Author and humorist Erma Bombeck once wrote, “When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.” As parents, we all have moments when we would like to hide away, avoid confrontation, and wait for the quiet that follows the storm. Parenting is an incredible challenge, full of foibles, fits, and frantic attempts to calm and soothe our children. In our efforts, we’re frequently left to follow our instincts and try our best, sometimes reaching thrilling victories and other times falling foolishly off course.

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