I Was Told It Would Get Easier(85)

“For sure,” I said.

She seemed pretty stoked. She loves a museum shop, my mother.





Epilogue





From the Larchmont Chronicle:



LOCAL ARCHER SWEEPS STATE FINALS

    Larchmont resident and mom Jessica Burnstein recently topped the senior category in the California State Archery Championships, in both compound and recurve contests. Burnstein plans to go on to the nationals, which will take place in the fall.





Acknowledgments





The careful and detailed itinerary of Jessica and Emily’s college tour was created by Dr. Michelle Nitka, who is a Los Angeles–based expert on schools and education. She is also, sadly for her, my neighbor and very good friend. Any errors of timing or order are my fault completely.

Parenting teenagers is something of a shit show. I wouldn’t be able to get through the day, let alone write, were it not for the friendship of Charlotte Millar, who’s known me and my kids since we were all so much younger, and whose gentle counsel and fierce loyalty make her the very best of best friends.





Questions for Discussion

1. At the beginning of the book, Jessica and Emily don’t have a very good connection, not because they don’t love each other but because they’ve slowly grown apart. What’s the difference between experiencing that kind of relationship damage compared to, say, a sudden breakup?

2. Jessica is a single parent by choice and a working mother. What cultural assumptions are made about both of those groups, and how do those assumptions affect Jessica’s opinion of herself?

3. Jessica talks about the differences between parenting younger children and teenagers. Do her experiences match up with your own?

4. Emily is a very independent young woman. What impact do you think Jessica’s parenting had on Emily?

5. Emily often compares herself to other young people and finds herself wanting. What strengths do you see in her character that she may not be able to see in herself?

6. Emily talks about the pressure on young people to be perfect in every way. How has that pressure changed over time, and why does it feel particularly hard to be young these days?

7. Jessica talks about the pressure on parents to be seen as “good at” parenting, as reflected in their children’s success. Is this something new, or has it always been an issue?

8. As the tour progresses, both Jessica and Emily learn new things about each other. How does travel impact the way we see other people?

9. Towards the end of the novel, Jessica reflects that maybe she’ll be a better parent once Emily is older. How has your relationship with your parents changed over time and, if you have children, once you yourself became a parent?

10. Ultimately Emily and Jessica are both changed by this trip. Have you ever taken a trip that had an unexpected personal outcome?





About the Author



Abbi Waxman, the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Other People's Houses, and The Garden of Small Beginnings, is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, three dogs, three cats, and one very patient husband.