Children Quote by Lionel Shriver
““Franklin, I was absolutely terrified of having a child. Before I got pregnant, my visions of child rearing--reading stories about cabooses with smiley faces at bedtime, feeding glop into slack mouths--all seemed like pictures of someone else. I dreaded confrontation with what could prove a closed, stony nature, my own selfishness and lack of generosity, the thick, tarry powers of my own resentment. However intrigued by a 'turn of the page,' I was mortified by the prospect of becoming hopelessly trapped in someone else's story.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 2015
The fear of parenthood stems from confronting personal flaws and the loss of self‑authorship, fearing being trapped in another’s narrative.
In simple terms: Becoming a parent forces confronting inner selfishness and losing personal story control.
Key Takeaway
Embrace vulnerability, rewrite your story.
Themes
family
self
growth
Mood
anxious
introspective
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- pregnancy
- early parenting
- personal therapy
Key Concepts
identity
parenthood
self‑reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- What parts of yourself fear losing?
- How can you keep personal agency?
A Different Perspective
Fear can also motivate growth and deeper empathy.
![“~I got pregnant, and I was like, 'Oh God, it worked! Oh no!' Chris [Ivery, her husband] and I were super happy, then I got terrified! Will I know how to do everything right? Of course, nobody does everything right, but as long as your baby is the priority, that's the best you can do.~” quote by Ellen Pompeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/99d/ellen-pompeo-10756_baby_i-got-pregnant-and-i-was-like-oh-god-it_131330.jpg)
