--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And on some level it walways felt like…" description: "\"“And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at being grown”\" — John Green" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg" --- # And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at… ![“And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at being grown” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg) > ““And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at being grown”” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## 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 reflects the paradox of adulthood where responsibilities feel like a child's game, highlighting the tension between maturity and youthful freedom. **In simple terms:** Adults sometimes feel like kids playing grown‑up. Key Takeaway Embrace responsibility without losing wonder. Themes adulthood responsibility nostalgia Mood reflective bittersweet Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career transitions - parenting - education - personal development Key Concepts identity role‑play growth Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel your duties are a game? - How can you keep childlike curiosity as an adult? A Different Perspective Adults may resist maturity, fearing loss of innocence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Felt Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-like/) [Grown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grown/) [Kids Paying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-paying-271190/) [Like Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-kids/) [Paying Grown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-grown-271189/) ## Related quotes > [You know, not everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine. My friends and I cook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deen/you-know-not-everybody-can-afford-to-pay-58-for-prime-rib-or-650-for/) [Paula Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deen/) > [I'm keenly aware of how important it is to set a good example. You may not think that your kids are paying attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/i-m-keenly-aware-of-how-important-it-is-to-set-a-good-example-you-may/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [“It felt like I was watching the whole thing from somewhere else, like I was watching a movie about my life instead of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/it-felt-like-i-was-watching-the-whole-thing-from-somewhere-else-like/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you? I mean, I've always felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/do-you-ever-wonder-whether-people-would-like-you-more-or-less-if-they/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I always felt like you had to be important to have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-always-felt-like-you-had-to-be-important-to-have-enemies/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“And even though I laughed with them, it felt like I was watching the whole thing from somewhere else, like I was watching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-even-though-i-laughed-with-them-it-felt-like-i-was-watching-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Walking through the X-ray machine marked the first time I’d taken a step without oxygen in some months, and it felt pretty amazing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/walking-through-the-x-ray-machine-marked-the-first-time-i-d-taken-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [And then the line was quite but not dead. I almost felt like he was there in my room with me, but in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-then-the-line-was-quite-but-not-dead-i-almost-felt-like-he-was/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“and even though I was in bed and he was in his basement, it really felt like we were back in that uncreated third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-even-though-i-was-in-bed-and-he-was-in-his-basement-it-really/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When I got my braces removed, I felt more like a real woman, any traces of my childhood were stripped, just like the cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-carlson-romano/when-i-got-my-braces-removed-i-felt-more-like-a-real-woman-any-traces/) [Christy Carlson Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-carlson-romano/) > [“The thing is, I think I like kids, more or less. I was an English teacher for a few years before I quit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-weber/the-thing-is-i-think-i-like-kids-more-or-less-i-was-an-english/) [Bruce Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-weber/) > [Like most kids, you don't want to do what your folks want you to do. You've got your own thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/like-most-kids-you-don-t-want-to-do-what-your-folks-want-you-to-do/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [I like that I have kids still willing to hold my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-taylor/i-like-that-i-have-kids-still-willing-to-hold-my-hand/) [Christine Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-taylor/) > [I always wonder what my life would be like if I had parents like the other kids who went to my high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormy-daniels/i-always-wonder-what-my-life-would-be-like-if-i-had-parents-like-the/) [Stormy Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormy-daniels/) > [I don't know about the world, but I know kids. And I feel like sometimes kids don't get involved because they think, what can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bush/i-don-t-know-about-the-world-but-i-know-kids-and-i-feel-like/) [Jenna Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bush/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“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/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at being grown”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-kids-paying-at-being-grown/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Childhood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-kids-paying-at-being-grown/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/john-green-12_childhood_and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-k_812113.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And on some level it walways felt like kids paying at being grown” — John Green", "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": "John Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And on some level it walways...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-kids-paying-at-being-grown/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-on-some-level-it-walways-felt-like-kids-paying-at-being-grown/#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 } } ] } ```