--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's only one thing harder than living…" description: "\"There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the wholesale l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/jeffrey-kluger-4109_adolescence_there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-livin_162883.png" --- # There's only one thing harder than living in a home with… ![“There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the wholesale lack of impulse control, all would be close to clinical conditions if they occurred at another point in life. In adolescence, they're just part of…” quote by Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/jeffrey-kluger-4109_adolescence_there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-livin_162883.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/jeffrey-kluger-4109_adolescence_there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-livin_162883.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/jeffrey-kluger-4109_adolescence_there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-livin_162883.png) > “There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the wholesale lack of impulse control, all would be close to clinical conditions if they occurred at another point in life. In adolescence, they're just part of the behavioral portfolio.” [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote compares the difficulty of living with a teenager to being a teenager oneself, emphasizing the intense emotional volatility and lack of impulse control typical of adolescence. **In simple terms:** Living with teens is as hard as being a teen. Key Takeaway Practice patience and set clear boundaries with adolescents. Themes adolescence family dynamics emotional volatility impulse control parenting challenges Mood empathetic informative Type parenting psychological When to use this quote - family meetings - parenting workshops - school counseling - mental health support Key Concepts developmental psychology behavioral patterns communication skills Questions to Reflect On - How can families turn teen volatility into growth? - What strategies improve teen impulse control? A Different Perspective It may overlook the growth and learning opportunities in teen years. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) [Adolescent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescent/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Impulse control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impulse-control/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moodiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moodiness/) [Points in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/points-in-life/) [Portfolios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portfolios/) [Volatility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volatility/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“In idyllic small towns I sometimes see teenagers looking out of place in their garb of desperation, the leftover tatters and stains and slashes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/in-idyllic-small-towns-i-sometimes-see-teenagers-looking-out-of-place/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Perhaps a modern society can remain stable only by eliminating adolescence, by giving its young, from the age of ten, the skills, responsibilities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/perhaps-a-modern-society-can-remain-stable-only-by-eliminating/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“Adolescence is a period of life when the brain is malleable, and it represents a good opportunity for learning and social development. However, according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brockman/adolescence-is-a-period-of-life-when-the-brain-is-malleable-and-it/) [John Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brockman/) > [I heard you've been having some problems with your girlfriend." Headmistress Northcutt says. "No," I say. "Not at all." Audrey broke up with me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-heard-you-ve-been-having-some-problems-with-your-girlfriend/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Contrary to the general belief about photography, you don't need bright sunlight: the best moodiest pictures are taken in the dim light of almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/contrary-to-the-general-belief-about-photography-you-don-t-need/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity to love. While love asks us to deny ourselves for the sake of another, selfishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/selfishness-is-like-a-disease-that-suffocates-our-capacity-to-love/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [“I came to the conclusion that the cure for a lot of my moodiness was having more frequent sex with my wife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/i-came-to-the-conclusion-that-the-cure-for-a-lot-of-my-moodiness-was/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [If you're fighting moodiness and depression you don't want to hang around a bunch of other moody and depressed people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/if-you-re-fighting-moodiness-and-depression-you-don-t-want-to-hang/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I believe I am quite amiable and affable and quite fair, and I've rarely worked with people who are the opposite. Moodiness scares me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-believe-i-am-quite-amiable-and-affable-and-quite-fair-and-i-ve/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [There's something about looking at Super 8 films that is so evocative. You could argue it's the resolution of the film somehow because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/there-s-something-about-looking-at-super-8-films-that-is-so-evocative/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [“Over thinking ruins moods and kills good vibes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/supa-nova-slom/over-thinking-ruins-moods-and-kills-good-vibes/) [Supa Nova Slom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/supa-nova-slom/) > [Her affection for him was now the breath and life of Tess's being; it enveloped her as a photosphere, irradiated her into forgetfulness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/her-affection-for-him-was-now-the-breath-and-life-of-tess-s-being-it/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [The disappointments of life can never, any more than its pleasures, be estimated singly; and the healthiest and most agreeable of men is exposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-disappointments-of-life-can-never-any-more-than-its-pleasures-be/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I'm a cinephile. I love movies, I love film at every level. I'm a student of it. It informs me as does all art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/q-tip/i-m-a-cinephile-i-love-movies-i-love-film-at-every-level-i-m-a/) [Q-Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/q-tip/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More by Jeffrey Kluger > [Learning to speak was the most remarkable thing you ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/learning-to-speak-was-the-most-remarkable-thing-you-ever-did/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [You do not want to talk to me on the phone. How do I know? Because I don't want to talk to you on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/you-do-not-want-to-talk-to-me-on-the-phone-how-do-i-know-because-i/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Overspending