--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Parents sometimes simply don't have…" description: "\"Parents sometimes simply don't have enough hands and time and attention to do all that is urgent. But in all things there is a priority of importance…a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/richard-l-evans-9573_all-things_parents-sometimes-simply-don-t-have-enou_2629671.jpg" --- # Parents sometimes simply don't have enough hands and time… ![“Parents sometimes simply don't have enough hands and time and attention to do all that is urgent. But in all things there is a priority of importance…and one of our urgent opportunities is to respond to a child when he earnestly asks, remembering that they don't always ask, that they aren't always…” quote by Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/richard-l-evans-9573_all-things_parents-sometimes-simply-don-t-have-enou_2629671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/richard-l-evans-9573_all-things_parents-sometimes-simply-don-t-have-enou_2629671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/richard-l-evans-9573_all-things_parents-sometimes-simply-don-t-have-enou_2629671.jpg) > “Parents sometimes simply don't have enough hands and time and attention to do all that is urgent. But in all things there is a priority of importance…and one of our urgent opportunities is to respond to a child when he earnestly asks, remembering that they don't always ask, that they aren't always teachable, that they won't always listen.” [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents often lack the resources to meet every demand, so they must prioritize urgent, sincere child requests over less critical tasks. **In simple terms:** Parents must prioritize urgent child needs. Key Takeaway Prioritize sincere child requests. Themes parenting prioritization urgency Mood thoughtful concerned Type advice reflective When to use this quote - family meals - school projects - emergency care Key Concepts time management empathy Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what is truly urgent? - What strategies help manage limited time? A Different Perspective Balancing all responsibilities can be overwhelming, leading to neglect of other duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Importance Urgent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance-urgent-2178602/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-simply-2001088/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Respond Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond-child-2178601/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Teachable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachable/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Urgent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urgent/) [Urgent Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urgent-things-2178603/) ## Related quotes > [One of our urgent opportunities is to respond to a child when he earnestly asks, remembering that they don't always ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/one-of-our-urgent-opportunities-is-to-respond-to-a-child-when-he/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Keep in mind that you are always saying "no" to something. If it isn't to the apparent and urgent things in your life, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/keep-in-mind-that-you-are-always-saying-no-to-something-if-it-isn-t/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [You must distinguish between what is urgent and what is important. You could accomplish all of the urgent things that you desire without accomplishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/you-must-distinguish-between-what-is-urgent-and-what-is-important-you/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [Your situation and environment are ever changing, so be careful not to confuse things that are urgent with things that are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-situation-and-environment-are-ever-changing-so-be-careful-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At times, parents foist their own choices on kids and try to get them to read the classics. But kids have very high filters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/at-times-parents-foist-their-own-choices-on-kids-and-try-to-get-them/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [Bringing a child into the world makes sense only if this child is wanted consciously and freely by its two parents. If it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/bringing-a-child-into-the-world-makes-sense-only-if-this-child-is/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“I’m an only child, so logically I gave birth to my parents, because if it weren’t for me they wouldn’t be parents at all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-an-only-child-so-logically-i-gave-birth-to-my-parents-because-if/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“The younger generations look at the beliefs of their parents and simply say “Pffft”. History judges us all in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-b-lockhart/the-younger-generations-look-at-the-beliefs-of-their-parents-and/) [Peter B. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-b-lockhart/) > [Unfortunately, some parents simply don't love their children. Probably they don't even love themselves. That may be the heart of their problem. Having parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-viscott/unfortunately-some-parents-simply-don-t-love-their-children-probably/) [David Viscott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-viscott/) > [The phenomenon of home schooling is a wonderful example of the American can-do attitude. Growing numbers of parents have become disenchanted with government-run public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbes/the-phenomenon-of-home-schooling-is-a-wonderful-example-of-the/) [Steve Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbes/) > [The unwilling mind is not a teachable mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/the-unwilling-mind-is-not-a-teachable-mind/) [Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/) > [“Story telling or teachable moments, provides us with a vast reference base of real life antidotes for possible future problems. They not only entertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drexel-deal/story-telling-or-teachable-moments-provides-us-with-a-vast-reference/) [Drexel Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drexel-deal/) > [Discipline and diligence are up there on the list, but one of the most important qualities of many really successful people is humility. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-blackledge/discipline-and-diligence-are-up-there-on-the-list-but-one-of-the-most/) [Todd Blackledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-blackledge/) > [“My priority is not about grades. I seek yearn for knowledge, skills and wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/my-priority-is-not-about-grades-i-seek-yearn-for-knowledge-skills-and/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“We are most teachable during the hard times in our lives. Hard times make us open.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swan-huntley/we-are-most-teachable-during-the-hard-times-in-our-lives-hard-times/) [Swan Huntley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swan-huntley/) ## More by Richard L. Evans > [There never was a tonic that would cure more social ailments than a healthy, happy home. There never was a greater source of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/there-never-was-a-tonic-that-would-cure-more-social-ailments-than-a/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Things I don't understand don't destroy my faith in the things I do understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/things-i-don-t-understand-don-t-destroy-my-faith-in-the-things-i-do/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Too much pessimism has led too many men into making serious mistakes. And perhaps part of our pessimism comes because we are too close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/too-much-pessimism-has-led-too-many-men-into-making-serious-mistakes/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [If we don't want temptation to follow us, we shouldn't act as if we are interested. No one ever fell over a precipice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/if-we-don-t-want-temptation-to-follow-us-we-shouldn-t-act-as-if-we/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Any man who can't control his thoughts can't control his actions, and any man who can't control his actions isn't safe in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/any-man-who-can-t-control-his-thoughts-can-t-control-his-actions-and/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [The interruption we now impatiently put off may be the most important thing we could be doing at this particular time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/the-interruption-we-now-impatiently-put-off-may-be-the-most-important/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Go ahead with your life, your plans… Don't waste time by stopping before the interruptions have started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/go-ahead-with-your-life-your-plans-don-t-waste-time-by-stopping/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [When in the world are we going to begin to live as if we understood that this is life? This is our time, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/when-in-the-world-are-we-going-to-begin-to-live-as-if-we-understood/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [All things need watching, working at, caring for, and marriage is no exception. Marriage is not something to be indifferently treated or abused, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/all-things-need-watching-working-at-caring-for-and-marriage-is-no/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [May we never let the things we can't have, or don't have, or shouldn't have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/may-we-never-let-the-things-we-can-t-have-or-don-t-have-or-shouldn-t/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Freedom cannot always continue in comfort and convenience, cannot be assured without sacrifice, without truth and decency, without willingness to work, without downright honesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/freedom-cannot-always-continue-in-comfort-and-convenience-cannot-be/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [If you don't want temptation to follow you, don't act as if you are interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/if-you-don-t-want-temptation-to-follow-you-don-t-act-as-if-you-are/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [There must be a priority of values in all our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/there-must-be-a-priority-of-values-in-all-our-lives/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [This is life-and it is passing. What are we waiting for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/this-is-life-and-it-is-passing-what-are-we-waiting-for/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Keep courage. Whatever you do, do not feel sorry for yourself. You will win in a great age of opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/keep-courage-whatever-you-do-do-not-feel-sorry-for-yourself-you-will/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) [Explore all 71 Richard L. Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. 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The universal Cause, by knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/god-does-not-possess-a-private-knowledge-of-himself-and-a-separate/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) [Browse all 2,486 All things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Parents sometimes simply don't have enough hands and time and attention to do all that is urgent. But in all things there is a priority of importance…and one of our urgent opportunities is to respond to a child when he earnestly asks, remembering that they don't always ask, that they aren't always teachable, that they won't always listen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard L. 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