--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the worst atmosphere for a…" description: "\"I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in which there are no expectations whatsoever. That is, it's worse for the child to grow up in a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png" --- # I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in… ![“I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in which there are no expectations whatsoever. That is, it's worse for the child to grow up in a vacuum where "whatever you do is alright, I'm sure you'll succeed." That is a statement of disinterest. It says, "I really have no fantasies for…” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png) > “I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in which there are no expectations whatsoever. That is, it's worse for the child to grow up in a vacuum where "whatever you do is alright, I'm sure you'll succeed." That is a statement of disinterest. It says, "I really have no fantasies for you at all."” [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child needs clear expectations; a lack of them signals disinterest and hampers development. **In simple terms:** Children need expectations to grow. Key Takeaway Set clear, supportive expectations for children. Themes parenting development expectations Mood concerned reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - family life - education - childrearing Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance expectations with freedom? - What expectations best nurture a child? A Different Perspective Expectations alone cannot replace genuine encouragement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Six year olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-year-olds/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“But I'm worse. I'm a child playing dress-up, who can't even recognize herself under her own costume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/but-i-m-worse-i-m-a-child-playing-dress-up-who-can-t-even-recognize/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Lena felt like a child. Worse than a child and less valuable. She felt like a mouse. No, smaller than a mouse and less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/lena-felt-like-a-child-worse-than-a-child-and-less-valuable-she-felt/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Every child should at least grow up in family rather than without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/every-child-should-at-least-grow-up-in-family-rather-than-without-one/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) > [A Mother's dream is to raise up a child who will grow up and be a blessing to the entire world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/a-mother-s-dream-is-to-raise-up-a-child-who-will-grow-up-and-be-a/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/are-you-the-adult-that-you-want-your-child-to-grow-up-to-be/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [From the time that you are a child, you grow up repressing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/from-the-time-that-you-are-a-child-you-grow-up-repressing-yourself/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [There is no rule on how your child will grow, and there will be a surprise on daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tisca-chopra/there-is-no-rule-on-how-your-child-will-grow-and-there-will-be-a/) [Tisca Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tisca-chopra/) > [I grew up abroad, so I would love to have my child grow up the same way and experience the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-judd/i-grew-up-abroad-so-i-would-love-to-have-my-child-grow-up-the-same/) [Cris Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-judd/) > [There is no one best way for parents to become the parents they want to be just as there is no one best way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-carey/there-is-no-one-best-way-for-parents-to-become-the-parents-they-want/) [Timothy Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-carey/) > [If we could have seen through the televisions, we would probably have seen many a child grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hale/if-we-could-have-seen-through-the-televisions-we-would-probably-have/) [Barbara Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hale/) > [It's a daily miracle to see a child grow and develop all the senses and language and speech and faculties, and they're so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jann-wenner/it-s-a-daily-miracle-to-see-a-child-grow-and-develop-all-the-senses/) [Jann Wenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jann-wenner/) > [Capitalism is like a child: if you want the child to grow up free and productive, somebody's got to look over the shoulder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/capitalism-is-like-a-child-if-you-want-the-child-to-grow-up-free-and/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [No one aspires as a child to grow up and enter into a domestic partnership. But they do aspire as children to grow up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-olson/no-one-aspires-as-a-child-to-grow-up-and-enter-into-a-domestic/) [Ted Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-olson/) > [Even a foolish child can grow up in a right way,when he/she learns what pain is. Knowing pain controls ones thoughts and decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pain/even-a-foolish-child-can-grow-up-in-a-right-way-when-he-she-learns/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pain/) > [Nobody ever told me learning to let your child grow would be one of the hardest things I was going to go through!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-zolciak-biermann/nobody-ever-told-me-learning-to-let-your-child-grow-would-be-one-of/) [Kim Zolciak-Biermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-zolciak-biermann/) ## More by James Hillman > [“Each life is formed by its unique image, an image that is the essence of that life and calls it to a destiny. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/each-life-is-formed-by-its-unique-image-an-image-that-is-the-essence/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Fear is a huge thing for older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/fear-is-a-huge-thing-for-older-people/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [It's a terrible cruelty of predatory capitalism: both parents now have to work. A family has to have two incomes in order to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-a-terrible-cruelty-of-predatory-capitalism-both-parents-now-have/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [You know, people come to therapy really for a blessing. Not so much to fix what's broken, but to get what's broken blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/you-know-people-come-to-therapy-really-for-a-blessing-not-so-much-to/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Until the culture recognizes the legitimacy of growing down, each person in the culture struggles blindly to make sense of the darkness that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/until-the-culture-recognizes-the-legitimacy-of-growing-down-each/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [ “The first way has been excellently presented by David Holt in his lecture on “Jung and Marx.” \[1\] There Holt shows that Jung imagined his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-first-way-has-been-excellently-presented-by-david-holt-in-his/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [I'm the result of upbringing, class, race, gender, social prejudices, and economics. So I'm a victim again. A result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-the-result-of-upbringing-class-race-gender-social-prejudices-and/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [There is more in a human life than our theories of it allow. Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/there-is-more-in-a-human-life-than-our-theories-of-it-allow-sooner-or/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/depression-opens-the-door-to-beauty-of-some-kind/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [The idea of death robs inquiry of its passionate vitality and empties our efforts of their purpose by coming to one predestined conclusion, death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-idea-of-death-robs-inquiry-of-its-passionate-vitality-and-empties/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [I'm in favor of destruction, aggression, hating things. Not bearing things anymore. We think the breakdown comes because our life is in bad shape.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-in-favor-of-destruction-aggression-hating-things-not-bearing/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [In the past, friendship was a huge thing. But it's hard for us to think of friendship as a calling, because it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/in-the-past-friendship-was-a-huge-thing-but-it-s-hard-for-us-to-think/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Psychotherapy theory turns it all on you: you are the one who is wrong. If a kid is having trouble or is discouraged, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/psychotherapy-theory-turns-it-all-on-you-you-are-the-one-who-is-wrong/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [The self divided is precisely where the self is authentically located. . . We all have identity crises because a single identity is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-self-divided-is-precisely-where-the-self-is-authentically-located/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Love alone is not enough. Without imagination, love stales into sentiment, duty, boredom. Relationships fail not because we have stopped loving but because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/love-alone-is-not-enough-without-imagination-love-stales-into/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) [Explore all 171 James Hillman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) ## More Alright quotes > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Alright, all right," I said. "What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye, "…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/alright-all-right-i-said-what-if-i-tell-you-a-story-instead/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [Yea, he's alright...but he's no Zach Braff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/yea-he-s-alright-but-he-s-no-zach-braff/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If you're white, you're alright. If you're brown, stick around. but if you're black, oh baby. Get back, Get back, Get back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huddie-william-ledbetter/if-you-re-white-you-re-alright-if-you-re-brown-stick-around-but-if/) [Huddie William Ledbetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huddie-william-ledbetter/) > [Alright, thats enough of this Kung-Fu bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcclane/alright-thats-enough-of-this-kung-fu-bullshit/) [John Mcclane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcclane/) > [Maybe 'okay' will be our 'always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/maybe-okay-will-be-our-always/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Already we'll all float on. Now don't you worry, we'll all float on. Alright, don't worry even if things end up a bit too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/modest-mouse/already-we-ll-all-float-on-now-don-t-you-worry-we-ll-all-float-on/) [Modest Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/modest-mouse/) > [They showed each other that it was alright for their hearts to come out and play; that it was alright to feel close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-showed-each-other-that-it-was-alright-for-their-hearts-to-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would rather have nothing than something that was only alright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-would-rather-have-nothing-than-something-that-was-only-alright/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Everything's going to be fine. She'll be back at work soon. Let's just keep the house clean." Oh yeah, I want to say, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/everything-s-going-to-be-fine-she-ll-be-back-at-work-soon-let-s-just/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Rosie: Alright everyone, break a leg!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-bugs-life/rosie-alright-everyone-break-a-leg/) [A Bugs Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-bugs-life/) > [I'm in love with mary jane. she's my main thing. she makes me feel alright. she makes my heart sing. and when I'm feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-james/i-m-in-love-with-mary-jane-she-s-my-main-thing-she-makes-me-feel/) [Rick James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-james/) > [I got alright GCSEs, but I was lost. I didn't know what to do, whether to continue with education, go to uni, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/i-got-alright-gcses-but-i-was-lost-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-whether/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) Browse all 651 Alright quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in which there are no expectations whatsoever. That is, it's worse for the child to grow up in a vacuum where \"whatever you do is alright, I'm sure you'll succeed.\" That is a statement of disinterest. It says, \"I really have no fantasies for you at all.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Hillman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-year-old-is-one-in-which-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alright" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-year-old-is-one-in-which-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/james-hillman-2336_alright_i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-y_2717904.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the worst atmosphere for a six-year-old is one in which there are no expectations whatsoever. That…” — James Hillman", "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": "James Hillman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the worst atmosphere for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-year-old-is-one-in-which-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-think-the-worst-atmosphere-for-a-six-year-old-is-one-in-which-there/#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 } } ] } ```