--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find many adults are put off when young…" description: "\"“I find many adults are put off when young children pose scientific questions. Why is the Moon round? the children ask. Why is grass green? What is a d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/carl-sagan-160_children_i-find-many-adults-are-put-off-when-youn_3054932.jpg" --- # I find many adults are put off when young children pose… ![“I find many adults are put off when young children pose scientific questions. Why is the Moon round? the children ask. Why is grass green? What is a dream? How deep can you dig a hole? When is the world’s birthday? Why do we have toes? Too many teachers and parents answer with irritation or…” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/carl-sagan-160_children_i-find-many-adults-are-put-off-when-youn_3054932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/carl-sagan-160_children_i-find-many-adults-are-put-off-when-youn_3054932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/carl-sagan-160_children_i-find-many-adults-are-put-off-when-youn_3054932.jpg) > ““I find many adults are put off when young children pose scientific questions. Why is the Moon round? the children ask. Why is grass green? What is a dream? How deep can you dig a hole? When is the world’s birthday? Why do we have toes? Too many teachers and parents answer with irritation or ridicule, or quickly move on to something else: ‘What did you expect the Moon to be, square?’ Children soon recognize that somehow this kind of question annoys the grown-ups. A few more experiences like it, and another child has been lost to science. Why adults should pretend to omniscience before 6-year-olds, I can’t for the life of me understand. What’s wrong with admitting that we don’t know something? Is our self-esteem so fragile?”” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adults often discourage children's curiosity, stifling scientific inquiry and critical thinking. **In simple terms:** Encourage questioning, not ridicule. Key Takeaway Foster inquisitive minds. Themes education curiosity science Mood inquisitive hopeful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classroom teaching - parental guidance Key Concepts Socratic method intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - How can we model humility? - What questions spark wonder in you? A Different Perspective Cultural resistance to uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-ask-1381991/) [Grass Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass-green/) [Parents Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-answer-5098751/) [Questions Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions-moon-1219607/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-adults-5098750/) [Scientific Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-questions-553853/) ## Related quotes > [“Every now and then, I'm lucky enough to teach a kindergarten or first-grade class. 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They can ask all the questions they like, How's school? Are you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-know-that-big-people-don-t-like-questions-from-children-they-can/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [Do not shut up the young people against their will in a pew, and force the children to ask them questions for an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/do-not-shut-up-the-young-people-against-their-will-in-a-pew-and-force/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Children ask better questions than adults. "May I have a cookie?" "Why is the sky blue?" and "What does a cow say?" are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/children-ask-better-questions-than-adults-may-i-have-a-cookie-why-is/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. 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Too many teachers and parents answer with irritation or ridicule, or quickly move on to something else: ‘What did you expect the Moon to be, square?’ Children soon recognize that somehow this kind of question annoys the grown-ups. A few more experiences like it, and another child has been lost to science. Why adults should pretend to omniscience before 6-year-olds, I can’t for the life of me understand. What’s wrong with admitting that we don’t know something? 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