--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's something wrong with a mother who…" description: "\"There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she's only measured water in it.\" — Erma Bombeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png" --- # There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a… ![“There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she's only measured water in it.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png) > “There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she's only measured water in it.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Washing a measuring cup after measuring water is unnecessary and wasteful, highlighting absurd domestic habits. **In simple terms:** Avoid needless cleaning steps. Key Takeaway Simplify daily routines. Themes humor domestic life efficiency Mood lighthearted reflective Type humorous observational When to use this quote - kitchen chores - home organization - time management - environmental awareness Key Concepts habit critique resource waste practicality Questions to Reflect On - What other habits could be simplified? - How does habit affect daily efficiency? A Different Perspective May overlook cultural reasons for thoroughness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cup Soap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cup-soap-3477479/) [Measuring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measuring/) [Measuring Cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measuring-cup-3477478/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Washes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-washes-3477476/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Soap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soap/) [Washes Measuring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washes-measuring-3477477/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Wrong Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-mother-3477480/) ## Related quotes > [I could do no wrong in my mother's eyes from the day I was born. My fans bought her a very nice house in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-could-do-no-wrong-in-my-mother-s-eyes-from-the-day-i-was-born-my/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [“The Awakening Land" p628 A strange, uneasy feeling ran over him. If he had been wrong about his mother in this, might he by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-richter/the-awakening-land-p628-a-strange-uneasy-feeling-ran-over-him-if-he/) [Conrad Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-richter/) > [“You can’t improve what you are not managing, you can’t manage what you are not measuring, and you can’t measure what you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/you-can-t-improve-what-you-are-not-managing-you-can-t-manage-what-you/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [The great majority of men use their own short-sighted ideas as a yardstick for measuring the divine omnipotence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/the-great-majority-of-men-use-their-own-short-sighted-ideas-as-a/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [Perhaps measuring animal intelligence by comparing it to human intelligence isn't the best litmus test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/perhaps-measuring-animal-intelligence-by-comparing-it-to-human/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [Time is a measure of space, just as a range-finder is a measure of space, but measuring locks us into the place we measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/time-is-a-measure-of-space-just-as-a-range-finder-is-a-measure-of/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-science-of-the-church-is-neglected-for-the-study-of-geometry-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [In my eyes, baking and pastry-making is like a science - all the measuring of quantities and temperatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/in-my-eyes-baking-and-pastry-making-is-like-a-science-all-the/) [Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/) > [Measuring life by what others do for us may disappoint us...But Measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/measuring-life-by-what-others-do-for-us-may-disappoint-us-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Morality without religion is only a kind of dead reckoning - an endeavor to find our place on a cloudy sea by measuring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/morality-without-religion-is-only-a-kind-of-dead-reckoning-an/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Learning to decipher words had only added to the pleasures of holding spines and turning pages, measuring the journey to the end with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowley/learning-to-decipher-words-had-only-added-to-the-pleasures-of-holding/) [John Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowley/) > [There's always the tendency to transform the Church into an ethical agency, and of measuring the Church by the yardstick of social and cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehmann/there-s-always-the-tendency-to-transform-the-church-into-an-ethical/) [Karl Lehmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehmann/) > [It is much easier to make measurements than to know exactly what you are measuring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-n-sullivan/it-is-much-easier-to-make-measurements-than-to-know-exactly-what-you/) [J. W. N. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-n-sullivan/) > [By measuring the proportion of children living with the same parents from birth and whether their parents report a good quality relationship we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-duncan-smith/by-measuring-the-proportion-of-children-living-with-the-same-parents/) [Iain Duncan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-duncan-smith/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Erma Bombeck > [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I used everything you gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-used-everything-you-gave-me/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The mole rat is the only rodent born without a fur coat. With a good lawyer, someone would pay for that little oversight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-mole-rat-is-the-only-rodent-born-without-a-fur-coat-with-a-good/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [God created man, but I could do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/god-created-man-but-i-could-do-better/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [If the nest is truly empty, who owns all this junk?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/if-the-nest-is-truly-empty-who-owns-all-this-junk/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Housework, if it is done properly, can cause brain damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-if-it-is-done-properly-can-cause-brain-damage/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compromise-of-the-decade-it-s-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: Seize the Moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-have-a-friend-who-lives-by-a-three-word-philosophy-seize-the-moment/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/when-i-stand-before-god-at-the-end-of-my-life-i-would-hope-that-i/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Before we sent kids to computer camps and told them they were having a good time, there was imagination among the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/before-we-sent-kids-to-computer-camps-and-told-them-they-were-having/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) [Explore all 372 Erma Bombeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## More Measuring quotes > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [By measuring the proportion of children living with the same parents from birth and whether their parents report a good quality relationship we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-duncan-smith/by-measuring-the-proportion-of-children-living-with-the-same-parents/) [Iain Duncan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-duncan-smith/) > [It is much easier to make measurements than to know exactly what you are measuring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-n-sullivan/it-is-much-easier-to-make-measurements-than-to-know-exactly-what-you/) [J. W. N. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-n-sullivan/) > [There's always the tendency to transform the Church into an ethical agency, and of measuring the Church by the yardstick of social and cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehmann/there-s-always-the-tendency-to-transform-the-church-into-an-ethical/) [Karl Lehmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehmann/) > [Learning to decipher words had only added to the pleasures of holding spines and turning pages, measuring the journey to the end with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowley/learning-to-decipher-words-had-only-added-to-the-pleasures-of-holding/) [John Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowley/) > [Morality without religion is only a kind of dead reckoning - an endeavor to find our place on a cloudy sea by measuring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/morality-without-religion-is-only-a-kind-of-dead-reckoning-an/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Measuring life by what others do for us may disappoint us...But Measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/measuring-life-by-what-others-do-for-us-may-disappoint-us-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my eyes, baking and pastry-making is like a science - all the measuring of quantities and temperatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/in-my-eyes-baking-and-pastry-making-is-like-a-science-all-the/) [Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/) > [The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-science-of-the-church-is-neglected-for-the-study-of-geometry-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Time is a measure of space, just as a range-finder is a measure of space, but measuring locks us into the place we measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/time-is-a-measure-of-space-just-as-a-range-finder-is-a-measure-of/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Perhaps measuring animal intelligence by comparing it to human intelligence isn't the best litmus test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/perhaps-measuring-animal-intelligence-by-comparing-it-to-human/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [The great majority of men use their own short-sighted ideas as a yardstick for measuring the divine omnipotence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/the-great-majority-of-men-use-their-own-short-sighted-ideas-as-a/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [“You can’t improve what you are not managing, you can’t manage what you are not measuring, and you can’t measure what you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/you-can-t-improve-what-you-are-not-managing-you-can-t-manage-what-you/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [..."And for God's sake, never get into the petty habit of measuring your self-worth against other people's net-worth. As Yogi Ramen preached: 'Every second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/and-for-god-s-sake-never-get-into-the-petty-habit-of-measuring-your/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [What you need to do is get that tape measure out, and start measuring that gut. Then you start working out and you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/what-you-need-to-do-is-get-that-tape-measure-out-and-start-measuring/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) [Browse all 268 Measuring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measuring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she's only measured water in it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erma Bombeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-who-washes-out-a-measuring-cup/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Measuring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-who-washes-out-a-measuring-cup/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/erma-bombeck-780_measuring_there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-wh_2805064.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she's only…” — Erma Bombeck", "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": "Erma Bombeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's something wrong with a mother...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-who-washes-out-a-measuring-cup/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-s-something-wrong-with-a-mother-who-washes-out-a-measuring-cup/#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 } } ] } ```