A Late Afternoon Creed

I am pretty uncomfortable with the idea I am supposed to be my children's teacher. They are so much smarter than I am, so much more well-equipped. They don't seem to wander around like an idiot--like me. I keep thinking I am squashing their right to expression every time I make them obey social mores. Sometimes I really don't care about things I tell them I care about (pants, for one thing).

So listen, I'm going to create a home for them that's warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and colorful in between. I will feed them lots of food, insist on fresh air, bathe them at night and check under their beds for AWOL robots and monsters that burp in the dark. And when they're fast asleep I am going to get on my knees and pray for them, and for me. And if that doesn't work, well, at least I tried.