For instance, when the mother is away on business, she finds time to return home hoping to surprise her children, but she finds that Lisa has made a full schedule of activities, and the children react coldly to their mother's unexpected gesture. Disheartened, the mother goes away, but Lisa asks the children to write thank you cards to their mother, bringing an end to the stalemate.
比如書中寫到媽媽在一次出差途中，特地抽空回家，希望給孩子一個驚喜，但孩子在麗莎阿姨的管理之下早已把一切安排妥當，對媽媽的意外關愛冷淡回應；媽媽黯然離去之後，還是麗莎阿姨要求孩子寫感謝卡給媽媽，才終於化解僵局。