“He that raises a large family does, indeed, while he lives to observe them, stand a broader mark for sorrow; but then he stands a broader mark for pleasure too.”
- January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790
- American
- Polymath, Founding Father of the United States, Inventor, Diplomat, Writer
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Quote
“He that raises a large family does, indeed, while he lives to observe them, stand a broader mark for sorrow; but then he stands a broader mark for pleasure too.”
Explanation
In this quote, Benjamin Franklin acknowledges the emotional complexity of raising a large family. He candidly notes that such a person “stands a broader mark for sorrow”, meaning that with more children comes greater vulnerability to hardship, loss, or disappointment. Yet he immediately balances this with the affirmation that one also “stands a broader mark for pleasure”, suggesting that the joys of parenthood and family life are equally expanded.
Franklin himself had a large family and valued domestic life alongside his civic contributions. In the 18th century, high child mortality rates and economic challenges made family life particularly uncertain, yet it remained central to social and personal identity. This quote reflects Franklin’s characteristic realism tempered with optimism: he does not romanticize family life, but presents it as a rich source of both risk and reward.
Today, Franklin’s observation remains deeply relevant. Parenting involves emotional highs and lows—moments of pride, connection, and love, balanced by worry, sacrifice, and grief. His message reminds us that meaning and fulfillment often come hand-in-hand with vulnerability. The deeper one invests in relationships, especially family, the greater the potential for both joy and sorrow—but also the deeper the sense of life’s purpose and connection.
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