Freddie Kaminski blows ten birthday candles out at the local Chuck E. Cheese, in front of a crowd of six that includes his older sister, Julie, and both of his parents. Despite no school absences from any classmates the day before, his parents spent the morning fielding numerous barely apologetic phone calls from other parents proclaiming the sudden onset of an illness, or some other unexpected circumstance, and thus an inability to attend.

Freddie thinks to himself, as he observes the continued surprise, disappointment, and worry of his family, that he had told them he did not want a party this year.

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Is this how villains are made? Or is this how parents are made aware of the fact that a villain has already been made?

This story is mostly just a projection of parenting anxiety.

Social adjustment is probably more important than anything academic you pick up when you’re young (though not being able to do academic basics can be an obstacle to social adjustment.) It is my experience, based on several interview and hiring experiences, that homeschooled kids are often far more well-adjusted than their peers. There is something to be said for inculcating emotional security until it permeates a person’s self-identity.