So I had a revelation tonight as we were watching The Wrestler (which is a good movie by the way): it is ok for parents to not be perfect and to not have the answers all of the time because they are just people. After all, I am a parent and popping out a kid sure didn't make me perfect (although it did make me a little more mature). It seems obvious and simple, yet I realize how much I have expected of my parents (and other parents I have known). Now that I am a parent myself, I hope that my kid will be gracious and merciful when, inevitably, I am selfish and weak.

In other news, for any readers out there in the Real Simple club: they are selling one-year subscriptions on amazon for $5. That was not a typo, it's really $5. So go buy it.