“Children are educated by what the grown-up is and not by his talk.”
Parenting is the most important job you will never feel qualified for. These quotes cover the chaos, joy, worry, and profound love that come with raising another human being — and the humbling realization that your kids are teaching you as much as you teach them.
“Women are individuals in parenting, and why not?”
“Children are educated by what the grown-up is and not by his talk.”
“No, I've never wanted kids. But I do read about parenting a lot.”
“Every cliche about kids is true they grow up so quickly, you blink and they're gone, and you have to spend the time with them now. But that's a joy.”
“Parents were invented to make children happy by giving them something to ignore.”
“Ah, the power of two. There's nothing quite like it. Especially when it comes to paying utility bills, parenting, cooking elaborate meals, purchasing a grown-up bed, jumping rope and lifting heavy machinery. The world favours pairs. Who wants to waste the wood building an ark for singletons?”
“Kids are a great analogy. You want your kids to grow up, and you don't want your kids to grow up. You want your kids to become independent of you, but it's also a parent's worst nightmare: That they won't need you. It's like the real tragedy of parenting.”
“I'm worried about parents who aren't parenting.”
“Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence.”
“A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.”
“Don't try to make children grow up to be like you, or they may do it.”
“Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they're already asleep.”
“Autism is a neurological disorder. It's not caused by bad parenting. It's caused by, you know, abnormal development in the brain. The emotional circuits in the brain are abnormal. And there also are differences in the white matter, which is the brain's computer cables that hook up the different brain departments.”
“The truth is that parents are not really interested in justice. They just want quiet.”
“Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on earth.”
“I barely have time for my own children. To adopt more children and not have time for them, that would be poor parenting on my part.”