Every day Quote by Anthony Bourdain
““The fact that she’s a girl requires, I believe, extra effort. Dada may have, at various times in his life, been a pig, but Dada surely does not want to ever look like a pig again. This can’t possibly be overstated. As the first of two boys, I can’t even imagine what it must be like for a little girl to see her dad leering at another of her sex. This creature will soon grow up to be a young woman and that’s something I consider every day. I figure, I’m going to spoil the shit out of this kid for a while, then pack her off to tae kwon do as soon as she’s four years old. Her first day of second grade and Little Timmy at the desk behind her tries to pull her hair? He’s getting an elbow to the thorax. My little girl may grow up with lots of problems: spoiled; with unrealistic expectations of the world; cultural identification confusion, perhaps (a product of much traveling in her early years); considering the food she’s exposed to, she shall surely have a jaded palate; and an aged and possibly infirm dad by the time she’s sixteen. But she ain’t gonna have any problems with self-esteem. Whatever else, she’s never going to look for validation from some predatory asshole. She can—and surely will—hang out with tons of assholes.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Anthony Bourdain on parenting, 2015
He emphasizes proactive, protective parenting for a daughter, balancing indulgence with discipline, and fostering self‑esteem without external validation.
In simple terms: Protective parenting builds confidence and resilience.
Raise confident, self‑reliant children.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- childhood development
- school bullying
- sports training
- family dynamics
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parents balance protection with fostering autonomy?
- What risks arise from excessive indulgence?
Overprotectiveness may hinder independence and realistic expectations.