--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Adults are obsolete children." description: "\"Adults are obsolete children.\" — Dr. Seuss" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png" --- # Adults are obsolete children. ![“Adults are obsolete children.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png) > “Adults are obsolete children.” [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) ## 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 repeat childish mistakes, failing to grow beyond them. **In simple terms:** Adults act like children. Key Takeaway Embrace growth and responsibility. Themes growth responsibility maturity Mood playful thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - career advancement Key Concepts personal development generational learning Questions to Reflect On - What childish habits linger in your life? - How can you foster maturity? A Different Perspective The phrase may oversimplify adult complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Adults Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-obsolete-1895491/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolete/) [Obsolete Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolete-children-1895492/) ## Related quotes > [Adults are only obsolete children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-only-obsolete-children/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-just-obsolete-children-and-the-hell-with-them/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [the myth of childhood happiness flourishes so wildly not because it satisfies the needs of children but because it satisfies the needs of adults.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/the-myth-of-childhood-happiness-flourishes-so-wildly-not-because-it/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self. Adults work to finish a task, but the child works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-essence-of-independence-is-to-be-able-to-do-something-for-one-s/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [A child is an eager observer and is particularly attracted by the actions of the adults and wants to imitate them. In this regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/a-child-is-an-eager-observer-and-is-particularly-attracted-by-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Adults tend to think they have much free will. Kids younger than six are less sure. They may be more realistic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-gopnik/adults-tend-to-think-they-have-much-free-will-kids-younger-than-six/) [Alison Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-gopnik/) > [“Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Everything is fascinating and holds their attention as they explore their new surroundings. Adults however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/kids-are-naturally-curious-about-the-world-around-them-everything-is/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [Our kids are not here to comfort us, to entertain us, or to validate us. Those things need to come from ourselves and from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-m-kennedy/our-kids-are-not-here-to-comfort-us-to-entertain-us-or-to-validate-us/) [Marge M. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-m-kennedy/) > [Most adults have forgotten what they had to do to survive childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/most-adults-have-forgotten-what-they-had-to-do-to-survive-childhood/) [Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/) > [I sometimes find that my family's emphasis on stories, characters, and art that appeals directly to children rather than over their heads to adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/i-sometimes-find-that-my-family-s-emphasis-on-stories-characters-and/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [A parent does not do everything for their kid. A parent that does everything for their kid produces a kid with no self-confidence. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/a-parent-does-not-do-everything-for-their-kid-a-parent-that-does/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) ## More by Dr. Seuss > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [And this mess is so big And so deep and so tall, We cannot pick it up. There is no way at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/and-this-mess-is-so-big-and-so-deep-and-so-tall-we-cannot-pick-it-up/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Even though we may all become extinct, we can still leave our footprint in the sand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/even-though-we-may-all-become-extinct-we-can-still-leave-our/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My alphabet starts with this letter called yuzz. It s the letter I use to spell yuzz a ma tuzz. You ll be sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/my-alphabet-starts-with-this-letter-called-yuzz-it-s-the-letter-i-use/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Things may happen and often do to people as brainy and footsy as you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/things-may-happen-and-often-do-to-people-as-brainy-and-footsy-as-you/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [If I were invited to a dinner party with my characters, I wouldn't show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/if-i-were-invited-to-a-dinner-party-with-my-characters-i-wouldn-t/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [And what would you do if you met a jibboo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/and-what-would-you-do-if-you-met-a-jibboo/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Being crazy isn't enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/being-crazy-isn-t-enough/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/remember-me-and-smile-for-it-s-better-to-forget-than-to-remember-me/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Fame you'll be famous, as famous as can be, with everyone watching you win on TV, Except when they don't because sometimes they won't..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/fame-you-ll-be-famous-as-famous-as-can-be-with-everyone-watching-you/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head? Did you ever milk this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/did-you-ever-fly-a-kite-in-bed-did-you-ever-walk-with-ten-cats-on/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/with-your-head-full-of-brains-and-your-shoes-full-of-feet-you-re-too/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew. While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze. Freezy trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/through-three-cheese-trees-three-free-fleas-flew-while-these-fleas/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/oh-the-places-you-ll-go-there-is-fun-to-be-done-there-are-points-to/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Oh, the thinks you can think!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/oh-the-thinks-you-can-think/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) [Explore all 270 Dr. Seuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) [K. Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Adults are obsolete children.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Seuss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-obsolete-children/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adults" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-obsolete-children/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1c/dr-seuss-1224_adults_adults-are-obsolete-children-2595248_2595248.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Adults are obsolete children.” — Dr. Seuss", "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": "Dr. Seuss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Adults are obsolete children.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-obsolete-children/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/adults-are-obsolete-children/#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 } } ] } ```