Parent/Child Relationships

Dylan’s involvement in the horrific Columbine shootings forced the author to realize the extent to which she had misunderstood her son. Sue writes, “I felt a responsibility to educate parents and families about what happened, and why. I believed that hearing what Dylan had gone through might be beneficial to others, especially those who are struggling or who find themselves or their loved ones trapped in a cycle of hopelessness, and I particularly wanted readers to know what I failed to understand as a parent until it was too late: that anyone can be suffering and in need of expert care, regardless of how they act, what they say, or who they are” (3).

Herein lies one of the main themes that runs throughout the memoir: the notion that parents are susceptible to misreading their children. In general, most parents feel as though they have a...