--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a parent, it's hard to recognize the…" description: "\"For a parent, it's hard to recognize the significance of your work when you're immersed in the mundane details. Few of us, as we run the bath water or ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/joyce-maynard-7181_baths_for-a-parent-it-s-hard-to-recognize-the_2600686.jpg" --- # For a parent, it's hard to recognize the significance of… ![“For a parent, it's hard to recognize the significance of your work when you're immersed in the mundane details. Few of us, as we run the bath water or spread the peanut butter on the bread, proclaim proudly, "I'm making my contribution to the future of the planet." But with the exception of global…” quote by Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/joyce-maynard-7181_baths_for-a-parent-it-s-hard-to-recognize-the_2600686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/joyce-maynard-7181_baths_for-a-parent-it-s-hard-to-recognize-the_2600686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/joyce-maynard-7181_baths_for-a-parent-it-s-hard-to-recognize-the_2600686.jpg) > “For a parent, it's hard to recognize the significance of your work when you're immersed in the mundane details. Few of us, as we run the bath water or spread the peanut butter on the bread, proclaim proudly, "I'm making my contribution to the future of the planet." But with the exception of global hunger, few jobs in the world of paychecks and promotions compare in significance to the job of parent.” [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parenting’s daily tasks feel insignificant, yet they shape future generations more than most careers. **In simple terms:** Everyday parenting work matters more than most jobs. Key Takeaway Value the small acts of parenting. Themes parenting purpose impact humility Mood reflective appreciative Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - raising children - teaching values - family routines - community building Key Concepts social contribution longterm influence identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can parents find meaning in routine tasks? - What societal changes could elevate the perception of parenting? A Different Perspective Recognition may be lacking, leading to undervaluation of parental work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenthood/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Paychecks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paychecks/) [Promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promotion/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You may doubt the significance of your work, but work faithfully anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/you-may-doubt-the-significance-of-your-work-but-work-faithfully/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [Smithson was someone of tremendous significance whose work was not beautiful at all. I think he was an iconoclast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schjeldahl/smithson-was-someone-of-tremendous-significance-whose-work-was-not/) [Peter Schjeldahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schjeldahl/) > [I'm not new to the political process; I was making a contribution as the speaker of the third largest and most diverse state in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-m-not-new-to-the-political-process-i-was-making-a-contribution-as/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Everybody who reasons carefully about anything is making a contribution ... and if you abstract it away and send it to the Department of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/everybody-who-reasons-carefully-about-anything-is-making-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [When you are making a success of something, it's not work. It's a way of life. You enjoy yourself because you are making your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-granatelli/when-you-are-making-a-success-of-something-it-s-not-work-it-s-a-way/) Andy Granatelli > [On The Practice, I get to do what I love to do, and I am making a contribution that will, in the end, help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camryn-manheim/on-the-practice-i-get-to-do-what-i-love-to-do-and-i-am-making-a/) [Camryn Manheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camryn-manheim/) > [I really believe that if you're going to bring a child into the world, it's your job to parent that world. Especially if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynch/i-really-believe-that-if-you-re-going-to-bring-a-child-into-the-world/) [Jennifer Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynch/) > [There are times as a parent when you realize that your job is not to be the parent you always imagined you'd be, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/there-are-times-as-a-parent-when-you-realize-that-your-job-is-not-to/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [“God put the wiggle in children and our job as parent-educators is to work with it, not take it out of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-read-von-gohren/god-put-the-wiggle-in-children-and-our-job-as-parent-educators-is-to/) Pamela Read Von Gohren > [That's the most important thing you do in your life - raise children and try to do the best job as a parent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-the-most-important-thing-you-do-in-your-life-raise-children/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My job as a parent is a temporary responsibility with eternal consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/my-job-as-a-parent-is-a-temporary-responsibility-with-eternal/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [“Your job as a parent is not to make your child's way smooth, but rather to help her develop inner resources so she can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-satter/your-job-as-a-parent-is-not-to-make-your-child-s-way-smooth-but/) [Ellyn Satter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-satter/) > [“Society tried to teach me that children are by nature selfish, out-of-control, and demanding, that their goal is power and that they are always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-flower/society-tried-to-teach-me-that-children-are-by-nature-selfish-out-of/) [Hilary Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-flower/) > [Whatever I do, it's my business. It's not my job to parent America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/whatever-i-do-it-s-my-business-it-s-not-my-job-to-parent-america/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) ## More by Joyce Maynard > [The silence was part of the story I wanted to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/the-silence-was-part-of-the-story-i-wanted-to-tell/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [A person who deserves my loyalty receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/a-person-who-deserves-my-loyalty-receives-it/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/no-i-said-i-didn-t-remember-that-there-was-so-much-to-remember/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“I tried to think of what my father would tell me. 