---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where…"
description: "\"Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought to be.\" — Clementine Paddleford"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png"
---

#  Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought…

![“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought to be.” quote by Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png)

> “Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought to be.”

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A wishbone symbolizes hope; without it, you must rely on personal strength and resilience.

**In simple terms:** Rely on inner strength.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate personal resilience.

Themes

resilience hope self-reliance determination

Mood

reflective encouraging

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- career challenges
- health recovery
- creative projects

Key Concepts

symbolism personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you needed inner strength?
- How do symbols affect motivation?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on symbols can hinder action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Backbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backbone/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughter/) [Empowerment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowerment/) [Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mom and daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom-and-daughter/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Wishbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishbone/) [Wishbones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishbones/)

## Related quotes

> [“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-your-backbone-should-be/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be. Make your choice. And if you choose anything over love, you're not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-frost/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-your-backbone-ought-to-be-make/)

[Kimberly Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-frost/)

> [Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/stop-wearing-your-wishbone-where-your-backbone-ought-to-be/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-where-your-backbone-ought-to-be/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [You don't need a wishbone, you need a backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/you-don-t-need-a-wishbone-you-need-a-backbone/)

[Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/)

> [Get a backbone, not a wishbone,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/get-a-backbone-not-a-wishbone/)

[Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/)

> [Many a man has failed because he had his wishbone where his backbone should have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/many-a-man-has-failed-because-he-had-his-wishbone-where-his-backbone/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The wishbone will never replace the backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-wishbone-will-never-replace-the-backbone/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Put your backbone where your wishbone is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/put-your-backbone-where-your-wishbone-is/)

[Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/)

> [We need a backbone, not a wishbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-need-a-backbone-not-a-wishbone/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.”—Reba McEntire”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/to-succeed-in-life-you-need-three-things-a-wishbone-a-backbone-and-a-2/)

[Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/)

> [“Some people develop a wishbone where their backbone should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/some-people-develop-a-wishbone-where-their-backbone-should-be/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part of his body - the wishbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-person-will-sometimes-devote-all-his-life-to-the-development-of-one/)

[Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/)

> [We don't need a wishbone...we need a backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-don-t-need-a-wishbone-we-need-a-backbone/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [“Left wing...Right wing...it's so limited; why doesn't it ever occur to any of them that what one is really longing for is the wishbone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/left-wing-right-wing-it-s-so-limited-why-doesn-t-it-ever-occur-to-any/)

[Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/)

## More by Clementine Paddleford

> [The day has the color and the sound of winter. Thoughts turn to chowder...chowder breathes reassurance. It steams consolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/the-day-has-the-color-and-the-sound-of-winter-thoughts-turn-to/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [A tiny radish of passionate scarlet, tipped modestly in white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/a-tiny-radish-of-passionate-scarlet-tipped-modestly-in-white/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [“Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-where-your-backbone-ought-to-be/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [Chowder breathes reassurace. It steams consolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/chowder-breathes-reassurace-it-steams-consolation/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [Beer is the Danish national drink, and the Danish national weakness is another beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/beer-is-the-danish-national-drink-and-the-danish-national-weakness-is/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [We all have hometown appetites. Every other person is a bundle of longing for the simplicities of good taste once enjoyed on the farm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/we-all-have-hometown-appetites-every-other-person-is-a-bundle-of/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-your-backbone-should-be/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

> [We all have hometown appetites,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/we-all-have-hometown-appetites/)

[Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

[Explore all 9 Clementine Paddleford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/)

## More Backbone quotes

> [“The Lord gave you a backbone because He wanted you to use it. So use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wilgus/the-lord-gave-you-a-backbone-because-he-wanted-you-to-use-it-so-use-it/)

[Nick Wilgus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wilgus/)

> [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [Truth of life is that in difficult times, my family was my backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/truth-of-life-is-that-in-difficult-times-my-family-was-my-backbone/)

[Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/)

> [Gaming is the backbone of Nevada's economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-guinn/gaming-is-the-backbone-of-nevada-s-economy/)

[Kenny Guinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-guinn/)

> [A true leader must have enough backbone to stand alone - even when the crowd wants to take the easy road home. A true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/a-true-leader-must-have-enough-backbone-to-stand-alone-even-when-the/)

[Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/)

> [General Petraeus is a man that has the backbone that somebody like President-elect Trump would love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/general-petraeus-is-a-man-that-has-the-backbone-that-somebody-like/)

[Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/)

> [My Christian faith is my backbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/my-christian-faith-is-my-backbone/)

[Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/)

> [“Better to get spine broken than bend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/better-to-get-spine-broken-than-bend-it/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [The backbone of our nation's domestic defense against terrorist attacks will continue to be the men and women in local law enforcement and emergency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saxby-chambliss/the-backbone-of-our-nation-s-domestic-defense-against-terrorist/)

[Saxby Chambliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saxby-chambliss/)

> [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [I don't have any contempt for the men who have to have jobs and have to commute and have to pay the mortgage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-wilson/i-don-t-have-any-contempt-for-the-men-who-have-to-have-jobs-and-have/)

[Sloan Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-wilson/)

> [News is the backbone of our network; the main commodity and the main successes of Al Jazeera came out of our involvement in covering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/news-is-the-backbone-of-our-network-the-main-commodity-and-the-main/)

[Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/)

> [He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/he-was-a-tool-of-the-boss-without-brains-or-backbone/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [Inflationism is a dreadful cancer that is gnawing at the backbone of the civilized order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/inflationism-is-a-dreadful-cancer-that-is-gnawing-at-the-backbone-of/)

[Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/)

> [To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have stamina, determination, backbone, perseverance, self-reliance, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/to-succeed-we-must-have-the-will-to-succeed-we-must-have-stamina/)

[B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/)

[Browse all 318 Backbone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backbone/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought to be.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Clementine Paddleford"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you-backbone-ought-to-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Backbone"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you-backbone-ought-to-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/clementine-paddleford-44304_backbone_never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you_2190096.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where you backbone ought to be.” — Clementine Paddleford",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Clementine Paddleford",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you-backbone-ought-to-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/never-grow-a-wishbone-daughter-where-you-backbone-ought-to-be/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```