Extreme Understanding 
Jenny Diski
As any adult can tell you – or any adult not given over entirely to mawkish and convenient notions of innocence – children are born spies. Every parent (previously an independent individual pursuing their own interests and desires) knows: a child arrives and it starts to watch you. You are never alone again, not really. There is someone who has arrived and will not go away; who not only watches you but also possesses their own consciousness, has views, puts two and two together and understands more or less than you want them to, but either way distorts the picture you have of your life.
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Jenny Diski is writing a book about St Helena. A novel, Apology for the Woman Writing, is coming out in November.
Other articles by this contributor:
Hang on to the doily · Catherine M.
Who wears hats now? · Jenny Diski walks back to the future
Jowls are available · ‘Second Life’
Diary · The Friendly Spider Programme
Don’t think about it · The Trouble with Sonia Orwell
Giving Hysteria a Bad Name · At home with the Mellys
Mirror Images · Jenny Diski sees off Piers Morgan
Did Jesus walk on water because he couldn’t swim? · Jewish Seafarers
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