Famous Parenting Quotes

Bad Parents?

Can it be that there are bad parents? We all know the answer to that one - of course there are - we see the fruit of it every day. Karl Menninger said: "What's done to children, they will do to society." We see young men and women committing all kinds of heinous acts against children and adults. When the investigations are complete and the physicians and other professionals have given their evidence, the facts of the childhood of these individuals comes to light and we learn they were abused, beaten, abandoned, or raised by a single parent on drugs. Certainly there are bad parents who were raised in good families, but the incidence of this happening is minimal compared to the other scenario.

During pregnancy there is probably never a thought about being anything less than a stellar parent. It is highly unlikely that men and women plan ahead of time to be a bad parent. There is help for parents who may be considered to be "bad parents", but they have to want the help. Children have been taken from parents who claim to love them but can't seem to help themselves and end up hurting them.

Our Parents' Pictures and Poems

Many of us have our parents' pictures in our homes, and probably our kids will have their parents' pictures in their homes. We are proud of who our parents are, who they were, and how they raised us. If you check around, you'll find some really lovely parents who are movie stars, and they have pictures of their babies everywhere. Some of us can proudly show off things written by our parents to us and about us. Parents' poems are some of the most beautiful and meaningful ever written. For example:

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play,

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

• Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Again"

No doubt, Ms. Loomans' poem speaks volumes to those of us parents who worked so hard to make sure our kids were perfect, and missed the perfect moments with them. We all have 20/20 hindsight.

Words of Wisdom in Quotes

If you ever have the opportunity to go to a baby center, a place where young moms hang out with their little ones, you will have occasion to pick up a few pithy and truthful quotes and insights from some very famous (and not-so-famous) people. Parents' quotes are full of the things we need to hold on to when we're raising little ones. It gives us the insight and sometimes the courage to know when we're off track and need to make an adjustment. Perhaps one of the most famous parents of all is the great comedian Bill Cosby. His television shows made being a parent less stressful and more human - he seemed to understand what the reality is for parents and made it easier through laughter. Here are some of Bill Cosby's parent's quotes:

"No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I'm not talking about the kids." - Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, 1986

"In spite of the six thousand manuals on child raising in the bookstores, child raising is still a dark continent and no one really knows anything. You just need a lot of love and luck - and, of course, courage". - Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, 1986

And here's one on discipline: "In spite of the seven thousand books of expert advice, the right way to discipline a child is still a mystery to most fathers and...mothers. Only your grandmother and Ghengis Khan know how to do it." - Bill Cosby

Most people worldwide will remember the name Rose Kennedy. She was the matriarch of the Kennedy Clan, the Irish-American family that brought forth American congressmen, senators, and a president. Her words are a valuable and wonderful reminder to all mothers everywhere of the truth of the job that lies ahead for mothers.

"Whenever I held my newborn baby in my arms, I used to think that what I said and did to him could have an influence not only on him but on all whom he met, not only for a day or a month or a year, but for all eternity - a very challenging and exciting thought for a mother." Rose Kennedy.

And to that we say, Amen.