--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We would have broken up except for the…" description: "\"We would have broken up except for the children. Who were the children? Well, she and I were.\" — Mort Sahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/mort-sahl-7819_broken_we-would-have-broken-up-except-for-the-c_2689828.jpg" --- # We would have broken up except for the children. Who were… ![“We would have broken up except for the children. Who were the children? Well, she and I were.” quote by Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/mort-sahl-7819_broken_we-would-have-broken-up-except-for-the-c_2689828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/mort-sahl-7819_broken_we-would-have-broken-up-except-for-the-c_2689828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/mort-sahl-7819_broken_we-would-have-broken-up-except-for-the-c_2689828.jpg) > “We would have broken up except for the children. Who were the children? Well, she and I were.” [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relationships often persist only for the sake of children, revealing underlying personal disconnects. **In simple terms:** Couples stay for kids, not love. Key Takeaway Assess relationship motivations. Themes family relationships responsibility loneliness identity Mood thoughtful somber Type psychological social When to use this quote - divorce - co‑parenting - mental health - social expectations Key Concepts parenting marriage personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What keeps you in a relationship? - How do children influence partnership dynamics? A Different Perspective Children can also be a bridge to reconciliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Funny marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-marriage/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. He had the two wards of the fucking Marshal of the fucking Southern Provinces in a stolen car. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-he-had-the-two-wards-of-the-fucking-marshal/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Homeboy Industries is a healing center for broken children. I was a broken child, and they showed me how to put all those pieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/homeboy-industries-is-a-healing-center-for-broken-children-i-was-a/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [If you're not seeing each other anymore because things are so strained, and your only communication is a weekly e-mail, and you're wondering which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/if-you-re-not-seeing-each-other-anymore-because-things-are-so/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [But as the old Confusion of tongues was laudable, when men who were of one language in wickedness and impiety, even as some now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/but-as-the-old-confusion-of-tongues-was-laudable-when-men-who-were-of/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [It's so true children our children learn what they live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-so-true-children-our-children-learn-what-they-live/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“1. Children are not pets. 2. The life they actually live and the life you perceive them to be living is not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/1-children-are-not-pets-2-the-life-they-actually-live-and-the-life/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Long live teachers of children, because they can show children how they can save the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/long-live-teachers-of-children-because-they-can-show-children-how/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [I've never made films for children. That's why children like my films. Nobody wants to be treated as a baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-ocelot/i-ve-never-made-films-for-children-that-s-why-children-like-my-films/) [Michel Ocelot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-ocelot/) > [. . . children - not kids. Kids are goats. I've always spoken of my children as children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/children-not-kids-kids-are-goats-i-ve-always-spoken-of-my-children-as/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [“When you treat people like children, you get children’s work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/when-you-treat-people-like-children-you-get-children-s-work/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [What we are is our parents' children; what we become is our children's parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrit-malloy/what-we-are-is-our-parents-children-what-we-become-is-our-children-s/) [Merrit Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrit-malloy/) > [For me it is important that children be children. My parents felt exactly the same about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/for-me-it-is-important-that-children-be-children-my-parents-felt/) [Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/) > [My wife and I had children when we were children ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/my-wife-and-i-had-children-when-we-were-children-ourselves/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [You should be an example for your children. I show my three children what I am and expect them to live by certain controls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-yesudas/you-should-be-an-example-for-your-children-i-show-my-three-children/) [K. J. Yesudas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-yesudas/) > [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/) ## More by Mort Sahl > [Remember that no matter how selfish, how cruel, how unfeeling you have been today, every time you take a breath, you make a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/remember-that-no-matter-how-selfish-how-cruel-how-unfeeling-you-have/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Comedians have to challenge the power. Comedians should be dangerous and devastating - and funny. That's the hardest part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/comedians-have-to-challenge-the-power-comedians-should-be-dangerous/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Too much comedy today is vulgar, not clever. I say that as a comedian and as a consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/too-much-comedy-today-is-vulgar-not-clever-i-say-that-as-a-comedian/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“The beat generation is a coffeehouse full of people expectantly looking at their watches waiting for the beat generation to come on. \*1958”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/the-beat-generation-is-a-coffeehouse-full-of-people-expectantly/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“I don't think crucifixion is the answer. I believe in the resurrection. I like that part of the story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/i-don-t-think-crucifixion-is-the-answer-i-believe-in-the-resurrection/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [My life needs editing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/my-life-needs-editing/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Every time the Russians throw an American in jail, the Committee throws an American in jail to get even.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/every-time-the-russians-throw-an-american-in-jail-the-committee/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [you don't know what you think unless you say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/you-don-t-know-what-you-think-unless-you-say-it/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [I'm a radical, and I always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/i-m-a-radical-and-i-always-have-been/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Those who the gods would make rich and famous on TV, they first drive mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/those-who-the-gods-would-make-rich-and-famous-on-tv-they-first-drive/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Obama says his recreation consists of reading the Constitution... looking for a loophole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-says-his-recreation-consists-of-reading-the-constitution/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [There's a great feeling of powerlessness in America. When I express ideas to people, they say, 'That's terrific, but do you think it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/there-s-a-great-feeling-of-powerlessness-in-america-when-i-express/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [If you can't join them, beat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/if-you-can-t-join-them-beat-them/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [One thing about being narrow-minded: you'll never be lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/one-thing-about-being-narrow-minded-you-ll-never-be-lonely/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Nixon's the kind of guy that if you were drowning fifty feet off shore, he'd throw you a thirty foot rope. Then Kissinger would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/nixon-s-the-kind-of-guy-that-if-you-were-drowning-fifty-feet-off/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) [Explore all 87 Mort Sahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We would have broken up except for the children. 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