Temperatures don’t seem to be dropping just yet, but mid-season sales certainly are.

In my neighborhood, our dreams focused on sports — of being at bat in the bottom of the ninth in the World Series. In Yankee Stadium. And hitting a home run to win the game. That was one of my dreams.

I have been lucky to work with children throughout my life, and they know things adults spend years trying to figure out. I’ve been everything from au pair to mentor, and despite the snot, sweat, and ...