“Our job is to let our children know what’s right about them.”

When we acknowledge a child’s feelings, we do him a great service.

Keeping our youth and yesterdays alive / Comrades with one history.

Let us realize that along with food, shelter, and clothing

We deprive them of the experience that comes from wrestling with their own problems.

The resentment that each child feels for the privileges of the other;

Deep inside you know / when trouble comes / and there’s no one else to turn to

No wonder they mobilize all their energy to have more or most. Or better still, all.

Add to that the envy that one child feels for the accomplishments of the other;

I was a wonderful parent before I had children.

From their verbal sparring they learn the difference between being clever and being hurtful.

The personal frustrations that they don’t dare let out on anyone else but a brother or sister,

I was an expert on why everyone else was having problems with theirs. Then I had three of my own.

From their endless rough-housing with each other, they develop speed and agility.

I was a wonderful parent before I had children.

Comforters for our todays / Guardians of memories

We put him in touch with his inner reality.

One must also accept that one has ‘uncreative’ moments. The more honestly one can accept that, the quicker these moments will pass.

You know, as I’ve grown older, my ideas about sin have changed. I used to believe that sins were things you did, but I don’t think that now. I think sins are what you ignore.

When a child wants to be accepted, he’ll do anything.

At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool.

I’m of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe.

The house was run by my mother, and because there were 10 or so kids, there was no time for individual attention.

What first intrigued me was this desire to understand my family and put it in the context of American history.

He said, “For you, it may be your 50th or 100th selfie, autograph, or whatever of the day. But for that person, it may be the first or the only time in their life that they’ve seen someone they enjoy on television. Never lose sight of that.”