---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes it is worth any amount of…"
description: "\"Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right.\" — Maureen Johnson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png"
---

#  Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to…

![“Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right.” quote by Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png)

> “Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right.”

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Enduring hardship can be justified if it prevents parents from feeling validated in their expectations, revealing a complex mix of resentment and protective defiance.

**In simple terms:** Suffering to stop parents from being right.

Key Takeaway

Consider the cost of protecting others from their own expectations.

Themes

family dynamics resentment defiance psychology

Mood

conflicted thoughtful

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- family gatherings
- career decisions
- personal milestones

Key Concepts

parental expectations self‑sacrifice emotional labor

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you ever sacrifice for others' feelings?
- What healthier ways exist to set expectations?

A Different Perspective

Suffering may cause lasting damage; alternative communication is healthier.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/)

## Related quotes

> [“To have the opportunity to know your parents is to have the opportunity to truly know yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-denise/to-have-the-opportunity-to-know-your-parents-is-to-have-the/)

Amy Denise

> [It's a crazy time right now with kids. They are so much, more savvy than even their parents are. They are handing down their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/it-s-a-crazy-time-right-now-with-kids-they-are-so-much-more-savvy/)

[Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/)

> [Giving your parents toilet paper because they say whatever you give them, they won't use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/giving-your-parents-toilet-paper-because-they-say-whatever-you-give/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The bigger goal of giving all parents more choices is one that will have to be discussed and undoubtedly roundly debated, but we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/the-bigger-goal-of-giving-all-parents-more-choices-is-one-that-will/)

[Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/)

> [Giving your parents toilet paper when they tell you whatever you give them, they probably won't use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/giving-your-parents-toilet-paper-when-they-tell-you-whatever-you-give/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Very few of us are succeeding in giving our parents the ideal death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/very-few-of-us-are-succeeding-in-giving-our-parents-the-ideal-death/)

[Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/)

> [Suffering is just about the easiest of all human activities; being happy is just about the hardest. And happiness requires, not surrender to guilt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/suffering-is-just-about-the-easiest-of-all-human-activities-being/)

[Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/)

> [“if you are suffering without a belief in God, then there is not a lot of hope that your pain has any greater purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-morrison/if-you-are-suffering-without-a-belief-in-god-then-there-is-not-a-lot/)

[Jon Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-morrison/)

> [Suffering... is not just lots of pain but pain amplified by distinctly human emotions such as regret, self-pity, shame, humiliation, and dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/suffering-is-not-just-lots-of-pain-but-pain-amplified-by-distinctly/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [“Suffering is just part of the great tapestry of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-giordano/suffering-is-just-part-of-the-great-tapestry-of-life/)

Marie Giordano

> [“Perhaps he is just as fond of suffering? Perhaps suffering is just as great a benefit to him as well-being?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/perhaps-he-is-just-as-fond-of-suffering-perhaps-suffering-is-just-as/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [Sometimes suffering is just suffering,” she told Gus. “It doesn't make you stronger. It doesn't build character. It only hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-jacobs/sometimes-suffering-is-just-suffering-she-told-gus-it-doesn-t-make/)

[Kate Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-jacobs/)

> [Yet and still, Peter Norman took into account that the aboriginals were suffering just as much in Australia as Blacks in the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/yet-and-still-peter-norman-took-into-account-that-the-aboriginals/)

[John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/)

> [I was starting to come to grips with the fact that I had created a lot of pain and suffering around me, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-was-starting-to-come-to-grips-with-the-fact-that-i-had-created-a/)

[Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/)

> [Life is not suffering; it's just that you will suffer it, rather than enjoy it, until you let go of your mind's attachments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/life-is-not-suffering-it-s-just-that-you-will-suffer-it-rather-than/)

[Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/)

## More by Maureen Johnson

> [“Knowledge is the heaviest weight of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/knowledge-is-the-heaviest-weight-of-all/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [I may have been a complete lunatic, but I was a complete lunatic with manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/i-may-have-been-a-complete-lunatic-but-i-was-a-complete-lunatic-with/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [This kind of thing always amazed Ginny--people who just walked away from institutions. People who left school when they didn't see the point. Aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/this-kind-of-thing-always-amazed-ginny-people-who-just-walked-away/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [Did you hear?" he asked. "They found another body around nine this morning. It's the Ripper, definitely." "Good morning," I replied. "Morning. Listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/did-you-hear-he-asked-they-found-another-body-around-nine-this/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [She was standing in the airport of Copenhagen, staring at a doorway, trying to figure out if it was (a) a bathroom and (b)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/she-was-standing-in-the-airport-of-copenhagen-staring-at-a-doorway/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [When I worked in theater, I was always writing things on Post-it Notes and sticking them on screens or desks. Twitter has given me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/when-i-worked-in-theater-i-was-always-writing-things-on-post-it-notes/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [She had always thought applying to college would be exciting. Living away from home, meeting so many new people, Learning new things, making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/she-had-always-thought-applying-to-college-would-be-exciting-living/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [“Vitamin D,” Stevie said. “You need it.” “You don’t know that,” he said. “I want to eat my meat in my room with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/vitamin-d-stevie-said-you-need-it-you-don-t-know-that-he-said-i-want/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [No one hid their interest when I walked into the room. I'm not sure if it was the news about Boo or my general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/no-one-hid-their-interest-when-i-walked-into-the-room-i-m-not-sure-if/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [You'd been petting a stuffed dog?' she said 'A dead one?' 'It was a really well stuffed dog' I clarified. 'I have seen some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/you-d-been-petting-a-stuffed-dog-she-said-a-dead-one-it-was-a-really/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [“When she emerged, Keith was watching the tiny round window of the under-the-counter washing machine. "Put your clothes in for a wash," he said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/when-she-emerged-keith-was-watching-the-tiny-round-window-of-the/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [“For you, there is underage, and then, there is underage. I believe a taste of wine is perfectly acceptable, but please stick to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/for-you-there-is-underage-and-then-there-is-underage-i-believe-a/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [Rory: "People are being serious." Jazza: "There's a serial killer out there. Of course people are being serious." Rory: "Yeah, but what are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/rory-people-are-being-serious-jazza-there-s-a-serial-killer-out-there/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

> [Boo: "Go talk to her." Callum: "About what?" Boo: "Anything." Callum: "You want me to walk up to her and say, 'Are you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/boo-go-talk-to-her-callum-about-what-boo-anything-callum-you-want-me/)

[Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

[Explore all 262 Maureen Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/)

## More Child quotes

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/)

[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [“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/)

> [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/)

[Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/)

> [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

[Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Maureen Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suffering-just-to-prevent-giving/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Child"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suffering-just-to-prevent-giving/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/maureen-johnson-1282_child_sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suff_2122532.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right.” — Maureen Johnson",
                "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": "Maureen Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes it is worth any amount...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suffering-just-to-prevent-giving/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/sometimes-it-is-worth-any-amount-of-suffering-just-to-prevent-giving/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
