---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about small children is…"
description: "\"The great thing about small children is they're portable, so we take them everywhere, but when it comes to 2015, Zachary's going to school, and I want ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png"
---

#  The great thing about small children is they're portable…

![“The great thing about small children is they're portable, so we take them everywhere, but when it comes to 2015, Zachary's going to school, and I want to be there to drop him off and pick him up. I don't want to just be the father who reads them a bedtime story.” quote by Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png)

> “The great thing about small children is they're portable, so we take them everywhere, but when it comes to 2015, Zachary's going to school, and I want to be there to drop him off and pick him up. I don't want to just be the father who reads them a bedtime story.”

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Emphasizes desire to be an active, present father beyond traditional roles.

**In simple terms:** Want to be more than a storyteller dad.

Key Takeaway

Engage actively in your child's life.

Themes

parenthood presence identity

Mood

thoughtful motivational

Type

advice personal development

When to use this quote

- school runs
- daily routines
- family time
- personal growth

Key Concepts

fatherhood modern parenting

Questions to Reflect On

- What daily actions can deepen your bond?
- How do you define a present parent?

A Different Perspective

Balancing work and involvement can be challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bedtime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bedtime/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Great thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-thing/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Small children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-children/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/)

## Related quotes

> [Night before school: 'I want to study seriously tomorrow,' Morning of school: 'I WANT MORE SLEEP!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/night-before-school-i-want-to-study-seriously-tomorrow-morning-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When I entered high school I couldn't wait to grow up. Now that I'm leaving high school I want to be a kid again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-entered-high-school-i-couldn-t-wait-to-grow-up-now-that-i-m/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm old-school. I want to be there to drop off my daughter at school and pick her up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-m-old-school-i-want-to-be-there-to-drop-off-my-daughter-at-school/)

[Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/)

> [Kurt, I have a fantastic idea that would make me the most involved student in the school. I want us to start a gaylesball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-berry/kurt-i-have-a-fantastic-idea-that-would-make-me-the-most-involved/)

[Rachel Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-berry/)

> [I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education. And I'm afraid of no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-don-t-mind-if-i-have-to-sit-on-the-floor-at-school-all-i-want-is/)

[Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/)

> [I'm from the school of, 'if you want more, you have to require more from yourself.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-m-from-the-school-of-if-you-want-more-you-have-to-require-more-from/)

[Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/)

> [Girls don't dress-up and put on make-up to be popular. They do it to stand out. Boys don't aim for the star athlete. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/original/girls-don-t-dress-up-and-put-on-make-up-to-be-popular-they-do-it-to/)

[Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/original/)

> [I was a strange kid in that, while most kids hate school and want to turn 18 or 21, I loved high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/i-was-a-strange-kid-in-that-while-most-kids-hate-school-and-want-to/)

[Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/)

> [Regular school is one bajillion times easier than online school. I want friends; I want a social life. I want that experience in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-vanderwaal/regular-school-is-one-bajillion-times-easier-than-online-school-i/)

[Grace VanderWaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-vanderwaal/)

> [I didn't know at all I wanted to do TV. I thought I might go to law school. I might want to become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-cuse/i-didn-t-know-at-all-i-wanted-to-do-tv-i-thought-i-might-go-to-law/)

[Carlton Cuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-cuse/)

> [I wouldn't recommend it, because art school is a funny business. Yes, if you can find a situation where they'll give you money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigourney-weaver/i-wouldn-t-recommend-it-because-art-school-is-a-funny-business-yes-if/)

[Sigourney Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigourney-weaver/)

> [I personally don't like school, but you have to do it if you want to get through life, so pretty much I put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/i-personally-don-t-like-school-but-you-have-to-do-it-if-you-want-to/)

[RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/)

> [Ultimately I want to see all the regions in this country have a specialist maths school, I want every big city to have at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-williamson/ultimately-i-want-to-see-all-the-regions-in-this-country-have-a/)

[Gavin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-williamson/)

> [I wanted to choose the school where I want to send my kids to. So that's the way I got into politics. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/i-wanted-to-choose-the-school-where-i-want-to-send-my-kids-to-so-that/)

[Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/)

> [When I was a little girl at school, I really wanted to be Katie or Sarah or Sophie. When you're a little girl at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viva-bianca/when-i-was-a-little-girl-at-school-i-really-wanted-to-be-katie-or/)

[Viva Bianca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viva-bianca/)

## More by Elton John

> [For me music is so passionate. I have to give it my all every time I go onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/for-me-music-is-so-passionate-i-have-to-give-it-my-all-every-time-i/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [No tears to damn you when jealousy burns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/no-tears-to-damn-you-when-jealousy-burns/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [And we have come so far like that. I mean, the advances on the medication side have been enormous, and the advances on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/and-we-have-come-so-far-like-that-i-mean-the-advances-on-the/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids, in fact it's cold as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/mars-ain-t-the-kind-of-place-to-raise-your-kids-in-fact-it-s-cold-as/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I'm not bored with my life. I'm not just making the records and touring, I would find that boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-m-not-bored-with-my-life-i-m-not-just-making-the-records-and/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-places-that-have-an-incredible-history-i-love-the-italian-way/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I used to get my money at the end of the week, buy my mum something, or buy a record, and that was it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-used-to-get-my-money-at-the-end-of-the-week-buy-my-mum-something-or/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [We have a society where every hit maker and TV presenter is gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/we-have-a-society-where-every-hit-maker-and-tv-presenter-is-gay/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I'm very relaxed. I'm very happy with my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-m-very-relaxed-i-m-very-happy-with-my-personal-life/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [You can beat her, but don't mistreat her. Oh, don't believe that woman please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/you-can-beat-her-but-don-t-mistreat-her-oh-don-t-believe-that-woman/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [The Backstreet Boys can sing their asses off. I'm not so sure about those other boy bands. But Backstreet Boys have my ultimate respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-backstreet-boys-can-sing-their-asses-off-i-m-not-so-sure-about/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [I grew up at my grandmother's house, and she had a beautiful garden. I used to hate mowing the lawn and weeding, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-grew-up-at-my-grandmother-s-house-and-she-had-a-beautiful-garden-i/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [ He \[Ryan White\] had a kind of angelic aura about him. And his family, too, it's like, they are going through all this suffering,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/he-ryan-white-had-a-kind-of-angelic-aura-about-him-and-his-family-too/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [Welcome to the world of bullshit, my dear. You have arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/welcome-to-the-world-of-bullshit-my-dear-you-have-arrived/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

[Explore all 352 Elton John quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The great thing about small children is they're portable, so we take them everywhere, but when it comes to 2015, Zachary's going to school, and I want to be there to drop him off and pick him up. I don't want to just be the father who reads them a bedtime story.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elton John"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-great-thing-about-small-children-is-they-re-portable-so-we-take/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-great-thing-about-small-children-is-they-re-portable-so-we-take/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d3/elton-john-849_about_the-great-thing-about-small-children-is_2610845.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The great thing about small children is they're portable, so we take them everywhere, but when it comes to…” — Elton John",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Elton John",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The great thing about small children...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-great-thing-about-small-children-is-they-re-portable-so-we-take/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-great-thing-about-small-children-is-they-re-portable-so-we-take/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
