--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two parents can't raise a child any more…" description: "\"Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a child. And the little nuclear family is a paradi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg" --- # Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You… ![“Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a child. And the little nuclear family is a paradigm that just doesn't work. It doesn't work for white people or for black people. Why are we hanging onto it, I don't know. It isolates people into…” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34f/toni-morrison-271_black_two-parents-can-t-raise-a-child-any-more_2217172.jpg) > “Two parents can't raise a child any more than one. You need a whole community - everybody - to raise a child. And the little nuclear family is a paradigm that just doesn't work. It doesn't work for white people or for black people. Why are we hanging onto it, I don't know. It isolates people into little units - people need a larger unit.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children thrive when supported by a broad network rather than a limited nuclear unit. **In simple terms:** Community support is essential for child development. Key Takeaway Seek broader community involvement. Themes parenting community family structures social cohesion Mood reflective concerned Type advice social commentary When to use this quote - school programs - neighborhood groups - faith organizations - parenting workshops Key Concepts collectivism social support interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How can you expand your child's support network? - What barriers exist to community parenting? A Different Perspective May be challenging to coordinate diverse stakeholders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-families/) [Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigm/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think one parent can raise a child. I don't think two parents can raise a child. You really need the whole village.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-don-t-think-one-parent-can-raise-a-child-i-don-t-think-two-parents/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [The only siblings I have are half-siblings. My nuclear family would have been an extra-suffocating threesome. Instead, I have an interesting brother and sister,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/the-only-siblings-i-have-are-half-siblings-my-nuclear-family-would/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [ Goldilocks \[There\] lived a family of bearstogether anthropomorphically in a little cottage as a nuclear family. They were very sorry about this, of course,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-finn-garner/goldilocks-there-lived-a-family-of-bearstogether-anthropomorphically/) [James Finn Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-finn-garner/) > [The nuclear family must be destroyed... Whatever its ultimate meaning, the break-up of families now is an objectively revolutionary process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gordon/the-nuclear-family-must-be-destroyed-whatever-its-ultimate-meaning/) [Linda Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gordon/) > [The nuclear family must be destroyed, and people must find better ways of living together… Whatever its ultimate meaning, the break-up of families now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gordon/the-nuclear-family-must-be-destroyed-and-people-must-find-better-ways/) [Linda Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gordon/) > [While politicians, clergy, creators of advertisements, and other worthies assert stoutly that the family is the foundation of society, the nuclear family, as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/while-politicians-clergy-creators-of-advertisements-and-other/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [A musical blast! Fun for the whole nuclear family!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/a-musical-blast-fun-for-the-whole-nuclear-family/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [Ever wonder why people are so determined to reach for white picket fences, supposed normalcy, a nuclear family? Well, try growing up without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-eddy/ever-wonder-why-people-are-so-determined-to-reach-for-white-picket/) [Chuck Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-eddy/) > [I don't design houses with the nuclear family idea because I don't believe in it as a concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-don-t-design-houses-with-the-nuclear-family-idea-because-i-don-t/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [My parents suffered from that ideal of a perfect nuclear family. They found that a difficult pressure, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/my-parents-suffered-from-that-ideal-of-a-perfect-nuclear-family-they/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [I don't think you necessarily have to be part of a traditional nuclear family to be a good mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-louise-parker/i-don-t-think-you-necessarily-have-to-be-part-of-a-traditional/) [Mary-Louise Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-louise-parker/) > [I'm passionately opposed to the nuclear family, with its mom and dad and their 2.4 children. I think it's the most neurotic life-style ever developed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/i-m-passionately-opposed-to-the-nuclear-family-with-its-mom-and-dad/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [You need a whole community to raise a child. I have raised two children, alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-need-a-whole-community-to-raise-a-child-i-have-raised-two/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“I wonder if we're giving our children the chance to really perform, if we're giving them and ourselves enough credit, as we pore over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muffy-mead-ferro/i-wonder-if-we-re-giving-our-children-the-chance-to-really-perform-if/) [Muffy Mead-Ferro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muffy-mead-ferro/) > [Over protective parents raise sneaky kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/over-protective-parents-raise-sneaky-kids/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [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. 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I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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