It is a wise child that knows his own father.

It is a wise child that knows his own father.

Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge them. Rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.

Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge them. Rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.

I don't know any parents that look into the eyes of a newborn baby and say, How can we screw read more

I don't know any parents that look into the eyes of a newborn baby and say, How can we screw this kid up.

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.

things without defense: insects, kittens, small boys.

things without defense: insects, kittens, small boys.

The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them.

The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them.

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.

Children are curious and are risk takers. They have lots of courage. They venture out into a world that is read more

Children are curious and are risk takers. They have lots of courage. They venture out into a world that is immense and dangerous. A child initially trusts life and the processes of life.

Adolescence is a period of rapid changes. Between the ages of 12 and 17, for example, a parent ages as read more

Adolescence is a period of rapid changes. Between the ages of 12 and 17, for example, a parent ages as much as 20 years.