ANDREA Stern stood in the Sasmals’ backyard, avoiding responsibility for her children as they ran amok across the property. She could feel the disapproval emanating from Tharani and Sharda. She felt some disappointment at her failure to control her kids, and some fear they would ignore her if she tried, but mostly she just felt a lot of indifference. Doing nothing was the path of least resistance—a path she had abhorred until she had kids.
