You know what male comics can't do? They can't get pregnant. They can't perform pregnant. So my attitude is, just use all those differences.
Whenever I feel mom-guilt, or I feel pressure to be a better mom - to cook salmon on a bed of quinoa for my kids - I just think to myself, 'I... have... suffered... enough.' And then I feel fine about feeding my toddler a bag of chips for dinner.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote addresses the pressures and guilt that come with parenting, emphasizing self-acceptance and relief from unrealistic expectations.
In this quote, Ali Wong expresses the common feeling of guilt that many parents experience, particularly mothers, regarding their parenting choices. She humorously points out the unrealistic standards that society often imposes on parents, especially in terms of preparing healthy meals. By acknowledging her struggles and embracing a more relaxed approach to her parenting, she finds solace in the idea that she has already faced enough challenges, allowing her to let go of guilt and simply feed her child what is convenient, like chips, without the added stress of meeting lofty expectations.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a parenting group to discuss the pressures of meal preparation.
More from Ali Wong
All quotes →The most valuable thing my dad taught me was to never care about what other people thought. When he came to my shows, and I'd announce his presence, he'd stand up with his hands clasped in victory and cheer my name.
There are certainly other female comics who are moms, but I don't know any who are actively touring with their kids. But there are more and more becoming moms, and it's awesome. I feel we're in a super sisterhood.
Similar quotes
The most important thing I do is I'm a dad.
First thing in the morning, we're really tired, and we look at each other and we wonder, 'Are we ever going to get sleep?' And yet, it doesn't matter if you don't get sleep. It's an honor to take care of them.
Like many other women, I could not understand why every man who changed a diaper has felt impelled, in recent years, to write a book about it.
When you stay present with your children, that’s where abundance is. And when you stay out of their business, that’s where everything you deserve in life is. When you’re in presence, there’s no story, and you are abundance. And you come to trust that space so often that you just eventually hang out as that, because there is nothing that can move you out of it, not even a perceived child or a perceived anything.
Parents remain our touchstones, fellow travelers, even after death. They are both missing and present.
If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.