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Parenthood will also alter your notions about “happy endings.”

Oftentimes, for parents a happy ending means sleeping through the night, attending a business meeting without spit-up on your blazer, leaving the emergency room with a child on the mend, or seeing your teenager make it home safely in a snowstorm.

Some of life’s happiest happy endings and greatest lessons are delivered through the quotidian experiences of parenthood.

So look at the families around you. If being around other families fills you with longing, then – dive in.

Parenthood is not for everyone, and unfortunately it is the children who end up ultimately shouldering the burden for their parents’ choices.

Dear Amy: My friend “Jennifer” and I moved into an apartment together last year. We are both on the lease.

At the outset, we agreed that if we wanted to have boyfriends – or other guests – stay regularly overnight, we would limit this to at most two times a week.

I have a boyfriend and have adhered to this agreement. I frequently work from home and it is important for me to live in an environment that is fairly quiet and peaceful.

Jennifer’s sister lives nearby and for the last two months, this sister has spent five to six nights a week at our apartment. She says this is because her roommate’s boyfriend has started staying over at their apartment. Plus, our apartment is just nicer than hers is.

I enjoy her company to a certain extent, but when the two sisters are together, they tend to be noisy, messy, and – it’s just disruptive.

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