--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know why some people have…" description: "\"I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.\" — Mem Fox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png" --- # I don't know why some people have children at all if they… ![“I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.” quote by Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png) > “I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.” [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the mismatch between short parental leave and the long-term commitment of raising children, suggesting a societal imbalance. **In simple terms:** It points out that brief work leave doesn't match the lifelong responsibility of parenting. Key Takeaway Consider advocating for longer parental leave policies. Themes parenting work-life balance social policy family economics Mood critical reflective Type social commentary analytical When to use this quote - family planning - policy advocacy - human resources - public debate - personal decision Key Concepts labor rights child development government policy cultural expectations Questions to Reflect On - How does parental leave length affect family decisions? - What are the economic impacts of extending leave? A Different Perspective Short leave may not reflect the true cost of parenting, but longer leave could have economic trade‑offs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-know-231071/) [Know Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-weeks-1476019/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-children-480714/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weeks/) [Weeks Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weeks-work-3146207/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know where I will be in 5 weeks let alone five years. But if I am still working in politics, I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-huckabee-sanders/i-don-t-know-where-i-will-be-in-5-weeks-let-alone-five-years-but-if-i/) [Sarah Huckabee Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-huckabee-sanders/) > [I tend to work well within a deadline. If I know I have to get something in three weeks, I tend to A, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lewis/i-tend-to-work-well-within-a-deadline-if-i-know-i-have-to-get/) [Jenny Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lewis/) > [DO NOT attempt to bring up other people's children through your text.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/do-not-attempt-to-bring-up-other-people-s-children-through-your-text/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [It's hard to do things like auditions, because you don't want to put weeks of work into just an audition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/it-s-hard-to-do-things-like-auditions-because-you-don-t-want-to-put/) [Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/) > [If you go on vacation for one week, you'll come back to two weeks of work. If you go on vacation for two weeks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-orfalea/if-you-go-on-vacation-for-one-week-you-ll-come-back-to-two-weeks-of/) [Paul Orfalea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-orfalea/) > [This is a very different show than any I've worked on before. We work sixty-hour weeks. I work 6AM to 6PM because we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/this-is-a-very-different-show-than-any-i-ve-worked-on-before-we-work/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [It’s much harder for me... I think it’s different when you have an office job, because it’s routine and, you know, you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/it-s-much-harder-for-me-i-think-it-s-different-when-you-have-an/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [People just do not realise what a football life can be. Since 1968 I've never had more than a few weeks out of work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-warnock/people-just-do-not-realise-what-a-football-life-can-be-since-1968-i/) [Neil Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-warnock/) > [One of the early tip-offs to me about the enormous changes that were going on with being in a Bangalore house, home, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bharati-mukherjee/one-of-the-early-tip-offs-to-me-about-the-enormous-changes-that-were/) [Bharati Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bharati-mukherjee/) > [Most weeks, I work 100-plus hours on TheMuse.com. There are definitions of 'work-life balance' that would say I have none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/most-weeks-i-work-100-plus-hours-on-themuse-com-there-are-definitions/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) > [For the two or three weeks you work on an episode, you totally immerse yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hammond/for-the-two-or-three-weeks-you-work-on-an-episode-you-totally-immerse/) [Nicholas Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hammond/) > [Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/experts-in-literacy-and-child-development-have-discovered-that-if/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [I have said to people I have six children, one son, four daughters, and a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-have-said-to-people-i-have-six-children-one-son-four-daughters-and/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [People who have children, by and large, want children. People who don't want children are people who, by and large, don't want to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/people-who-have-children-by-and-large-want-children-people-who-don-t/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [Other people can have all the children they want. Some people ask for no-smoking sections. I ask for no children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/other-people-can-have-all-the-children-they-want-some-people-ask-for/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) ## More by Mem Fox > [Writing a picture book is like writing 'War and Peace' in Haiku.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/writing-a-picture-book-is-like-writing-war-and-peace-in-haiku/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [“As adults we choose our own reading material. Depending on our moods and needs we might read the newspaper, a blockbuster novel, an academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/as-adults-we-choose-our-own-reading-material-depending-on-our-moods/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [I was the most Australian child ever in the world, even though my home was in Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-was-the-most-australian-child-ever-in-the-world-even-though-my-home/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading. It isn’t achieved by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/the-fire-of-literacy-is-created-by-the-emotional-sparks-between-a/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [I don't go to church much anymore, but Methodist values still wind me up and send me ticking into my daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-go-to-church-much-anymore-but-methodist-values-still-wind-me/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [The fastest way to teach a child to read is to teach them to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/the-fastest-way-to-teach-a-child-to-read-is-to-teach-them-to-write/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [Books don't harm kids; they arm them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/books-don-t-harm-kids-they-arm-them/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [I think sometimes we rush through countries, ticking off the attractions, but that's missing the point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-think-sometimes-we-rush-through-countries-ticking-off-the/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [If you are not a writer, you will not understand the difficulties of writing. If you are not a writer, you will not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/if-you-are-not-a-writer-you-will-not-understand-the-difficulties-of/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/the-fire-of-literacy-is-created-by-the-emotional-sparks-between-a-2/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/experts-in-literacy-and-child-development-have-discovered-that-if/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [You're not lonely when you're teaching, you're not quiet, you're laughing most of the time, you're having a wonderful time interacting with young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/you-re-not-lonely-when-you-re-teaching-you-re-not-quiet-you-re/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [Putting babies as young as two weeks into child care for the first year of their life, for 60 hours a week, will cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/putting-babies-as-young-as-two-weeks-into-child-care-for-the-first/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [As everyone knows, nothing is sweeter than tiny baby fingers and chubby baby toes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/as-everyone-knows-nothing-is-sweeter-than-tiny-baby-fingers-and/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) > [My mother was a very difficult woman to please. She was the sort of woman who thought that if I were praised I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/my-mother-was-a-very-difficult-woman-to-please-she-was-the-sort-of/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) [Explore all 29 Mem Fox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“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 a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mem Fox" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-children-at-all-if-they-know-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-children-at-all-if-they-know-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/838/mem-fox-21289_children_i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-childr_1443775.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.” — Mem Fox", "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": "Mem Fox", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't know why some people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-children-at-all-if-they-know-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-children-at-all-if-they-know-that/#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 } } ] } ```