“I became acutely aware however of how much children can influence their parents,” he writes.  “My girls have strong opinions and feel the freedom to speak their minds to their father; both when they witness something they like…or don’t.  I listen to them carefully.  I value their opinions and allow them to affect my ideas.  I am proud that they feel comfortable enough to influence my artistic judgment.”

Kevin goes on to say that having children of his own made him realize how much a father can influence his children, and how rewarding that can be.  “It is a symbiotic relationship that lasts a lifetime, made poignant by the fact that the impression children have on a parent is in some ways more sublime than the reverse.  The enigma of that special relationship is never clearer than when one has lost one’s parents and can witness the wheel of generations turning.  Thoughts, character, ideals and dreams, that are the essence of who we become as individuals, are also the very substance of what we give our children.”

If we look to an artistic expression of the effect children can have on their elders, we can find it in several sources.  One case would be Hub and Fat Bailey's influence on their extremely austere grandmother, May.  Even in the first few episodes of the show, viewers can witness the impression both parties make on each other and look forward to the subtle ways in which the brothers might break through May’s icy exterior.

To read Kevin Sullivan’s entire interview, visit avonlea.hu.