that's a good idea.
10:48 - I don't mean that I'm dumb because I've stayed home for two years. I'm just not as smart as I used to be because I haven't been exercising my brain in THAT way. Most of my adult conversations are with friends who are also home with their kids and we talk about our kids. Talking about potty training is relevant for me, but not intellectually stimulating. (Well, with my crafty two year old, it kind of is a cat and mouse game sometimes). Anyway, I would love to volunteer or take a class, but I have a 6 months old and a two year old - I'm luck if I shower! Know what I mean?

[Anonymous]

I am Charlotte Simmons

[Anonymous]

If you are going to be reading a lot, consider getting a Kindle. You can operate it (change pages and hold) with one hand so it would make it possible to read during nursing/feeding sessions. Also, can get books and newspapers immediately without making a trip to the store or waiting for that amazon order.

[Anonymous]

Start about by reading for pleasure, even if it is the Twilight series (yes I know, but they are just so stupid fun) and work your way up! I wouldn't recommend jumping right into a heavy read. If you can't focus it will be a little disheartening. Plus, any reading is better than not reading at all!

Also, I do the crossword puzzle in the Post everyday and despite it being super easy, it makes me feel like I am exercising my mind!

[Anonymous]

Ha ha! I did have such a freak-out a few years ago (!). Now I let it go and enjoy being "dumb". I do love to read, though, and argue with DH when he comes home and tells me about his work - we work in the same field, and I love to tell him how I would have done things differently. Then he says "get a job and I'll stay home with the kids!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start about by reading for pleasure, even if it is the Twilight series (yes I know, but they are just so stupid fun) and work your way up! I wouldn't recommend jumping right into a heavy read. If you can't focus it will be a little disheartening. Plus, any reading is better than not reading at all!

Also, I do the crossword puzzle in the Post everyday and despite it being super easy, it makes me feel like I am exercising my mind!

Wow. Sorry my post sounds dumb, can you tell I didn't sleep last night!?!