Roy is the only character who has a good home life with supporting and loving parents. Roy loves his parents, and they have a good relationship with each other. The other main characters in the novel have parents who are abusive, rough, uncaring, or downright negligent. Even though the bad parents are painted in a humorous light, there is a serious undercurrent, especially as Beatrice has to battle against her stepmother’s tantrums. Beatrice stays at Roy’s house to escape her stepmother’s wrath, and readers feel sorry that children are subjected to such treatment by the people who should be their caregivers. Roy’s situation shows the happiness and stability that can come from a strong family. The advice and support that Roy gets from his parents guide him in crucial decisions throughout the novel, and his parents help him in his endeavors.