--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided, when I started having kids…" description: "\"I decided, when I started having kids, that I'd try not to do anything that I wouldn't be proud for them to see. I've kind of stuck with that, and I do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/dick-van-dyke-2430_be-proud_i-decided-when-i-started-having-kids-tha_2158247.jpg" --- # I decided, when I started having kids, that I'd try not to… ![“I decided, when I started having kids, that I'd try not to do anything that I wouldn't be proud for them to see. I've kind of stuck with that, and I don't regret that at all, although I've lost money and passed up a lot of projects because of it. But I feel good about that.” quote by Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/dick-van-dyke-2430_be-proud_i-decided-when-i-started-having-kids-tha_2158247.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/dick-van-dyke-2430_be-proud_i-decided-when-i-started-having-kids-tha_2158247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/dick-van-dyke-2430_be-proud_i-decided-when-i-started-having-kids-tha_2158247.jpg) > “I decided, when I started having kids, that I'd try not to do anything that I wouldn't be proud for them to see. I've kind of stuck with that, and I don't regret that at all, although I've lost money and passed up a lot of projects because of it. But I feel good about that.” [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing to act in ways that would make one's children proud guides personal decisions, fostering integrity and long‑term fulfillment despite short‑term sacrifices. **In simple terms:** Live with integrity for your kids' eyes. Key Takeaway Prioritize values over immediate gain. Themes parenting integrity values Mood proud determined Type personal reflective When to use this quote - career choices - financial decisions - daily habits - public behavior Key Concepts role modeling long‑term fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your daily choices? - How do you handle missed opportunities? A Different Perspective Balancing pride with practical needs can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-proud/) [Feel good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-good/) [Having kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-kids/) [I feel good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-feel-good/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Projects Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects-feel-334420/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Stuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Wouldn Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-proud-2837120/) ## Related quotes > [“Kendall, you're my daughter. I could never hate you. I will always love you and be proud of you. Unless you were to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-zimmer/kendall-you-re-my-daughter-i-could-never-hate-you-i-will-always-love/) [Kristen Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-zimmer/) > [If I wanted to show family or friends content that had loads of cursing in it, I wouldn't be as proud of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dantdm/if-i-wanted-to-show-family-or-friends-content-that-had-loads-of/) [DanTDM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dantdm/) > [What matters is how I feel about it, cause if I feel good or bad about it, then the audience will feel good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-renner/what-matters-is-how-i-feel-about-it-cause-if-i-feel-good-or-bad-about/) [Jeremy Renner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-renner/) > [You keep insisting, I feel good because the world is right! Wrong! The world is right because I feel good. That's what all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-keep-insisting-i-feel-good-because-the-world-is-right-wrong-the/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [If and when I do get "down," the last thing on my mind is writing a song. Usually, being bummed just involves lying around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wooden-wand/if-and-when-i-do-get-down-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-is-writing-a-song/) [Wooden Wand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wooden-wand/) > [I can't always control my body the way I want to, and I can't control when I feel good or when I don't. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/i-can-t-always-control-my-body-the-way-i-want-to-and-i-can-t-control/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [I arrived here, with a destroyed house, with nothing. I had to do everything very slowly. And with a little team and a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-tisci/i-arrived-here-with-a-destroyed-house-with-nothing-i-had-to-do/) [Riccardo Tisci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-tisci/) > [Music feels like therapy, actually. A lot of people come out of a therapy session and feel like a weight has been lifted -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-presley/music-feels-like-therapy-actually-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-a/) [Tim Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-presley/) > [I think success is about purpose. People ask about success at different points in your life. As I look back, I think people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-wexner/i-think-success-is-about-purpose-people-ask-about-success-at/) [Les Wexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-wexner/) > [I just shoot until I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-just-shoot-until-i-feel-good/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [The only reason I do anything is that I just love writing songs. If I write songs, I feel good about it for days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-jarman/the-only-reason-i-do-anything-is-that-i-just-love-writing-songs-if-i/) [Ryan Jarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-jarman/) > [I'm happy. I feel good about music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-m-happy-i-feel-good-about-music/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [I feel good with my slider a lot. When I'm far behind the count I use it ... so I feel confident with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ubaldo-jimenez/i-feel-good-with-my-slider-a-lot-when-i-m-far-behind-the-count-i-use/) [Ubaldo Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ubaldo-jimenez/) > [I feel good about who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/i-feel-good-about-who-i-am/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [With any good projects, I feel like the off-screen chemistry factors on-screen. It's great when you don't have to force it, but when it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/with-any-good-projects-i-feel-like-the-off-screen-chemistry-factors/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) ## More by Dick Van Dyke > [Today, with the subject matter that's around politically, and internationally and everything, I think Carl Reiner would have a ball. I think the format…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/today-with-the-subject-matter-that-s-around-politically-and/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [We used to get 27, 28 minutes to do a story in, and now they're lucky if they get 18 or 20 minutes. