There's a certain freedom in writing when you don't know if you'll ever have an audience. Vanessa Diffenbaugh More Quotes by Vanessa Diffenbaugh More Quotes From Vanessa Diffenbaugh My last book, 'The Language of Flowers,' I wrote completely on naptime, when my little kids were asleep. Vanessa Diffenbaugh flowerslastlanguagebook First drafts are never any good - at least, mine aren't. Vanessa Diffenbaugh minefirstnevergood I think that the hardest thing about working with young people in foster care who've been through this kind of neglect and abuse is really to convince them that they are worthy of being loved. And I think because often they don't feel worthy of it, that's why they push people away. Vanessa Diffenbaugh lovedfeelcarepeople My husband was working as principal of an urban transformation high school - the kind of public charter school determined to do whatever it takes to give its mostly minority, low-income student body the education they need and deserve to be successful in life. Vanessa Diffenbaugh husbandeducationlifeschool I'm very interested in getting inside the heads of people society discards, people on the fringe, especially immigrant kids. We dismiss them without getting into details of who they are. Vanessa Diffenbaugh insidedetailssocietypeople I've worked with homeless kids, kids in foster care, and I've never met a kid who couldn't be reached. Vanessa Diffenbaugh neverkidhomelesscare Our standards for motherhood are so high that many of us harbor intense, secret guilt for every harsh word we speak to our children, every negative thought that enters our minds. Vanessa Diffenbaugh motherhoodspeakchildrennegative I traveled a full two years with 'Language of Flowers.' Vanessa Diffenbaugh flowerslanguagetwoyears We were pressured to accept kids we were not qualified to handle. And we do that to people all the time, which is why we don't have enough foster parents. Vanessa Diffenbaugh parentsenoughtimepeople I'm missing work. We didn't have enough money for preschool. I had a panic attack. I couldn't do it. I became one of those horrible foster parents who give the kids back. Vanessa Diffenbaugh parentsbackmoneywork Writing has always been an interest of mine, and 'The Language of Flowers' combined my experience with foster care with something I've always wanted to do. Vanessa Diffenbaugh flowersexperiencecarelanguage
