COSIMA HUBNER

Some children become known within their families as the easy one. They rarely cause trouble. They do well at school, manage their feelings quietly and seem mature beyond their years. They may be described as independent, sensible, helpful or undemanding. Parents often speak proudly of a child like this: She was always so easy. He never needed much from us. We never had to worry about her. But children do not necessarily need less simply because they ask for less. Sometimes, b

The absence of a parent can leave a mark long after childhood. This is not simply because a parent was not there, but because of what their absence came to mean. Perhaps your father left when you were young. Perhaps your mother was physically present but emotionally unavailable. Perhaps contact with one parent became increasingly infrequent after a separation. Or perhaps a parent disappeared from family life almost entirely. Children adapt remarkably well to difficult circums