Footnotes and Scare Quotes

Erik and I spend a good part of our day trying to stop our two oldest boys from setting themselves up to be mortal enemies. Neither of them gives the other any benefit of doubt. One yells way too loud and too quickly. One feels the constant need to rub the other one's ignorance in his face. One covers his ears and repeats annoying provoking statements. One hits swiftly at the slightest cause. One has a victim complex and has mentally cataloged every slight in his life. I should mention that these are good boys, and we love them. And they come to each other's defense when anyone else  trespasses against them. But other than that we are constantly trying to get them to act like they hope to be friends one day. And, believe me, it becomes harder after hearing from both of them individually that the thought of growing up and being free of each other doesn't currently bother them. But as parents we know that they are robbing from their futures, even if they currently don't t...