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/we-used-to-get-27-28-minutes-to-do-a-story-in-and-now-they-re-lucky/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I did a 'Golden Girls' once, which shot in front of an audience, and that went well. I had a good time. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-did-a-golden-girls-once-which-shot-in-front-of-an-audience-and-that/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [A lot of the guilt didn't help my drinking at that point. I never expected a divorce to happen in my life particularly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/a-lot-of-the-guilt-didn-t-help-my-drinking-at-that-point-i-never/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [No, no, it was the relationships. That was that group. People believed that Rob and Laura were really married in real life. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/no-no-it-was-the-relationships-that-was-that-group-people-believed/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [They did ask me to do 'Dancing With The Stars;' I said I can do one show, but on that show you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/they-did-ask-me-to-do-dancing-with-the-stars-i-said-i-can-do-one-show/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've never been what you'd call a great singer, but I loved to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-never-been-what-you-d-call-a-great-singer-but-i-loved-to-sing/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I found doing that kind of comedy without an audience is just... for me, it's almost impossible. You need the audience to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-found-doing-that-kind-of-comedy-without-an-audience-is-just-for-me/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I learned everything that I know about comedy and about show business and a lot about life from Carl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-learned-everything-that-i-know-about-comedy-and-about-show-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've had a lot of writers, in particular, who said they got into writing because of the 'Van Dyke Show.' They said it looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-writers-in-particular-who-said-they-got-into/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I cannot tell you what it means when children recognize. This is about the third generation for me. And when kids that small recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-cannot-tell-you-what-it-means-when-children-recognize-this-is-about/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [So as my kids will tell you, they had a pretty normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/so-as-my-kids-will-tell-you-they-had-a-pretty-normal-life/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think, the 'Van Dyke Show' and 'Mary Poppins' are two of the best periods of my life. I had so much fun, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-the-van-dyke-show-and-mary-poppins-are-two-of-the-best/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think it's being thrown at the wolves, we call it in our business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-it-s-being-thrown-at-the-wolves-we-call-it-in-our-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [My favorite unknown movie is 'The Comic.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/my-favorite-unknown-movie-is-the-comic/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) [Explore all 166 Dick Van Dyke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## More Be proud quotes > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [All of my decisions I made when I was a kid were decisions, would my mother and father be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-venturi/all-of-my-decisions-i-made-when-i-was-a-kid-were-decisions-would-my/) [Ken Venturi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-venturi/) > [We had pathetically simple dreams: to do meaningful work that we could be proud of, to be together, and to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/we-had-pathetically-simple-dreams-to-do-meaningful-work-that-we-could/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I hate pride, but if I were going to be proud of anything it would have to be something I'd done myself. Race pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-hate-pride-but-if-i-were-going-to-be-proud-of-anything-it-would/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [What I have most learned from my son is to respect him and to love him unconditionally. I believe that if parents respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-i-have-most-learned-from-my-son-is-to-respect-him-and-to-love/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [I was a breed of people who aren't capable of doing anything, really. At college I began to get the idea that being macho…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-was-a-breed-of-people-who-aren-t-capable-of-doing-anything-really/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [Any society that doesn't take care of its weaker younger members is not one to be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-march/any-society-that-doesn-t-take-care-of-its-weaker-younger-members-is/) [Stephanie March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-march/) > [ The thing most worth doing in this modern world \[is to\] create jobs that men can work at, and be proud of, and make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/the-thing-most-worth-doing-in-this-modern-world-is-to-create-jobs/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [I cannot understand how anyone can be an Indian and not be proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-cannot-understand-how-anyone-can-be-an-indian-and-not-be-proud/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [...We are intensely proud of their noble record and are glad to have had the whole world see how irresistible they are in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/we-are-intensely-proud-of-their-noble-record-and-are-glad-to-have-had/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) [Browse all 563 Be proud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-proud/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided, when I started having kids, that I'd try not to do anything that I wouldn't be proud for them to see. 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