I remember reading this a few years before my son was born. It was a crushing read then, and is not less so now. Also, Gene Weingarten is a national treasure.

I remember reading this a few years before my son was born. It was a crushing read then, and is not less so now. Also, Gene Weingarten is a national treasure. His writing in general and this piece in particular make me want to be sure newspapers prosper enough that it's always someone's paying job to be a long-form journalist. Even if I frequently get my news other ways, that is an extremely valuable social function.