"I Like Being a Big Nerd"

I'm not sure where I'm going wrong.

My daughter insists on tucking her shirt into her gym shorts, and pulling the shorts up high.   When I tried to dissuade her, she countered that her friend wears hers like that (she's Chinese - it's a cultural thing, I see loads of kids around HK like that).  I pressed on:"Do any OTHER children wear their shirts tucked in like that?"  "No."  "Exactly." 

But I had to let her go like that.  She has to learn her own way.  It's hard to let go, but it must be done.

She came home from school with the shirt hanging out.

Now my son wants to have messy hair all the time.  I'll give him that - when I brush it neatly, he does look a bit....smart.

BUT.

Now he wants to look like Ben10, and combs it straight down his forehead.  It doesn't look like Ben10.  It looks like a bowl haircut.

I said,"Charlie, now you look like a big nerd like that!"

He said,"I like being a big nerd!"

Well then.