As an artless preteen, I could not get enough of Anne Shirley. Whimsical, misunderstood, and carelessly beautiful, she was the perfect icon for a girl dreaming of success in love and academia. After I adopted my kids, I watched the movie with my daughter and discovered a newfound admiration for Anne’s adoptive mother, Marilla Cuthbert. Sensible and stubborn, she brought up her child with grace and integrity, knowing all the while that she would not be the one accepting praise for the outcome. Here are some great lessons I gleaned from her parenting style: