---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They…"
description: "\"“Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your defaults.”\" — Eric Brockman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg"
---

#  Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your…

![“Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your defaults.” quote by Eric Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg)

> ““Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your defaults.””

Eric Brockman

## About This Quote

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

Children adopt the habits and defaults of their parents more than the explicit advice given.

**In simple terms:** Kids copy parents’ default behaviors.

Key Takeaway

Model good habits for your kids.

Themes

parenting habits inheritance family dynamics behavioral modeling

Mood

thoughtful concerned hopeful

Type

child:1 children:1 coparenting:1 divorce:0 fatherhood:1 inherit:1 defaults:1 inherit advice:0 advice inherit:0 inherit defaults:1

When to use this quote

- family life
- parent‑child interactions
- co‑parenting
- divorce adjustments
- fatherhood reflections

Key Concepts

default behavior social learning intergenerational influence implicit teaching

Questions to Reflect On

- What defaults are you modeling?
- How can you consciously set positive defaults?

A Different Perspective

Changing deep‑seated defaults can be slow and meet.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorce/) [Fatherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatherhood/)

## Related quotes

> [“the devil’s in the defaults”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-scott/the-devil-s-in-the-defaults/)

Laurence Scott

> [There's not a doubt in my mind that you will see a spate of municipal-bond defaults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-whitney/there-s-not-a-doubt-in-my-mind-that-you-will-see-a-spate-of-municipal/)

[Meredith Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-whitney/)

> [Positive defaults protect you from yourself - and that helps you to make decisions in the moment that are better for your long-term interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/positive-defaults-protect-you-from-yourself-and-that-helps-you-to/)

[Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/)

> [“Don't tell people what you're doing, tell them what you did!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxx-alexis/don-t-tell-people-what-you-re-doing-tell-them-what-you-did/)

Maxx Alexis

> [“We begin to understand that to co-parent is to one day look up and notice that you are on a roller coaster with another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle-melton/we-begin-to-understand-that-to-co-parent-is-to-one-day-look-up-and/)

[Glennon Doyle Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle-melton/)

> [“I advocate for fatherhood because of the trauma I experienced as a father. When I separated from my daughters mother, she literally tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/i-advocate-for-fatherhood-because-of-the-trauma-i-experienced-as-a/)

[Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/)

> [“The greatest thing a father can do for his children is to respect the woman that gave birth to his children. It is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-greatest-thing-a-father-can-do-for-his-children-is-to-respect-the/)

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

> [“When divorce or separation involves mutual children, it's often the father who suffers the most as a parent and the children who suffer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/when-divorce-or-separation-involves-mutual-children-it-s-often-the/)

[Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/)

> [“Many survivors of a narcissist discover that they've sacrificed so much in an attempt to please the narcissist that they've lost sight of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-malone/many-survivors-of-a-narcissist-discover-that-they-ve-sacrificed-so/)

Tracy Malone

> [“If you hold onto hurt and anger with a narcissist, the children will have no normal parent. The narcissistic parent will use them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-malone/if-you-hold-onto-hurt-and-anger-with-a-narcissist-the-children-will/)

Tracy Malone

> [You don't inherit cancer; you actually get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-soon-shiong/you-don-t-inherit-cancer-you-actually-get-it/)

[Patrick Soon-Shiong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-soon-shiong/)

> [It is good to preserve the name, wealth, and honors you inherit, but it is better in every way if you yourself create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-baldorioty-de-castro/it-is-good-to-preserve-the-name-wealth-and-honors-you-inherit-but-it/)

Roman Baldorioty de Castro

> [The geeks shall inherit the earth - I've always said that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-morgan/the-geeks-shall-inherit-the-earth-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Cindy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-morgan/)

> [I am a child of God, and therefore I do not inherit sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-fillmore/i-am-a-child-of-god-and-therefore-i-do-not-inherit-sickness/)

[Myrtle Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrtle-fillmore/)

> [“What a mess the world was in, Vimes reflected. Constable Visit had told him the meek would inherit it, and what had the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/what-a-mess-the-world-was-in-vimes-reflected-constable-visit-had-told/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More Child quotes

> [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/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/)

[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/)

[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/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/)

[Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/)

> [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

[Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your defaults.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric Brockman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-brockman/your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they-inherit-your-defaults/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Child"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-brockman/your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they-inherit-your-defaults/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/eric-brockman-236203_children_your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they_1239241.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Your kids don’t inherit your advice. They inherit your defaults.” — Eric Brockman",
                "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": "Eric Brockman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-brockman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Your kids don’t inherit your advice....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-brockman/your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they-inherit-your-defaults/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-brockman/your-kids-don-t-inherit-your-advice-they-inherit-your-defaults/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
