Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction read more

Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction from the way the arranger desires.

Give me a child for the first seven years, and you may do what you like with him afterwards.

Give me a child for the first seven years, and you may do what you like with him afterwards.

Never raise your hand to your children; it leaves your midsection unprotected.

Never raise your hand to your children; it leaves your midsection unprotected.

If you desire to drain to the dregs the fullest cup of scorn and hatred that a fellow human being read more

If you desire to drain to the dregs the fullest cup of scorn and hatred that a fellow human being can pour out for you, let a young mother hear you call dear baby "it.".

The only moral lesson which is suited for a child, the most important lesson for every time of life, is read more

The only moral lesson which is suited for a child, the most important lesson for every time of life, is this: "Never hurt anybody.".

You don't have to suffer to be a poet; adolescence is enough suffering for anyone.

You don't have to suffer to be a poet; adolescence is enough suffering for anyone.

I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll read more

I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again.

It might sound a paradoxical thing to say --for surely never has a generation of children occupied more sheer hours read more

It might sound a paradoxical thing to say --for surely never has a generation of children occupied more sheer hours of parental time --but the truth is that we neglected you. We allowed you a charade of trivial freedoms in order to avoid making those impositions on you that are in the end both the training ground and proving ground for true independence. We pronounced you strong when you were still weak in order to avoid the struggles with you that would have fed your true strength. We proclaimed you sound when you were foolish in order to avoid taking part in the long, slow, slogging effort that is the only route to genuine maturity of mind and feeling. Thus, it was no small anomaly of your growing up that while you were the most indulged generation, you were also in many ways the most abandoned to your own meager devices by those into whose safe-keeping you had been given.

I like trying [to get pregnant]. I'm not so sure about childbirth.

I like trying [to get pregnant]. I'm not so sure about childbirth.