--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We no longer get work out of our…" description: "\"“We no longer get work out of our children; today we get meaning.”\" — Esther Perel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/esther-perel-3265_children_we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-childre_1833858.png" --- # We no longer get work out of our children; today we get… ![“We no longer get work out of our children; today we get meaning.” quote by Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/esther-perel-3265_children_we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-childre_1833858.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/esther-perel-3265_children_we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-childre_1833858.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/esther-perel-3265_children_we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-childre_1833858.png) > ““We no longer get work out of our children; today we get meaning.”” [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A shift from seeing children as labor to seeing them as sources of personal meaning, emphasizing relational depth. **In simple terms:** Children provide meaning, not work. Key Takeaway Focus on nurturing relationships for fulfillment. Themes family meaning parenting societal expectations Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - career planning - mental health Key Concepts psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect your parenting style? - What balance between work and meaning do you seek? A Different Perspective May overlook practical responsibilities of parenting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-of-life/) [Parenthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenthood/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“Truly is when you die,leaving from this world nobody going with you ,even though peoples who love you or family they will be sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunyanuch/truly-is-when-you-die-leaving-from-this-world-nobody-going-with-you/) [Chunyanuch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunyanuch/) > [..Yet if today has no meaning, the past was a Blank and the future is a Chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/yet-if-today-has-no-meaning-the-past-was-a-blank-and-the-future-is-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Most people probably become more jaded the longer they work in the world of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/most-people-probably-become-more-jaded-the-longer-they-work-in-the/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [Find your passion, and it's no longer work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-reid/find-your-passion-and-it-s-no-longer-work/) [L.A. Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-reid/) > [ The longer you work in this business \[movie\], the more you start to be able to see the carpentry. You can see where things… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benioff/the-longer-you-work-in-this-business-movie-the-more-you-start-to-be/) [David Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benioff/) > [Imagine working 20% smarter instead of 20% longer...Work-life balance and startup success at any stage aren't mutually exclusive. There are enough hours in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cummings/imagine-working-20-smarter-instead-of-20-longer-work-life-balance-and/) David Cummings > [To make a living is no longer enough. Work also has to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/to-make-a-living-is-no-longer-enough-work-also-has-to-make-a-life/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“The longer you work, the more money you’ll have for retirement. But the longer you work, the less time you’ll have to enjoy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski-2/the-longer-you-work-the-more-money-you-ll-have-for-retirement-but-the/) Ernie J. Zelinski > [The longer we work on the show, the more the writers just start surprising you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-brie/the-longer-we-work-on-the-show-the-more-the-writers-just-start/) [Alison Brie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-brie/) > [We know that those who take part in work experience spend less time on benefits, longer in work and are financially better off as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/we-know-that-those-who-take-part-in-work-experience-spend-less-time/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [Find your passion... then it is no longer work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-reid/find-your-passion-then-it-is-no-longer-work/) [L.A. Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-reid/) > [If I'm really immersed in a story, I try to finish it in a few days. If it's a longer work, then it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/if-i-m-really-immersed-in-a-story-i-try-to-finish-it-in-a-few-days-if/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [When we live longer, we must work a little bit longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/when-we-live-longer-we-must-work-a-little-bit-longer/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [My tunnel vision allows me to have a longer work day than most writers. I'm thankful for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-mohr/my-tunnel-vision-allows-me-to-have-a-longer-work-day-than-most/) [Joshua Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-mohr/) > [The longer you work here, diverse it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-longer-you-work-here-diverse-it-gets/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## More by Esther Perel > [Sometimes it has to do with other longings that are much more existential. Sometimes you go elsewhere not because you are not liking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/sometimes-it-has-to-do-with-other-longings-that-are-much-more/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [It’s hard to feel attracted to someone who has abandoned her sense of autonomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/it-s-hard-to-feel-attracted-to-someone-who-has-abandoned-her-sense-of/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [I want to engage people in an honest, enlightened, and provocative conversation about the nature of erotic desire and the intricacies of intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-want-to-engage-people-in-an-honest-enlightened-and-provocative/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships . . . which are basically a reflection of your sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/the-quality-of-your-life-ultimately-depends-on-the-quality-of-your/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [If you start to feel that you have given up too many parts of yourself to be with your partner, then one day you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/if-you-start-to-feel-that-you-have-given-up-too-many-parts-of/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“I regret to say that we of the FBI are powerless to act in cases of oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-regret-to-say-that-we-of-the-fbi-are-powerless-to-act-in-cases-of/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [You never know your partner as well as you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/you-never-know-your-partner-as-well-as-you-think/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [On some level we trade passion for security, that's trading one illusion for another. 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It thrives on the mysterious, the novel, and the unexpected. Love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/if-intimacy-grows-through-repetition-and-familiarity-eroticism-is/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“She’s beautiful, too, did I mention that? She lives the life I didn’t live. I feel middle-age and middle-class around her. Nothing wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/she-s-beautiful-too-did-i-mention-that-she-lives-the-life-i-didn-t/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [In dating, if you say no, your lover goes on to the next person. In marriage, if you say no, the person stays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/in-dating-if-you-say-no-your-lover-goes-on-to-the-next-person-in/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) [Explore all 135 Esther Perel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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