--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every minute with a child takes seven…" description: "\"Every minute with a child takes seven minutes off your life.\" — Barbara Kingsolver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/barbara-kingsolver-200_children_every-minute-with-a-child-takes-seven-mi_2043940.png" --- # Every minute with a child takes seven minutes off your life. ![“Every minute with a child takes seven minutes off your life.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/barbara-kingsolver-200_children_every-minute-with-a-child-takes-seven-mi_2043940.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/barbara-kingsolver-200_children_every-minute-with-a-child-takes-seven-mi_2043940.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/barbara-kingsolver-200_children_every-minute-with-a-child-takes-seven-mi_2043940.png) > “Every minute with a child takes seven minutes off your life.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spending time with children feels like it shortens your own lifespan because of the intense emotional investment. **In simple terms:** Children seem to drain your time and energy. Key Takeaway Cherish moments, but set healthy boundaries. Themes parenting time energy life balance Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - caregiving - personal time management Key Concepts emotional labor family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal time with caring for children? - What boundaries help you stay energized? A Different Perspective The quote may exaggerate; not all parents feel this way. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Every Minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-minute/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“I hate to think how many minutes of my life I've spent on goddamn hold. I want those minutes back. When death comes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/i-hate-to-think-how-many-minutes-of-my-life-i-ve-spent-on-goddamn/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [The only reason that it takes me seven years to do stuff is because I just don't really have a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/the-only-reason-that-it-takes-me-seven-years-to-do-stuff-is-because-i/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [If it takes seven days to make a living, you ought to be doing something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-it-takes-seven-days-to-make-a-living-you-ought-to-be-doing/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [Longest minutes in life: 1. waiting for food out of the microwave. 2. waiting for that one text/call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/longest-minutes-in-life-1-waiting-for-food-out-of-the-microwave-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When digital watches were invented years later they reminded me of five-minute checks. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The only reason i Fall in love with cigarette.each one take 2 minutes of my life and i love this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/the-only-reason-i-fall-in-love-with-cigarette-each-one-take-2-minutes/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [In five minutes, your life will change dramatically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/in-five-minutes-your-life-will-change-dramatically/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Unless you work for '60 Minutes', your life is: You do stories about things, and nothing happens as a result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/unless-you-work-for-60-minutes-your-life-is-you-do-stories-about/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-are-only-ten-minutes-in-the-life-of-a-pear-when-it-is-perfect/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Longest minutes in life: 1. Waiting for food in the microwave. 2. Waiting for that one text/call from the one you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/longest-minutes-in-life-1-waiting-for-food-in-the-microwave-2-waiting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every flaw you have or lapse of concentration can cost you a goal, so you have to be on your toes every minute of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-van-der-sar/every-flaw-you-have-or-lapse-of-concentration-can-cost-you-a-goal-so/) [Edwin van der Sar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-van-der-sar/) > [Take time because every minute every second of your life will not come back again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yellow/take-time-because-every-minute-every-second-of-your-life-will-not/) Yellow ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. 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