In 1969, child prodigy William Miller struggles to fit in. His life is further complicated after learning that his widowed college-professor mother Elaine has led him to believe he is thirteen years old. William is actually eleven, having started the first grade at five years old, and skipping fifth grade. Strong-willed Elaine's strict ban on rock music and pop culture influences that she fears have a negative effect on her children finally drives William's eighteen-year-old sister Anita to leave home to become a flight attendant.