Nothing like being visible, publishing one's work, and speaking openly about one's life, to disabuse the world of the illusion of one's perfection and purity.

Imagine if you succeeded in making the world perfect for your children what a shock the rest of life would be for them.

A person who deserves my loyalty receives it.

Before I had children I always wondered whether their births would be, for me, like the ultimate in gym class failures. And I discovered instead... that I'd finally found my sport.

No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.

It troubles me that people speak about writing for money as ugly and distasteful.

One of the sad realities of being a parent is that the same stuff you know is exciting, educational, and enriching in your child'slife is often messy, smelly and exhausting to deal with.