--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kids need love the most when they're…" description: "\"Kids need love the most when they're acting most unlovable.\" — Erma Bombeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/erma-bombeck-780_acting_kids-need-love-the-most-when-they-re-act_1450897.png" --- # Kids need love the most when they're acting most unlovable. ![“Kids need love the most when they're acting most unlovable.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/erma-bombeck-780_acting_kids-need-love-the-most-when-they-re-act_1450897.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/erma-bombeck-780_acting_kids-need-love-the-most-when-they-re-act_1450897.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2d/erma-bombeck-780_acting_kids-need-love-the-most-when-they-re-act_1450897.png) > “Kids need love the most when they're acting most unlovable.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children crave love especially when they act poorly; love steadies them. **In simple terms:** Kids need love when they misbehave. Key Takeaway Offer unconditional love. Themes parenting empathy behavior emotional support Mood empathetic thoughtful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - discipline moments - school conflicts - family gatherings Key Concepts attachment theory compassion resilience building Questions to Reflect On - How do you set boundaries while staying loving? - What signs show a child truly feels loved? A Different Perspective Unconditional love may enable negative behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“You also need love. Your characters need to love something, otherwise they will be unlovable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/you-also-need-love-your-characters-need-to-love-something-otherwise/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-barkley/the-kids-who-need-the-most-love-will-ask-for-it-in-the-most-unloving/) Russell Barkley > [Kids need love and kids are not getting enough love in America because kids haven't been going the right way. We need to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-ayanbadejo/kids-need-love-and-kids-are-not-getting-enough-love-in-america/) [Brendon Ayanbadejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-ayanbadejo/) > [I think Nancy Reagan felt so judged all the time and she felt so unlovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-nixon/i-think-nancy-reagan-felt-so-judged-all-the-time-and-she-felt-so/) [Cynthia Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-nixon/) > [“You are capable of loving the unlovable. The grace of God gives you the power to love. It also takes conscious effort and decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-capable-of-loving-the-unlovable-the-grace-of-god-gives-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Resounding…with wit, courage, and compassion. 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God loved us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/td-jakes/if-the-only-way-you-can-love-me-is-after-i-have-perfected-my/) [TD Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/td-jakes/) > [“She possesses what someone once described to me as all the unlovable virtues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/she-possesses-what-someone-once-described-to-me-as-all-the-unlovable/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Today I will tell myself that I'm lovable. 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Otherwise, our love is conditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-randymar/to-be-able-to-love-the-unlovable-is-the-gauge-by-which-we-can-say/) [Joel Randymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-randymar/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [That's one of the biggest fears a lot of trans people have if they decide to come out, that they're making themselves unlovable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-jane-grace/that-s-one-of-the-biggest-fears-a-lot-of-trans-people-have-if-they/) [Laura Jane Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-jane-grace/) ## More by Erma Bombeck > [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I used everything you gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-used-everything-you-gave-me/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The mole rat is the only rodent born without a fur coat. With a good lawyer, someone would pay for that little oversight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-mole-rat-is-the-only-rodent-born-without-a-fur-coat-with-a-good/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [God created man, but I could do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/god-created-man-but-i-could-do-better/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [If the nest is truly empty, who owns all this junk?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/if-the-nest-is-truly-empty-who-owns-all-this-junk/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Housework, if it is done properly, can cause brain damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-if-it-is-done-properly-can-cause-brain-damage/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compromise-of-the-decade-it-s-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: Seize the Moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-have-a-friend-who-lives-by-a-three-word-philosophy-seize-the-moment/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/when-i-stand-before-god-at-the-end-of-my-life-i-would-hope-that-i/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Before we sent kids to computer camps and told them they were having a good time, there was imagination among the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/before-we-sent-kids-to-computer-camps-and-told-them-they-were-having/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) [Explore all 372 Erma Bombeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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