--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was 20 when my daughter was born, and…" description: "\"I was 20 when my daughter was born, and making all these plans during my wife's pregnancy. I was going to be the perfect father. Once she was born, it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/kiefer-sutherland-8318_born_i-was-20-when-my-daughter-was-born-and-m_2033022.jpg" --- # I was 20 when my daughter was born, and making all these… ![“I was 20 when my daughter was born, and making all these plans during my wife's pregnancy. I was going to be the perfect father. Once she was born, it was suddenly, 'Oh, my God! I'm a parent!'” quote by Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/kiefer-sutherland-8318_born_i-was-20-when-my-daughter-was-born-and-m_2033022.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/kiefer-sutherland-8318_born_i-was-20-when-my-daughter-was-born-and-m_2033022.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/kiefer-sutherland-8318_born_i-was-20-when-my-daughter-was-born-and-m_2033022.jpg) > “I was 20 when my daughter was born, and making all these plans during my wife's pregnancy. I was going to be the perfect father. Once she was born, it was suddenly, 'Oh, my God! I'm a parent!'” [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unexpected parenthood can shatter idealized plans, forcing rapid adaptation and humility. **In simple terms:** Parenthood changes plans dramatically. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and seek support. Themes family expectation growth Mood emotional hopeful Type personal motivational When to use this quote - new parenthood - career planning - personal development Key Concepts identity responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you adjust expectations? - What support helps new parents? A Different Perspective Idealized visions may cause shock and stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughter/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Perfect father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-father/) [Pregnancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnancy/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [“If you believe that your needs were met because you prayed, then you make God the parent who reacts only when the baby cries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-wantang/if-you-believe-that-your-needs-were-met-because-you-prayed-then-you/) [Felix Wantang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-wantang/) > [Prayer is not adult letters written to Santa Claus, and God is not some parent-like figure up in the sky who's going to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/prayer-is-not-adult-letters-written-to-santa-claus-and-god-is-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“Extremes on either side are dangerous and pernicious to parent and child. For remissness will make children careless of all duty to God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gouge/extremes-on-either-side-are-dangerous-and-pernicious-to-parent-and/) [William Gouge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gouge/) > [Everything that I will ever accomplish, I owe to God, to my parent's sacrifices, and to the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/everything-that-i-will-ever-accomplish-i-owe-to-god-to-my-parent-s/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [A man doesn't need to be flawless to be a perfect father, but the commitment to his family is a precious responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-young/a-man-doesn-t-need-to-be-flawless-to-be-a-perfect-father-but-the/) [Paul Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-young/) > [I still think that with any candidate, whoever gets elected, there are going to be certain issues or platforms that those who feel strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-still-think-that-with-any-candidate-whoever-gets-elected-there-are/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [This is not to say that becoming a father automatically makes you a good father. Fatherhood, like marriage, is a constant struggle against your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-nerburn/this-is-not-to-say-that-becoming-a-father-automatically-makes-you-a/) [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) > [Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/be-perfect-as-your-father-in-heaven-is-perfect/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Well, the reality of her father was that he was a very diseased alcoholic, who died at the age of 34. And one always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/well-the-reality-of-her-father-was-that-he-was-a-very-diseased/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [“Intentionally or involuntarily, your earthly and spiritual fathers will lead you the perfect Father. 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The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-no-mistake-he-says-if-you-let-me-i-will-make-you-perfect-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I couldn't fathom being with anyone other than Trent- he's the perfect boyfriend, and would make the perfect husband, and someday the perfect father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wilcox/i-couldn-t-fathom-being-with-anyone-other-than-trent-he-s-the-perfect/) [Ashley Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-wilcox/) > [“Since you can’t be the perfect father, you’ll be glad to know that your daughter has a Father in heaven who is exactly that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-payleitner/since-you-can-t-be-the-perfect-father-you-ll-be-glad-to-know-that/) Jay Payleitner ## More by Kiefer Sutherland > [I do believe very strongly that all of us and all of the other things in the context of our planet with Mother Nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-do-believe-very-strongly-that-all-of-us-and-all-of-the-other-things/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I didn't realize that television has gone through immense changes and has become very progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-didn-t-realize-that-television-has-gone-through-immense-changes-and/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [If you're going to break cinema, film, and movies apart, very rarely to you get the opportunity to even think that you've been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/if-you-re-going-to-break-cinema-film-and-movies-apart-very-rarely-to/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I've always thought of the western as American storytelling at its best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-ve-always-thought-of-the-western-as-american-storytelling-at-its/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [Love is a self-manifested notion depending on how lonely you are - so if you're really attracted to someone, and you're really lonely, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/love-is-a-self-manifested-notion-depending-on-how-lonely-you-are-so/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I like chatting with people. If people ask me a direct question, I give them a direct answer and I feel I've always done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-like-chatting-with-people-if-people-ask-me-a-direct-question-i-give/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I had an unbelievable experience on '24'. We shot 198 episodes, and I was as excited about shooting the 198th as I was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-had-an-unbelievable-experience-on-24-we-shot-198-episodes-and-i-was/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [What I ended up doing was kind of crafting an idea for a story, presenting it to a writer - a dear friend of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/what-i-ended-up-doing-was-kind-of-crafting-an-idea-for-a-story/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [Some people think it's because '24' was jump-started by what happened on 9/11. That was never why we made the show. We started production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/some-people-think-it-s-because-24-was-jump-started-by-what-happened/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [When you're a young actor you like to go for characters with a bit of flair, so in many films I ended up playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/when-you-re-a-young-actor-you-like-to-go-for-characters-with-a-bit-of/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I think just in general there's a bunch of films that mattered to me that didn't reach their potential, and on some level you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-think-just-in-general-there-s-a-bunch-of-films-that-mattered-to-me/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [Youth is an amazing thing: I think back on when we did The Lost Boys, and I didn't think I could do anything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/youth-is-an-amazing-thing-i-think-back-on-when-we-did-the-lost-boys/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I would love to do '24' until I was 60, but I don't think anybody would accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-would-love-to-do-24-until-i-was-60-but-i-don-t-think-anybody-would/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [My focus on 9/11 was on the victims - in the towers, in the planes - and all that loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/my-focus-on-9-11-was-on-the-victims-in-the-towers-in-the-planes-and/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [The biggest mistakes I made in my career were when I said, 'If I do this movie, I'll be able to do a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/the-biggest-mistakes-i-made-in-my-career-were-when-i-said-if-i-do/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) [Explore all 82 Kiefer Sutherland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. 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I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“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/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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