---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus…"
description: "\"As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for example, Dracula.\" — Dave Barry"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png"
---

#  As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for…

![“As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for example, Dracula.” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png)

> “As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for example, Dracula.”

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

## About This Quote

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

Children often fear immediate physical pain more than abstract or fictional threats.

**In simple terms:** Kids dread real pain more than scary stories.

Key Takeaway

Address real fears directly.

Themes

fear childhood perception

Mood

anxious lighthearted

Type

humorous observational

When to use this quote

- medical appointments
- parental guidance
- school health programs

Key Concepts

psychology risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you help children confront real fears?
- What role does imagination play in fear?

A Different Perspective

Fear of the unknown can outweigh imagined danger.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Tetanus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-tetanus-851428/) [Child Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-afraid-851429/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shots/) [Tetanus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tetanus-185033/) [Tetanus Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tetanus-shots-851430/)

## Related quotes

> [“As part of an effort to prod college seniors to get tetanus shots, a group of students was given a lecture meant to educate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-belsky/as-part-of-an-effort-to-prod-college-seniors-to-get-tetanus-shots-a/)

[Gary Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-belsky/)

> [In my experience, if you go to a hospital for any reason whatsoever, including to read the gas meter, they give you a tetanus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-my-experience-if-you-go-to-a-hospital-for-any-reason-whatsoever/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“You’re a bird,” Eddie said. “It’s tetanus, not titnuss, and it means lockjaw. There’s these special microbes that grow in rust, see, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/you-re-a-bird-eddie-said-it-s-tetanus-not-titnuss-and-it-means/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [We were told in one lecture that it was possible to immunize against diphtheria and tetanus by the use of chemically treated toxins, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-salk/we-were-told-in-one-lecture-that-it-was-possible-to-immunize-against/)

[Jonas Salk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-salk/)

> [“He smiled. "we go inside." "I'm going to get tetanus in there." I grumbled. "Don't go rolling in piles of dirt and rusty nails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-allison-moulton/he-smiled-we-go-inside-i-m-going-to-get-tetanus-in-there-i-grumbled/)

[Courtney Allison Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-allison-moulton/)

> [“We may be immune to typhoid, tetanus, chickenpox, diphtheria, but never memory. There is no inoculation against that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-barry/we-may-be-immune-to-typhoid-tetanus-chickenpox-diphtheria-but-never/)

[Sebastian Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-barry/)

> [“Shoes are stupid. Why do people wear them?" -Bliss He laughed, "So they don't step on a nail and get tetanus, that's why." -Cade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/shoes-are-stupid-why-do-people-wear-them-bliss-he-laughed-so-they-don/)

[Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/)

> [“Who is more foolish—the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light? —MAURICE FREEHILL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/who-is-more-foolish-the-child-afraid-of-the-dark-or-the-man-afraid-of/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [As a child I had been so afraid of so many things, but as soon as I held a camera in my hand, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-lyon/as-a-child-i-had-been-so-afraid-of-so-many-things-but-as-soon-as-i/)

[Danny Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-lyon/)

> [You see, now that trials have come, they have shown that I am NOT a nice child. I was afraid they would. Perhaps... that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/you-see-now-that-trials-have-come-they-have-shown-that-i-am-not-a/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“My poor little child Karin Boye My poor child, so afraid of the dark, who has met ghosts of another kind, who always among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/my-poor-little-child-karin-boye-my-poor-child-so-afraid-of-the-dark/)

[Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/)

> [I know that as a very young child, I was afraid of death. Many children become aware of the notion of death early and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-know-that-as-a-very-young-child-i-was-afraid-of-death-many-children/)

[Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/)

> [Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-freehill/who-is-more-foolish-the-child-afraid-of-the-dark-or-the-man-afraid-of-2/)

[Maurice Freehill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-freehill/)

> [“Children perceive frightening ghosts and monsters and dragons and they are terrified. Yet if they ask someone they trust for the meaning of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/children-perceive-frightening-ghosts-and-monsters-and-dragons-and/)

[Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/)

> [“The same goes for new situations. Imagine a child who’s more afraid of the ocean than are other kids the same age. Thoughtful parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/the-same-goes-for-new-situations-imagine-a-child-who-s-more-afraid-of/)

[Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/)

## More by Dave Barry

> [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

[Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

## More Afraid quotes

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/)

[Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/)

[Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/)

> [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/)

[Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/)

> [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/)

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

> [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/)

[Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/)

> [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/)

[James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/)

> [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/)

[Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/)

> [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/)

[Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/)

> [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/)

[Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/)

[Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for example, Dracula.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dave Barry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus-shots-than-for-example-dracula/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Afraid"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus-shots-than-for-example-dracula/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/dave-barry-222_afraid_as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus_1670336.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As a child, I was more afraid of tetanus shots than, for example, Dracula.” — Dave Barry",
                "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": "Dave Barry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "As a child, I was more...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus-shots-than-for-example-dracula/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/as-a-child-i-was-more-afraid-of-tetanus-shots-than-for-example-dracula/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
