Beautiful Boy

I cannot believe that this is my life.

She fell off the climbing structure and broke her toe."

O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! That we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts.

When change takes place gradually, it's difficult to comprehend its meaning.

He poignantly describes the effect of his years of our joint-custody arrangement: "I am always missing someone."

"I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody."

"I can't believe the things they do to themselves and to each other," she says. In a survey of public-school teachers in 1940, the top disciplinary problems listed included talking out of turn, chewing gum, running in the halls, dress-code violations, and littering. More than fifty years later, they are drug and alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, robbery, and assault.

It's one thing to be safe, but panic is useless and too much caution can be stifling.

"I don't think you should always try your best all the time," he writes, "because, let's say a drug atick asks you for drugs you should not try your best to find him some drugs."

When the other children tease him—"Only girls wear tights"—Nic responds, "Uh-uh. Superman wears tights."

I am proud of his confidence and individuality.