Growing Up with a Computer Scientist Father: Lessons from Two Continents
My father is a computer scientist. Mon père est un informaticien. This simple statement carries decades of stories, cultural nuances, and life lessons that have shaped my understanding of technology, education, and family. Growing up in a bilingual household where Silicon Valley met Parisian charm, I witnessed firsthand how a career in computing can transcend borders—and how it quietly molds the way children see the world.
The Language of Logic and Laughter
To outsiders, computer science might seem like a world of cold code and rigid algorithms. But in our home, it was a language of creativity. My father’s work wasn’t confined to office hours; it spilled into weekend projects, dinner-table debates, and even bedtime stories. When I was seven, he taught me binary by comparing it to light switches: “On or off, 1 or 0—c’est simple, non?” He’d grin, switching the kitchen lights on and off until I dissolved into giggles.
This playful approach demystified complex concepts early. By age ten, I could debug a basic Python script (with supervision) and explain how encryption works using a metaphor about secret diary locks. But more importantly, I learned that problem-solving isn’t about perfection—it’s about curiosity. “Every error message is a clue,” Dad would say, whether we were troubleshooting a crashed program or fixing a leaky sink.
Bridging Two Worlds: Silicon Valley and Paris
Our family straddled two cultures. Summers in France meant visits to La Cité des Sciences in Paris, where interactive exhibits on robotics fascinated me. Winters in California involved scavenger hunts at tech flea markets, hunting for vintage circuit boards Dad called “historical artifacts.” These experiences taught me that innovation isn’t confined to one place or language.
My father’s French colleagues often marveled at America’s “fail fast” startup culture, while his American peers admired France’s emphasis on theoretical rigor. At home, these philosophies merged. Dinner conversations might jump from Alan Turing’s legacy to the ethics of AI, seasoned with Dad’s dry humor: “En France, on critique tout… but in coding, criticism saves you from crashes.”
The Hidden Curriculum: Life Skills Through Tech
Beyond programming, my father’s career taught intangible skills. When he walked me through building my first website, I didn’t just learn HTML—I learned project management by setting deadlines, design principles through color palettes, and resilience when the server repeatedly timed out.
One memorable lesson came during a middle school science fair. My volcano project (a classic baking-soda-and-vinegar affair) was up against a classmate’s flashy drone demonstration. Feeling outmatched, I complained to Dad. Instead of sympathizing, he grinned: “Pourquoi ne pas combine les deux?” That weekend, we retrofitted the volcano with a Raspberry Pi, programming it to “erupt” via motion sensor. It didn’t win first prize, but the judges loved the creative crossover between geology and tech.
When Screens Sparked Connection (Not Division)
In an era where parents often worry about screen time, our household had an unspoken rule: technology was a tool for creation, not just consumption. Dad limited mindless gaming but enthusiastically supported anything that involved building—whether it was coding a chatbot for my stuffed animals or designing a family podcast.
Some of my fondest memories involve “debugging parties.” When Dad encountered a stubborn glitch at work, he’d print out sections of code, tape them to the living room walls, and invite the family to hunt for errors. My sister would circle suspicious loops with pink marker; I’d highlight variables that needed better names. Mom, an artist, would rearrange the papers into what she called “code collages.” It was chaotic, collaborative, and surprisingly effective.
The Gift of Critical Thinking
Perhaps the greatest lesson wasn’t about computers at all, but how to approach uncertainty. During the 2020 lockdowns, when remote learning felt overwhelming, Dad shared stories of early programmers who worked with punch cards and room-sized machines. “They had to wait hours to see if their code worked,” he said. “Vous, au moins, vous avez Undo buttons!” His perspective transformed my frustration into gratitude for modern tools.
He also taught me to question technology’s role in society. Over crêpes one Sunday, we debated social media algorithms—how they could connect global activists but also spread misinformation. “Tech isn’t good or bad,” he concluded. “It’s a mirror. Ça dépend de comment on l’utilise.”
Legacy in Lines of Code and Life
Today, as I pursue my own career in education technology, I constantly draw from these experiences. My father’s blend of logic and whimsy taught me that STEM isn’t just equations and exams—it’s a mindset. Whether I’m designing learning apps or mentoring students, I strive to emulate his belief that every challenge holds hidden fun.
Mon père est un informaticien. My father is a computer scientist. But more than that, he’s a translator of complex ideas, a bridge between cultures, and living proof that the most impactful code isn’t written in Java or Python—it’s the code of curiosity we pass to the next generation.
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