is as certain a part of the holiday season as overeating. But pushing away from both the table and the cash register at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/overspending-is-as-certain-a-part-of-the-holiday-season-as-overeating/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Certainly, people can get along without siblings. Single children do, and there are people who have irreparably estranged relationships with their siblings who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/certainly-people-can-get-along-without-siblings-single-children-do/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Marketers have long known that a name can make all the difference when you're trying to move the merch. The kiwifruit was once the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/marketers-have-long-known-that-a-name-can-make-all-the-difference/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Everybody loves to spend money at least some of the time - because everybody loves the stuff you can buy with it. The key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/everybody-loves-to-spend-money-at-least-some-of-the-time-because/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Members of royal families are born into a world of indulgence and entitlement, and the princelings who grow up that way may never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/members-of-royal-families-are-born-into-a-world-of-indulgence-and/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Older fatherhood isn't all bad: testosterone rates drop about 1% per year as men age, making them less reactive and more patient, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/older-fatherhood-isn-t-all-bad-testosterone-rates-drop-about-1-per/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [There may be no more-radioactive term in the English language than what we now almost always refer to as the 'n-word' - itself a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/there-may-be-no-more-radioactive-term-in-the-english-language-than/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [There's no such thing as downtime for your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/there-s-no-such-thing-as-downtime-for-your-brain/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [At the root of the shy temperament is a deep fear of social judgment, one so severe it can sometimes be crippling. Introverted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/at-the-root-of-the-shy-temperament-is-a-deep-fear-of-social-judgment/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [As the National Football League and other pro sports increasingly reckon with the early dementia, mental health issues, suicides and even criminal behavior of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/as-the-national-football-league-and-other-pro-sports-increasingly/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Even the best computer in the world has no idea that it exists. You do. No one knows what creates that ineffable awareness that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/even-the-best-computer-in-the-world-has-no-idea-that-it-exists-you-do/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Marriage is a lot of things - a source of love, security, the joy of children, but it's also an interpersonal battlefield, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/marriage-is-a-lot-of-things-a-source-of-love-security-the-joy-of/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Introverts listen better, they assess risks more carefully, they can be wiser managers. It's not for nothing that the Silicon Valley billionaires are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/introverts-listen-better-they-assess-risks-more-carefully-they-can-be/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) [Explore all 116 Jeffrey Kluger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) ## More Adolescence quotes > [They must move from a psychological state of victimization to a psychological state of accepting responsibility. The Palestinians must leave behind their revolutionary adolescence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shavit/they-must-move-from-a-psychological-state-of-victimization-to-a/) [Ari Shavit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shavit/) > [Having children truly ends adolescence. We are all either parents or children: responsibility-takers or those who demand from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/having-children-truly-ends-adolescence-we-are-all-either-parents-or/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Teenage girls are extremists who see the world in black-and- white terms, missing shades of gray. Life is either marvelous or notworth living. School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/teenage-girls-are-extremists-who-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [The donning of the ear buds marks the beginning of teen life, when children set off on their own for the passage through adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-donning-of-the-ear-buds-marks-the-beginning-of-teen-life-when/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Adolescence is when the very worst and best impulses in the human soul struggle against each other for possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/adolescence-is-when-the-very-worst-and-best-impulses-in-the-human/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [Most adults would not dream of belittling, humiliating, or bullying (verbally or physically) another adult. But many of the same adults think nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/most-adults-would-not-dream-of-belittling-humiliating-or-bullying/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“He'd possessed all the key elements of a school shooter: hormones, misery, ammunition. People wondered how something like Columbine could happen. Jude wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/he-d-possessed-all-the-key-elements-of-a-school-shooter-hormones/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [ I remember realizing, when I did Little Women \[1994\], that that was the only time girls that age were being written about. It was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-realizing-when-i-did-little-women-1994-that-that-was-the/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Content without style is propaganda or adolescence. Style without content is decadence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/content-without-style-is-propaganda-or-adolescence-style-without/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Adolescence is interesting. I mean, all of life is interesting and all of life is transitionary. But I think there is an exponential growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-henson/adolescence-is-interesting-i-mean-all-of-life-is-interesting-and-all/) [Bill Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-henson/) > [“Yet GenX'er teens didn't slow down--they were just as likely to drive, drink alcohol, and date as their Boomer peers and more likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-twenge/yet-genx-er-teens-didn-t-slow-down-they-were-just-as-likely-to-drive/) [Jean M. Twenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-twenge/) [Browse all 787 Adolescence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the wholesale lack of impulse control, all would be close to clinical conditions if they occurred at another point in life. 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