--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very best reason parents are so…" description: "\"The very best reason parents are so special . . . is because we are the holders of a priceless gift, a gift we received from countless generations we n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/fred-rogers-1272_can-do_the-very-best-reason-parents-are-so-spec_1549651.png" --- # The very best reason parents are so special . . . is… ![“The very best reason parents are so special . . . is because we are the holders of a priceless gift, a gift we received from countless generations we never knew, a gift that only we now possess and only we can give to our children. That unique gift, of course, is the gift of ourselves. Whatever we…” quote by Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/fred-rogers-1272_can-do_the-very-best-reason-parents-are-so-spec_1549651.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/fred-rogers-1272_can-do_the-very-best-reason-parents-are-so-spec_1549651.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/fred-rogers-1272_can-do_the-very-best-reason-parents-are-so-spec_1549651.png) > “The very best reason parents are so special . . . is because we are the holders of a priceless gift, a gift we received from countless generations we never knew, a gift that only we now possess and only we can give to our children. That unique gift, of course, is the gift of ourselves. Whatever we can do to give that gift, and to help others receive it, is worth the challenge of all our human endeavor.” [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents hold a unique, inherited gift—their own selves—to pass to children, making personal growth a shared human endeavor. **In simple terms:** Parents give themselves as a gift to kids. Key Takeaway Cultivate self-awareness to enrich parenting. Themes family legacy self‑growth responsibility Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - mentoring - community building - personal development Key Concepts intergenerational transmission authenticity human flourishing Questions to Reflect On - How can you model authentic self‑care for your children? - What barriers prevent you from sharing your true self? A Different Perspective The gift of self is limited by personal blind spots and societal pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Help others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-others/) [Helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-others/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Unique gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique-gifts/) ## Related quotes > [Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control. We can love and care for others but we cannot possess our children, lovers, family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/peace-requires-us-to-surrender-our-illusions-of-control-we-can-love/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Cloning creates ordinary children. They will be unique individuals, not photocopies of individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/severino-antinori/cloning-creates-ordinary-children-they-will-be-unique-individuals-not/) Severino Antinori > [The best advice I can give to new parents is to realize immediately that your children will be unique individuals. Give them the space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-best-advice-i-can-give-to-new-parents-is-to-realize-immediately/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Your children are not the same. Not at all. Each one is unique. There are no "boiler plate" clauses that fit all children. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-benson/your-children-are-not-the-same-not-at-all-each-one-is-unique-there/) [Bob Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-benson/) > [“annoyed. Parents have that special skill of making the truth, no matter how benign, an embarrassing thing. We all know this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-o-walsh/annoyed-parents-have-that-special-skill-of-making-the-truth-no-matter/) [M.O. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-o-walsh/) > [It always helps to know that other parents with special-needs children are surviving, and surviving well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/it-always-helps-to-know-that-other-parents-with-special-needs/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [When I was growing up, I cared very little for the customs of my parents, the special things that we're supposed to do as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-viet-thang/when-i-was-growing-up-i-cared-very-little-for-the-customs-of-my/) [Nguyen Viet Thang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-viet-thang/) > [I have skated when I was a child, but it was just with our friends and our parents, no special technique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saara-aalto/i-have-skated-when-i-was-a-child-but-it-was-just-with-our-friends-and/) [Saara Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saara-aalto/) > [I don't have siblings, which is probably the biggest reason why my parents were able to give the attention to my career that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-don-t-have-siblings-which-is-probably-the-biggest-reason-why-my/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [The reason why parents mistreat their children has less to do with character and temperament than with the fact that they were mistreated themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-reason-why-parents-mistreat-their-children-has-less-to-do-with/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“For some reason his parents had a low opinion of his common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peters/for-some-reason-his-parents-had-a-low-opinion-of-his-common-sense/) [Elizabeth Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peters/) > [From their teenage years on, children are considerably more capable of causing parents unhappiness than bringing them happiness. That is one reason parents who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/from-their-teenage-years-on-children-are-considerably-more-capable-of/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“And the influence of their peers can be utterly overwhelming. As their closest friends succumb to the trend of G.O.Y., many children feel pressured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-emery-white/and-the-influence-of-their-peers-can-be-utterly-overwhelming-as-their/) [James Emery White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-emery-white/) > [“Doing activities that you love to do, even a few minutes a day, can help you experience more flow, improve your well-being, and help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-e-smith/doing-activities-that-you-love-to-do-even-a-few-minutes-a-day-can/) [Laurie E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-e-smith/) > [I think if I have any kind of unique gift, it's more in the comedy area than it is in the dramatic area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sullivan/i-think-if-i-have-any-kind-of-unique-gift-it-s-more-in-the-comedy/) [Susan Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sullivan/) ## More by Fred Rogers > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Children who have learned to be comfortably dependent can become not only comfortably independent but also comfortable with having people depend on them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/children-who-have-learned-to-be-comfortably-dependent-can-become-not/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/as-different-as-we-are-from-one-another-as-unique-as-each-one-of-us/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [This evening is as brief as the twinkling of an eye yet such twinklings is what eternity is made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/this-evening-is-as-brief-as-the-twinkling-of-an-eye-yet-such/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [The underlying message of the Neighborhood is that if somebody cares about you, it's possible that you'll care about others. 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When those things that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-values-we-care-about-the-deepest-and-the-movements-within-society/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“Everyone longs to be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/everyone-longs-to-be-loved-and-the-greatest-thing-we-can-do-is-to-let/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Attitudes are caught, not taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/attitudes-are-caught-not-taught/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Forgiveness is a strange thing. It can sometimes be easier to forgive our enemies than our friends. It can be hardest of all to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/forgiveness-is-a-strange-thing-it-can-sometimes-be-easier-to-forgive/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [If the grain of wheat could know fear, it would be paralyzed with anxiety at the thought of being dropped in the ground, covered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/if-the-grain-of-wheat-could-know-fear-it-would-be-paralyzed-with/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [What's been important in my understanding of myself and others is the fact that each one of us is so much more than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/what-s-been-important-in-my-understanding-of-myself-and-others-is-the/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) [Explore all 263 Fred Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The very best reason parents are so special . . . is because we are the holders of a priceless gift, a gift we received from countless generations we never knew, a gift that only we now possess and only we can give to our children. That unique gift, of course, is the gift of ourselves. 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