BIG

I am deeply concerned that “the boys are responsible for yardwork, but there isn’t much of it.” What do you expect of the eldest daughter in such a setup? “Moody” is a mild response to the pressure to be mother’s little helper (read: equally exhausted young woman whose childhood is robbed from her by irresponsible parents who keep breeding, expecting the eldest daughters to take up the slack--I know, I was one of them). Interesting that when polled, all of the girls opted for smaller families, and the boys are, of course, going to have “four boys and four girls.”

CONSTANCE CALLINICOS

Pasadena