cover page

 

Introduction

 

Henry diary 1985

 

Henry diary 1986

 

Henry diary 1987

 

Henry and Stephen diary 1987

 

Henry and Stephen diary 1988

 

Henry and Stephen diary 1989

 

Henry and Stephen diary 1990

 

Appendix B – bibliography of books in diaries

 

 

 

For about five years, from 1985 to 1990, I kept a diary about my two sons in their earliest years. The diaries are posted here. WORD DOCUMENTS ABOVE

The idea to keep such a diary was my own, but my former therapist, Ralph Colp Jr. MD, made the suggestion to me almost simultaneously. He had kept such a diary of his two children in their early years. (He said he discontinued the diaries, as did I, when his children were around age five.) My therapist got the idea to keep a children’s diary from Charles Darwin — he was a Darwin scholar — who had done so for his oldest child, a son.

One remark I might make is that, while the diaries are not literary and are not polished writing, they were — like any writing task — a useful exercise for me to undertake; and, I was diligent about keeping the diary up at a time during middle age when my wife and I were very busy with various activities and responsibilities.

The diaries are unedited. I intend to eventually edit them for typos and condensing where necessary.

 
— Roger W. Smith