--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must acknowledge that bearing and…" description: "\"We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.\" — Susan Maushart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png" --- # We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is… ![“We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.” quote by Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png) > “We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.” [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parenting is central to human purpose, not a side task. **In simple terms:** Children define life's core meaning. Key Takeaway Family is life's primary focus. Themes family purpose responsibility societal roles meaning of life Mood reflective serious inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - life coaching - educational policy - personal reflection Key Concepts parenting human development social structure Practical Applications - guiding career choices - shaping social programs Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to center one's life around children? - How does this view affect societal expectations of parents? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Raising children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-children/) ## Related quotes > [Raising a child, whether or not it is yours, is like Nautilus of the heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/raising-a-child-whether-or-not-it-is-yours-is-like-nautilus-of-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I think a man and a woman, on a whole array of issues, including raising children, have differences, and then you work them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-think-a-man-and-a-woman-on-a-whole-array-of-issues-including/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I'm raising three children. I'm teaching my kids what it means, the Golden Rule, to treat people like you want to be treated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gillum/i-m-raising-three-children-i-m-teaching-my-kids-what-it-means-the/) [Andrew Gillum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-gillum/) > [Raising children is like a hit and run. You've been hit, you can't flag the person down, you're wounded and you don't know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-newbern/raising-children-is-like-a-hit-and-run-you-ve-been-hit-you-can-t-flag/) [George Newbern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-newbern/) > [I would never say out loud that I am raising my children alone, but a lot of the time it has felt like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/i-would-never-say-out-loud-that-i-am-raising-my-children-alone-but-a/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [“Amid the joy of raising children will be some of the hardest work you’ll ever do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/amid-the-joy-of-raising-children-will-be-some-of-the-hardest-work-you/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [Raising a child is like taking care of someone who's on way too many shrooms, while you yourself are on a moderate amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-funches/raising-a-child-is-like-taking-care-of-someone-who-s-on-way-too-many/) Ron Funches > [Raising children is a creative endeavor, an art rather than a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/raising-children-is-a-creative-endeavor-an-art-rather-than-a-science/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [My parents were just searching for an alternative way of raising their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/my-parents-were-just-searching-for-an-alternative-way-of-raising/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Having and raising children is doing something with your life! ... And I have to say that having your kids is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/having-and-raising-children-is-doing-something-with-your-life-and-i/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [Raising children made me determine what I stand for, what I believe in, and who I want to be because, ultimately, I'm who they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-cameron/raising-children-made-me-determine-what-i-stand-for-what-i-believe-in/) [Candace Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-cameron/) > [When it comes to raising children, I believe in give and take. I give orders and they take 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-it-comes-to-raising-children-i-believe-in-give-and-take-i-give/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [There are many important elements to being a parent. A lot of people don't have fathers but they might have someone in their life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-tyler/there-are-many-important-elements-to-being-a-parent-a-lot-of-people/) [Liv Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-tyler/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The deepest change begins with men raising children as much as women do and women being equal actors in the world outside the home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-deepest-change-begins-with-men-raising-children-as-much-as-women/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## More by Susan Maushart > [“Parenting in the age of mobile communication really does allow us to be there for our kids in a way never before possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/parenting-in-the-age-of-mobile-communication-really-does-allow-us-to/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [Maturity is largely about acquiring the confidence and the competence to make your own decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/maturity-is-largely-about-acquiring-the-confidence-and-the-competence/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“The whole point of becoming an adult is to achieve self-reliance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/the-whole-point-of-becoming-an-adult-is-to-achieve-self-reliance/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“The devices meant to simplify our lives merely create new and improved complexities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/the-devices-meant-to-simplify-our-lives-merely-create-new-and/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [...boredom is all about perception. It's a self-diagnosis, plain and simple. If you don't realize you're bored, you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/boredom-is-all-about-perception-it-s-a-self-diagnosis-plain-and/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“Online chatting, on the other hand, has been linked to symptoms of loneliness, confusion, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and addiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/online-chatting-on-the-other-hand-has-been-linked-to-symptoms-of/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [Cities have personalities, just as people do, and that finding the right place to live is akin to finding the right partner to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/cities-have-personalities-just-as-people-do-and-that-finding-the/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“Giving up one activity does not guarantee you will take up a more worthy substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/giving-up-one-activity-does-not-guarantee-you-will-take-up-a-more/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“No one's brain is different enough to make constant interruptions, distractions, and task-switching an optimal environment in which to function. No one's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/no-one-s-brain-is-different-enough-to-make-constant-interruptions/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“Have you ever considered whether Perth's 'dullness' may have inspired you rather than inhibited you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/have-you-ever-considered-whether-perth-s-dullness-may-have-inspired/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“The mind boggles, in other words, but the brain toggles- sometimes quite rapidly, from one task to the next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/the-mind-boggles-in-other-words-but-the-brain-toggles-sometimes-quite/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“Yet where lies the line between compromise and surrender? Between relinquishing the ideal of perfection on the one hand, and losing one's integrity on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/yet-where-lies-the-line-between-compromise-and-surrender-between/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [The more interesting life becomes, in other words, the more boredom we are doomed to experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/the-more-interesting-life-becomes-in-other-words-the-more-boredom-we/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“A world without boredom would be dull.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/a-world-without-boredom-would-be-dull/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [“Boredom might be construed as the impetus for achievement rather than as an obstacle to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/boredom-might-be-construed-as-the-impetus-for-achievement-rather-than/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) [Explore all 24 Susan Maushart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Our knowledge and understanding of nonhuman animals is polluted far more than we acknowledge by our belief in our own superiority, our unrecognized cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-tuttle/our-knowledge-and-understanding-of-nonhuman-animals-is-polluted-far/) [Will Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-tuttle/) Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Maushart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/susan-maushart-24228_acknowledge_we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-rai_19243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage…” — Susan Maushart", "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": "Susan Maushart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must acknowledge that bearing and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/#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 } } ] } ```