--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I realized that Sandra and I had been…" description: "\"“I realized that Sandra and I had been getting social mileage out of our children’s good behavior, and, in our eyes, this son simply didn’t measure up...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/stephen-r-covey-1501_child_i-realized-that-sandra-and-i-had-been-ge_393793.jpg" --- # I realized that Sandra and I had been getting social… ![“I realized that Sandra and I had been getting social mileage out of our children’s good behavior, and, in our eyes, this son simply didn’t measure up.” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/stephen-r-covey-1501_child_i-realized-that-sandra-and-i-had-been-ge_393793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/stephen-r-covey-1501_child_i-realized-that-sandra-and-i-had-been-ge_393793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/stephen-r-covey-1501_child_i-realized-that-sandra-and-i-had-been-ge_393793.jpg) > ““I realized that Sandra and I had been getting social mileage out of our children’s good behavior, and, in our eyes, this son simply didn’t measure up.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author admits using children’s behavior to boost personal image, revealing how adults may project expectations onto kids. **In simple terms:** Parents sometimes use kids to enhance their own status. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid using children for personal validation. Themes parenting self‑image expectations Mood reflective critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - parent‑teacher meetings - social media sharing Key Concepts psychology family dynamics self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - How do you value your child beyond achievements? - What boundaries protect children from adult projections? A Different Perspective Children deserve autonomy, not as tools for adult ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Good behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-behavior/) ## Related quotes > [“The best which entailed from parents to children, is the good behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imam-ali/the-best-which-entailed-from-parents-to-children-is-the-good-behavior/) [Imam Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imam-ali/) > [We must conserve our environment and pass it on to our children in as good or better condition than it was passed to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kennedy/we-must-conserve-our-environment-and-pass-it-on-to-our-children-in-as/) [Mark Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kennedy/) > [A father is a man who expects his children to be as good as he meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-father-is-a-man-who-expects-his-children-to-be-as-good-as-he-meant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Children are a very good and very perceptive audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cribbins/children-are-a-very-good-and-very-perceptive-audience/) [Bernard Cribbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cribbins/) > [“And other times there would be tenderness and holding-close liek a warm bath, and hands stroking my hair and brow, and the words carved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/and-other-times-there-would-be-tenderness-and-holding-close-liek-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Do good in the name of children. Do good in the name of public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-caplan/do-good-in-the-name-of-children-do-good-in-the-name-of-public-health/) [Arthur Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-caplan/) > [“It's a long haul bringing up our children to be good; you have to keep doing that — bring them up — and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/it-s-a-long-haul-bringing-up-our-children-to-be-good-you-have-to-keep/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-have-never-been-very-good-at-listening-to-their-elders-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Active dads make a positive contribution: they are good for children and they are good for mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/active-dads-make-a-positive-contribution-they-are-good-for-children/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/it-is-true-that-as-you-have-children-there-are-a-good-many-months/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-children-s-story-that-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-children-is-not-a-good-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What makes people good communicators is, in essence, an ability not to be fazed by the more problematic or offbeat aspects of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/what-makes-people-good-communicators-is-in-essence-an-ability-not-to/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." He also said: "No book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-children-s-story-that-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-children-is-not-a-good/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I can say is this: what I'm doing with children is good, solid common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/all-i-can-say-is-this-what-i-m-doing-with-children-is-good-solid/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) > [You write not for children but for yourself. And if by good fortune children enjoy what you enjoy, why then you are a writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ransome/you-write-not-for-children-but-for-yourself-and-if-by-good-fortune/) [Arthur Ransome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ransome/) ## More by Stephen R. 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