'Don't let any boy give you shit.' But he'd never said how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-tried-to-think-of-what-my-father-would-tell-me-don-t-let-any-boy/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“It’s like life: sometimes the littlest thing turns out to be the most important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/it-s-like-life-sometimes-the-littlest-thing-turns-out-to-be-the-most/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [Growing up in the fifties and sixties, I can only remember knowing one child, ever, whose parents got a divorce, and hardly any whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/growing-up-in-the-fifties-and-sixties-i-can-only-remember-knowing-one/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“She was in love with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/she-was-in-love-with-love/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I believe every one of us possesses a fundamental right to tell our own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-believe-every-one-of-us-possesses-a-fundamental-right-to-tell-our/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I compromised my ability to tell my story, at the most basic level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-compromised-my-ability-to-tell-my-story-at-the-most-basic-level/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I have no doubt that over the years my children will find plenty of things about me to criticize. But something tells me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-have-no-doubt-that-over-the-years-my-children-will-find-plenty-of/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [I believed my story would be helpful to young women my daughter's age, who are still in the process of forming themselves as women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-believed-my-story-would-be-helpful-to-young-women-my-daughter-s-age/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [Not only did I avoid speaking of Salinger; I resisted thinking about him. I did not reread his letters to me. The experience had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/not-only-did-i-avoid-speaking-of-salinger-i-resisted-thinking-about/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [When people ask what I write about, that's what I tell them: 'The drama of human relationships.' I'm not even close to running out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/when-people-ask-what-i-write-about-that-s-what-i-tell-them-the-drama/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“They seemed to arrive at some form of friendship. Maybe they were like a couple of weary soldiers who went through a war together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/they-seemed-to-arrive-at-some-form-of-friendship-maybe-they-were-like/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [In the event of an oxygen shortage on airplanes, mothers of young children are always reminded to put on their own oxygen mask first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/in-the-event-of-an-oxygen-shortage-on-airplanes-mothers-of-young/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) [Explore all 92 Joyce Maynard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) ## More Baths quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller > [Sunday, if I'm lucky, I'll go to church or listen to some good spiritual advice on the television or on the radio. I take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/sunday-if-i-m-lucky-i-ll-go-to-church-or-listen-to-some-good/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I love doing normal things - movies, shopping, going out with friends, writing, reading, taking hot bubble baths - that's a big one for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/i-love-doing-normal-things-movies-shopping-going-out-with-friends/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [So your life becomes a vital celebration, your relationship becomes a festive thing. Whatsoever you do, every moment is a festival. You eat, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/so-your-life-becomes-a-vital-celebration-your-relationship-becomes-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [If you go out on the Appalachian Trail, you have to bring so much more equipment - a tent, sleeping bag - but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/if-you-go-out-on-the-appalachian-trail-you-have-to-bring-so-much-more/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart? Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/frightened-of-change-but-what-can-exist-without-it-what-s-closer-to/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I know Camberwell very well: I used to go to Camberwell New Baths a lot and the cinema, which used to be the Odeon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simonon/i-know-camberwell-very-well-i-used-to-go-to-camberwell-new-baths-a/) [Paul Simonon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simonon/) > [What a pure blessing it was to have a bath in a tub alone in a room where all you had to do was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-e-turner/what-a-pure-blessing-it-was-to-have-a-bath-in-a-tub-alone-in-a-room/) [Nancy E. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-e-turner/) > [Ninety percent of what's wrong with you could be cured with a hot bath, says God from the bowels of the subway. but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/ninety-percent-of-what-s-wrong-with-you-could-be-cured-with-a-hot/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [To slide into the domed reading room at ten each morning, specially in summer, off the hot street outside, was a sensation as delicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/to-slide-into-the-domed-reading-room-at-ten-each-morning-specially-in/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) Browse all 464 Baths quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a parent, it's hard to recognize the significance of your work when you're immersed in the mundane details. 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