We can glut ourselves with how-to-raise children information . . . strive to become more mature and aware but none of this will spare us from the . . . inevitability that some of the time we are going to fail our children. Because there is a big gap between knowing and doing. Because mature, aware people are imperfect too. Or because some current event in our life may so absorb or depress us that when our children need us we cannot come through.
Judith ViorstThere is a time to separate from our mother. But unless we are ready to separate-unless we are ready to leave her and be left-anything is better than separation.
Judith ViorstIf his mother was drowning and I was drowning and he had to choose one of us to save, He says he'd save me.
Judith ViorstOur mother gives us our earliest lessons in love- and its partner, hate. Our father-our "second other"-elaborates on them.
Judith Viorst