My parents had an experience of life that is as opposite to mine as you can imagine.

I think being a parent is the most challenging thing you do. That's why we're here. It's at the heart of what it is to be a human being. It's the ultimate experience because it questions everything about who you are. But it's difficult.

The bullied straight kid goes home to a shoulder to cry on and support and can talk freely about his experience at school and why he's being bullied. I couldn't go home and open up to my parents.

The monsters of our childhood do not fade away neither are they ever wholly monstrous. But neither in my experience do we ever reach a plane of detachment regarding our parents however wise and old we may become. To pretend otherwise is to cheat.

Parents it seems have an almost Olympian persistence when it comes to suggesting more secure and lucrative lines of work for their children who have the notion that writing is an actual profession. I say this from experience.

The character and history of each child may be a new and poetic experience to the parent if he will let it.

Parents of recovered children and I've met hundreds all share the same experience of doubters and deniers telling us our child must have never even had autism or that the recovery was simply nature's course. We all know better and frankly we're too busy helping other parents to really care.

Parents lend children their experience and a vicarious memory children endow their parents with a vicarious immortality.

Suffering is but another name for the teaching of experience which is the parent of instruction and the schoolmaster of life.

Screaming at children over their grades especially to the point of the child's tears is child abuse pure and simple. It's not funny and it's not good parenting. It is a crushing scarring disastrous experience for the child. It isn't the least bit funny.