She held up a photograph of a child in a striped shirt with short, brown hair. “Boy!” the students cried out in unison. Ms. Reeves looked at the children spread out on the colorful rug before her.

There is plenty to feel bad about as a mom. Too much technology, skipping half the book during story time, using sweets as bribes despite my fear of tooth rot, and forgetting to put sunblock on my ...