--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to give them unconditional love…" description: "\"You have to give them unconditional love. They need to know that even if they screw up, you love them. You don't want them to grow up and resent you or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/alfie-kohn-7728_child_you-have-to-give-them-unconditional-love_3151979.jpg" --- # You have to give them unconditional love. They need to… ![“You have to give them unconditional love. They need to know that even if they screw up, you love them. You don't want them to grow up and resent you or, even worse, parent the way you parented them.” quote by Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/alfie-kohn-7728_child_you-have-to-give-them-unconditional-love_3151979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/alfie-kohn-7728_child_you-have-to-give-them-unconditional-love_3151979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/alfie-kohn-7728_child_you-have-to-give-them-unconditional-love_3151979.jpg) > “You have to give them unconditional love. They need to know that even if they screw up, you love them. You don't want them to grow up and resent you or, even worse, parent the way you parented them.” [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children need consistent, non‑conditional love to develop healthy self‑esteem and avoid resentment. **In simple terms:** Love them unconditionally, even when they err. Key Takeaway Provide steady, unconditional support. Themes parenting empathy relationships Mood supportive thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - raising teens - family conflict - discipline - emotional development Key Concepts unconditional love psychological safety Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance love with guidance? - What boundaries support healthy growth? A Different Perspective Unconditional love may enable repeated misbehavior without boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Screw ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw-ups/) [Unconditional love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconditional-love/) ## Related quotes > [And when you try to live there, to live in a place where you're betraying yourself over and over, not only do you grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/and-when-you-try-to-live-there-to-live-in-a-place-where-you-re/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [Oh, but my treasure, it is so much less exhausting. You only have to forgive once. 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Kyos > [We all, as parents, are laughing at ourselves and helicopter parenting and saying, 'This isn't the way we were parented; we were allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/we-all-as-parents-are-laughing-at-ourselves-and-helicopter-parenting/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) > [“If you are being parented, it means that ADHD symptoms are getting in the way of your relationship, whether you are aware of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/if-you-are-being-parented-it-means-that-adhd-symptoms-are-getting-in/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“in every moment when you are parenting, you are being parented. 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