--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I had kids, I looked at every…" description: "\"Before I had kids, I looked at every other parent and thought: 'They have kids, they go to work and have nights out and look happy.' But I didn't reali..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/frankie-bridge-6152_go_before-i-had-kids-i-looked-at-every-othe_1542334.jpg" --- # Before I had kids, I looked at every other parent and… ![“Before I had kids, I looked at every other parent and thought: 'They have kids, they go to work and have nights out and look happy.' But I didn't realise that you think about your kids 24/7 when you aren't with them.” quote by Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/frankie-bridge-6152_go_before-i-had-kids-i-looked-at-every-othe_1542334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/frankie-bridge-6152_go_before-i-had-kids-i-looked-at-every-othe_1542334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/frankie-bridge-6152_go_before-i-had-kids-i-looked-at-every-othe_1542334.jpg) > “Before I had kids, I looked at every other parent and thought: 'They have kids, they go to work and have nights out and look happy.' But I didn't realise that you think about your kids 24/7 when you aren't with them.” [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Before parenthood, one may idealize other parents' lives, but the reality is constant, 24‑hour mental presence when apart from children. **In simple terms:** Parents often idealize others, yet think always think of their kids. Key Takeaway Accept the constant mental involvement as part of parenting. Themes parenthood mindfulness expectations reality Mood reflective empathetic Type personal analytical When to use this quote - working parents - single parents - new parents Key Concepts psychology family dynamics self‑care Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage mental load? - What strategies help maintain balance? A Different Perspective Idealized views can cause guilt or disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent leaves behind stirs up dust, both literal and metaphorical. 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I won't do nudity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-moss/with-scripts-i-ve-always-looked-at-them-and-thought-about-kids-you/) [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-moss/) > [I've always thought I'd have kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gok-wan/i-ve-always-thought-i-d-have-kids/) [Gok Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gok-wan/) > [I don't really think kids care much these days - they just tell you to f\*\*\* off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-fowler/i-don-t-really-think-kids-care-much-these-days-they-just-tell-you-to/) [Robbie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-fowler/) > [Many of the critics have kids of their own. 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Before entering a room, I'd take a deep breath and say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-was-putting-everything-into-trying-to-convince-everyone-i-was-me/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I couldn't just sit there and meditate all morning - that's not really my thing. It's not good for me to give my brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-couldn-t-just-sit-there-and-meditate-all-morning-that-s-not-really/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [People would wonder what I had to be sad about, and I get why people feel that way. God, I feel it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/people-would-wonder-what-i-had-to-be-sad-about-and-i-get-why-people/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [We have to learn to be kinder to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/we-have-to-learn-to-be-kinder-to-ourselves/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I wear false eyelashes at work so I get used to that fuller look all the time, so when I get home, I'm like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-wear-false-eyelashes-at-work-so-i-get-used-to-that-fuller-look-all/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I really enjoy dance workouts. I do enjoy weights and stuff, but I have to be in the right frame of mind for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-really-enjoy-dance-workouts-i-do-enjoy-weights-and-stuff-but-i-have/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [All my closest friends are the ones I made at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/all-my-closest-friends-are-the-ones-i-made-at-school/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I think more and more people are having to look at different ways of childcare. It's not like the old days where just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-having-to-look-at-different-ways-of/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [Living with your in-laws is unusual, but it doesn't bother me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/living-with-your-in-laws-is-unusual-but-it-doesn-t-bother-me/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [It does bother me, getting old, and it really annoys me that it does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/it-does-bother-me-getting-old-and-it-really-annoys-me-that-it-does/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [Both my parents worked when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/both-my-parents-worked-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I forget things really easily and remember them as soon as I go to bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-forget-things-really-easily-and-remember-them-as-soon-as-i-go-to-bed/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [If I fancy something I'll have it, but I also make sure I have plenty of veg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/if-i-fancy-something-i-ll-have-it-but-i-also-make-sure-i-have-plenty/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [When I was growing up, Mum and Dad were both equal: they both worked, they both cooked, they both looked after us. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/when-i-was-growing-up-mum-and-dad-were-both-equal-they-both-worked/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [It's a lot of pressure as a parent trying to get your kids to eat healthily and it doesn't always work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/it-s-a-lot-of-pressure-as-a-parent-trying-to-get-your-kids-to-eat/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) [Explore all 100 Frankie Bridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. 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