Introduction

      Being a parent can be one of the sources of our greatest joys. It is also – intermittently – the cause of some of our deepest sorrows. It is likely that we will spend at least some of the time in despair and confusion, wondering whether it really has to be so hard. Philosophy has, over the last 2,000 years, been a discipline committed to calm, kindness, perspective and a reduction of paranoia. It is one of the most useful sources of solace and humanity. The Joys and Sorrows of Parenting is made up of 26 small essays that aim to provide understanding of and consolation for the trials and pleasures of parenting. They will provoke insight, recognition and a far more forgiving, generous assessment of one’s challenges. This book promises us a gentle way of staying calm around one of the most arduous, yet deeply fulfilling, jobs in the world.