It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
The good parent: someone who doesn't mind, for a time, being hated by their children.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A good parent may face temporary dislike from their children in order to prioritize their well-being.
In this quote, Alain De Botton highlights the complex nature of parenting, suggesting that a true good parent is willing to endure their children's anger or resentment if it means making decisions that ultimately serve their best interests. This reflects the idea that the responsibilities of parenthood often require making tough choices that may not be immediately appreciated by children but are necessary for their growth and development.
Themes
ParentingChildrenLoveSacrificeWell-Being
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a parenting workshop to emphasize the importance of making tough decisions for children's benefit.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes βTaking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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The challenge of modern relationships: how to prove more interesting than the other's smartphone.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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