--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My sons have all grown now, so I'm down…" description: "\"“My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers to one, but one takes just as long.”\" — Lucia Berlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg" --- # My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers… ![“My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers to one, but one takes just as long.” quote by Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg) > ““My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers to one, but one takes just as long.”” [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A father’s chores become a metaphor for endless, repetitive responsibilities despite reduced workload. **In simple terms:** Even with fewer tasks, time spent remains the same. Key Takeaway Find balance in daily duties. Themes family workload time management Mood humorous observational Type satirical relatable When to use this quote - parenting - household management - personal time Key Concepts repetitive labor parental duties efficiency Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage repetitive chores? - Can you delegate or automate tasks? A Different Perspective Efficiency may not reduce perceived effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons/) ## Related quotes > [“Thing is, foot-washers think women are a sin in definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/thing-is-foot-washers-think-women-are-a-sin-in-definition/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “We have all been called to be foot-washers". ~R. Alan Woods \[2006\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/we-have-all-been-called-to-be-foot-washers-r-alan-woods-2006/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [Most 'scientists' are bottle washers and button sorters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-scientists-are-bottle-washers-and-button-sorters/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-children-are-not-your-children-they-are-the-sons-and-daughters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not imitation that makes sons. It is sonship that make imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-make-imitators/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Rom 8:14   You are not even considered a son of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/many-as-are-led-by-the-spirit-of-god-these-are-sons-of-god-rom-8-14/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [It always seems to me so odd that when a man dies, he takes out with him all the knowledge that he has got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baden-powell/it-always-seems-to-me-so-odd-that-when-a-man-dies-he-takes-out-with/) [Robert Baden-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baden-powell/) > [“I live in a binary star system, my two suns being my two sons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrado-ghinamo/i-live-in-a-binary-star-system-my-two-suns-being-my-two-sons/) Corrado Ghinamo > [The stag tells him that he is the eldest of the sons - the father's favorite - and he warns the father that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-solti/the-stag-tells-him-that-he-is-the-eldest-of-the-sons-the-father-s/) [Georg Solti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-solti/) > [“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it. A man can know his father, or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for-all-purposes-completely/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [I write at a desk. I have a room of my own where I can have my computer. I write in there, usually directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-bunting/i-write-at-a-desk-i-have-a-room-of-my-own-where-i-can-have-my/) [Eve Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-bunting/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Having kids is the deal-breaker on shyness! Once you have a baby, you learn to speak up loud and clear to protect them, defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/having-kids-is-the-deal-breaker-on-shyness-once-you-have-a-baby-you/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## More by Lucia Berlin > [“they say a baby's true babtism occurs when hefirst falls out of bed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/they-say-a-baby-s-true-babtism-occurs-when-hefirst-falls-out-of-bed/) [lucia berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“Anytime you think you hate somebody, what you do is pray for them. Try it, you’ll see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/anytime-you-think-you-hate-somebody-what-you-do-is-pray-for-them-try/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“Everywhere risk and defiance weave through the most mundane daily affairs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/everywhere-risk-and-defiance-weave-through-the-most-mundane-daily/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“I don't think I ever really liked the world until I met him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/i-don-t-think-i-ever-really-liked-the-world-until-i-met-him/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“Her smile, though, no, it was her laugh, a dusky, deep cascading laughter that caught the joy, implied and mocked the sorrow in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/her-smile-though-no-it-was-her-laugh-a-dusky-deep-cascading-laughter/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“Solitude is an Anglo-Saxon concept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/solitude-is-an-anglo-saxon-concept/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) > [“There was no way I could explain that it had all happened so fast, that I wasn’t smiling away at the cats chewing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/there-was-no-way-i-could-explain-that-it-had-all-happened-so-fast/) [Lucia Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) [Explore all 8 Lucia Berlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/) ## More Sons quotes > [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [Having kids is the deal-breaker on shyness! Once you have a baby, you learn to speak up loud and clear to protect them, defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/having-kids-is-the-deal-breaker-on-shyness-once-you-have-a-baby-you/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [I write at a desk. I have a room of my own where I can have my computer. I write in there, usually directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-bunting/i-write-at-a-desk-i-have-a-room-of-my-own-where-i-can-have-my/) [Eve Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-bunting/) > [“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it. A man can know his father, or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for-all-purposes-completely/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [The stag tells him that he is the eldest of the sons - the father's favorite - and he warns the father that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-solti/the-stag-tells-him-that-he-is-the-eldest-of-the-sons-the-father-s/) [Georg Solti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-solti/) > [“I live in a binary star system, my two suns being my two sons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrado-ghinamo/i-live-in-a-binary-star-system-my-two-suns-being-my-two-sons/) Corrado Ghinamo > [It always seems to me so odd that when a man dies, he takes out with him all the knowledge that he has got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baden-powell/it-always-seems-to-me-so-odd-that-when-a-man-dies-he-takes-out-with/) [Robert Baden-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baden-powell/) > [“many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Rom 8:14   You are not even considered a son of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/many-as-are-led-by-the-spirit-of-god-these-are-sons-of-god-rom-8-14/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [It is not imitation that makes sons. It is sonship that make imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-make-imitators/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-children-are-not-your-children-they-are-the-sons-and-daughters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mothers are inscrutable beings to their sons, always. ("The Higgler")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-coppard/mothers-are-inscrutable-beings-to-their-sons-always-the-higgler/) [A.E. Coppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-coppard/) > [Both of my sons used to coach high school football. When they started, I'd say things I shouldn't have. So I learned my lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/both-of-my-sons-used-to-coach-high-school-football-when-they-started/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [I love 'Modern Family; I think that is a great show. I don't get to watch tons of TV, but when I do, 'Sons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-tisdale/i-love-modern-family-i-think-that-is-a-great-show-i-don-t-get-to/) [Ashley Tisdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-tisdale/) [Browse all 418 Sons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers to one, but one takes just as long.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lucia Berlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-from-five-washers-to-one-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Sons" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-from-five-washers-to-one-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/lucia-berlin-47331_quote_my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-f_1450053.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My sons have all grown now, so I'm down from five washers to one, but one takes just as long.” — Lucia Berlin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lucia Berlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-berlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“My sons have all grown now,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-from-five-washers-to-one-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-berlin/my-sons-have-all-grown-now-so-i-m-down-from-five-washers-to-one-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```