Despite not having actual jobs, Alan and I are doing more tag-teaming of our parenting duties than I thought possible, this fall. Today, a can’t-miss meeting of his study group left me alone to attend our first parent-teacher conference. Kate’s teacher and I sat in those little chairs that make you feel like a giant and shared the good news.

I’m so lucky — she’s doing fine in school and I’m thrilled that she’s doing fine. But no kid is perfect, and so there were “areas in need of improvement.” One, “modulating voice” and two, “controlling side conversations.” You can go through all of my grade-school progress reports and find me consistently lacking in both of those areas. And so I feel the fiercest, most binding parental emotion of all. Empathy.