Carl Honoré is a Canadian writer living in London, England. His journalism has appeared in theiGlobe and Mail/i, theiNational Post/i, theiObserver/iand theiEconomist/i. His first book,bIn Praise of Slow/b, was published in twenty-eight languages and was an international bestseller.Managing ChildhoodbrbriNo matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I’m not talking about the kids./ibr–Bill CosbybrbrIn an affluent corner of London, in a primary school built more than a century ago, a very modern parent-teacher evening is in full swing. My wife and I are here for an interview about our seven-year-old son. A few parents sit outside the classroom on plastic chairs, staring at the floor or glancing at their watches. Some pace the corridor, fiddling nervously with mobile phones.brbrThe year two workbooks are piled up like small snowdrifts on a table. We flip through them, smiling at eccentric spellings, cooing over sweet drawings, and marveling at the complexity of the arithmetic. Our son’s triumphs and failures are laid bare on the page, and they feel like our own. I celebrate each gold star in his workbook with a silent cheer.brbrEventually, Mrs. Pendle invites us into the classroom. Our son seems to be thriving, so we have high hopes for the interview. Once we take our seats at a low table, Mrs. Pendle delivers her verdict: Our son is very good at reading and writing. His math is solid. His science could be better. He is well behaved and a pleasure to teach.brIt is a very good report, yet somehow not quite good enough. “She didn’t mention his amazing vocabulary,” says my wife, as we walk away from the classroom. “Or explain why he’s not in the top group in every subject,” I add. Our tone is jocular–we’re making fun of the pushy parents you read about in the newspapers–but there is an edge to the irony@Fy™™™™š ¾Û€