--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a little boy, when I would get angry…" description: "\"“As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would say, “Count to ten.” Try as I might, I could not make this advice work for me. By the time I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg" --- # As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would… ![“As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would say, “Count to ten.” Try as I might, I could not make this advice work for me. By the time I reached the number ten, I was madder than when I started!” quote by David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg) > ““As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would say, “Count to ten.” Try as I might, I could not make this advice work for me. By the time I reached the number ten, I was madder than when I started!”” [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Counting to ten may not calm intense anger for everyone; alternative coping methods may be needed. **In simple terms:** Counting to ten isn’t effective for all anger. Key Takeaway Find personal techniques that work for you. Themes anger management parenting emotional regulation self‑control Mood frustrated thoughtful Type practical psychological When to use this quote - personal therapy - parenting workshops - self‑help books Key Concepts cognitive strategies mindfulness behavioral techniques Questions to Reflect On - What other methods help you calm down? - Can breathing exercises replace counting? A Different Perspective Some may find counting escalates frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Angry Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry-mother-3301143/) [Boy Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-angry-3301142/) [Little Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boy/) [Mother Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-say/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Say Count](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-count-2553699/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [What-to-do-while-you-count-to-10](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-to-do-while-you-count-to-10/) ## Related quotes > [“You still know that boy. He was very angry at fourteen, fifteen, in summer and winter, at home or in the world. So angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/you-still-know-that-boy-he-was-very-angry-at-fourteen-fifteen-in/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [He loves but little who can say and count in words, how much he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/he-loves-but-little-who-can-say-and-count-in-words-how-much-he-loves/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“I was pregnant, and then I wasn’t,” she said softly. “I was in love, and then I wasn’t. You did that. You took those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/i-was-pregnant-and-then-i-wasn-t-she-said-softly-i-was-in-love-and/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Never underestimate the fury of an angry mother, Caspar. They're the most vicious creatures in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hunter/never-underestimate-the-fury-of-an-angry-mother-caspar-they-re-the/) [Elizabeth Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hunter/) > [I try to make what I say count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-try-to-make-what-i-say-count/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [“No one can make you angry! No one can make you mad! You get to choose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/no-one-can-make-you-angry-no-one-can-make-you-mad-you-get-to-choose/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“When we are not connected with our emotions, we are not connected to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/when-we-are-not-connected-with-our-emotions-we-are-not-connected-to/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“When anger is used correctly, it can have positive results!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/when-anger-is-used-correctly-it-can-have-positive-results/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Anger has two benefits: it provides a warning and the necessary energy for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/anger-has-two-benefits-it-provides-a-warning-and-the-necessary-energy/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Listing someone else’s faults is taking someone else’s inventory, and usually starts conflict.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/listing-someone-else-s-faults-is-taking-someone-else-s-inventory-and/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Anger can enslave us, or it can provide freedom, all depending upon how it is used.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/anger-can-enslave-us-or-it-can-provide-freedom-all-depending-upon-how/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“The anger in itself was not the problem. The lack of anger management and the inappropriate expression of this anger is what doomed your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/the-anger-in-itself-was-not-the-problem-the-lack-of-anger-management/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Your feelings do not lie to you; however, they may be based upon a false thought,or a true thought, or based upon incomplete information.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/your-feelings-do-not-lie-to-you-however-they-may-be-based-upon-a/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“From our behavior, we obtain certain results, and these results reinforce our beliefs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/from-our-behavior-we-obtain-certain-results-and-these-results/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Strong feelings associated with an event can keep memories alive forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/strong-feelings-associated-with-an-event-can-keep-memories-alive/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) ## More by David W. Earle LPC > [“Strong feelings associated with an event can keep memories alive forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/strong-feelings-associated-with-an-event-can-keep-memories-alive/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Life is a learning experience and this is a very peaceful method of accepting the reality you face…”What will I learn?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/life-is-a-learning-experience-and-this-is-a-very-peaceful-method-of/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“From our behavior, we obtain certain results, and these results reinforce our beliefs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/from-our-behavior-we-obtain-certain-results-and-these-results/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Your feelings do not lie to you; however, they may be based upon a false thought,or a true thought, or based upon incomplete information.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/your-feelings-do-not-lie-to-you-however-they-may-be-based-upon-a/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“The anger in itself was not the problem. The lack of anger management and the inappropriate expression of this anger is what doomed your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/the-anger-in-itself-was-not-the-problem-the-lack-of-anger-management/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Fearing the judgment of others I condemned myself … failing in my quest for perfection the oppressive weight of judgment steadily pressing upon my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/fearing-the-judgment-of-others-i-condemned-myself-failing-in-my-quest/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Anger can enslave us, or it can provide freedom, all depending upon how it is used.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/anger-can-enslave-us-or-it-can-provide-freedom-all-depending-upon-how/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Listing someone else’s faults is taking someone else’s inventory, and usually starts conflict.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/listing-someone-else-s-faults-is-taking-someone-else-s-inventory-and/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Anger has two benefits: it provides a warning and the necessary energy for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/anger-has-two-benefits-it-provides-a-warning-and-the-necessary-energy/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“When anger is used correctly, it can have positive results!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/when-anger-is-used-correctly-it-can-have-positive-results/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“No matter how I want things to stay the same, no matter how discomforting change can be, I am stuck with the certainty that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/no-matter-how-i-want-things-to-stay-the-same-no-matter-how/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“When we are not connected with our emotions, we are not connected to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/when-we-are-not-connected-with-our-emotions-we-are-not-connected-to/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“Often, we will stay in a miserable status quo until the misery finally exceeds the resistance to change. True wisdom is seeing the future:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/often-we-will-stay-in-a-miserable-status-quo-until-the-misery-finally/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“We can be safe and live with other defined truths exemplified by a capital “T” or we can change and with our limited time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/we-can-be-safe-and-live-with-other-defined-truths-exemplified-by-a/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“No one can make you angry! No one can make you mad! You get to choose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/no-one-can-make-you-angry-no-one-can-make-you-mad-you-get-to-choose/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) [Explore all 19 David W. Earle LPC quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) ## More Angry quotes > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) [Kirsten Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gilchrist/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [I'm an angry guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-an-angry-guy/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 3,857 Angry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would say, “Count to ten.” Try as I might, I could not make this advice work for me. By the time I reached the number ten, I was madder than when I started!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David W. Earle LPC" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-my-mother-would-say-count-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-my-mother-would-say-count-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/david-w-earle-lpc-28884_parenting_as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-m_1969743.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a little boy, when I would get angry, my mother would say, “Count to ten.” Try as I might, I could not…” — David W. Earle LPC", "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": "David W. Earle LPC", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As a little boy, when I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-my-mother-would-say-count-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/as-a-little-boy-when-i-would-get-angry-my-mother-would-say-count-to/#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 } } ] } ```