Diablo Cody made a movie, "Tully," about a childcare provider who is part-saint--and the provider rescues puffy-eyed Charlize Theron from despondency. I think of this sometimes when I see my child's occupational therapist, who sort of reminds me of God. Life is a long series of consultations with experts--some good, some bad--and the good ones are the ones who listen. My child's OT is serene when tantrums occur. This is because the source of the tantrum is a small, adorable child--and the OT hangs onto that fact. She says, "Why don't you just breathe deeply, and your kid will notice this." (And I think of advice from Al-Anon: You can't really *force* sobriety onto an alcoholic, but if you live your own life in a thoughtful way, you might just inspire change in another person.) Sometimes, the bulk of the hour is silence: My kid might be focused, in a little rocking chair, or exploring a small buzzing massage toy. Then, the OT has several ideas, and...