--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: but midway through, “Why aren’t you…" description: "\"“but midway through, “Why aren’t you wearing it?” I realized that I probably didn’t really want to be discussing supporting garments with an eight-year..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2c/john-pearson-32096_quote_but-midway-through-why-aren-t-you-wearin_1630170.jpg" --- # but midway through, “Why aren’t you wearing it?” I… ![“but midway through, “Why aren’t you wearing it?” I realized that I probably didn’t really want to be discussing supporting garments with an eight-year-old. Still, “Why was it in your desk?” did escape my lips. This was answered with the standard “I dunno,” and a serene look that suggested that…” quote by John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2c/john-pearson-32096_quote_but-midway-through-why-aren-t-you-wearin_1630170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2c/john-pearson-32096_quote_but-midway-through-why-aren-t-you-wearin_1630170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2c/john-pearson-32096_quote_but-midway-through-why-aren-t-you-wearin_1630170.jpg) > ““but midway through, “Why aren’t you wearing it?” I realized that I probably didn’t really want to be discussing supporting garments with an eight-year-old. Still, “Why was it in your desk?” did escape my lips. This was answered with the standard “I dunno,” and a serene look that suggested that nothing could be more normal than to keep underwear in your desk at school.”” [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker realized discussing underwear with a child was inappropriate, yet the child’s casual answer revealed normalizing odd behavior. **In simple terms:** Talking about underwear with a child felt wrong, but the child’s answer showed it’s normal for them. Key Takeaway Respect boundaries, but stay curious about odd habits. Themes boundaries childhood social norms Mood reflective lighthearted Type anecdotal observational When to use this quote - school - parent‑teacher interaction - family conversation Key Concepts normalization privacy communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what topics are appropriate with children? - What does the child’s reaction tell us about social taboos? A Different Perspective The anecdote may be anecdotal and not representative of broader behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desk Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desk-did-475060/) [Normal Underwear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-underwear-475058/) [Supporting Garments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supporting-garments-475059/) [Underwear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underwear/) [Underwear Desk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underwear-desk-475057/) ## Related quotes > [“I folded my hands back on my desk, and as I did, I saw Paul's slanted handwriting standing out against my blocky, square printing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-folded-my-hands-back-on-my-desk-and-as-i-did-i-saw-paul-s-slanted/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Don't look so surprised. You didn't think I'd spent my whole life behind this desk, did you?" And I suddenly realized that, well, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-d-schmidt/don-t-look-so-surprised-you-didn-t-think-i-d-spent-my-whole-life/) [Gary D. Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-d-schmidt/) > [I have a recurring daymare that when the Glorious People's SWAT Teams smash their way in, most of us - by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-have-a-recurring-daymare-that-when-the-glorious-people-s-swat-teams/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Domesticity has to mean nesting. Otherwise, six months go by, and you don't know where your underwear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-mastrantonio/domesticity-has-to-mean-nesting-otherwise-six-months-go-by-and-you/) [Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-mastrantonio/) > [Her underwear, her jeans, the comforter, my corduroys and my boxers between us, I thought. Five layers, and yet I felt it, the nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/her-underwear-her-jeans-the-comforter-my-corduroys-and-my-boxers/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Everyone's showing their thong out the back of their jeans. But you shouldn't wear any. You get a better line if you wear no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/everyone-s-showing-their-thong-out-the-back-of-their-jeans-but-you/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [Sometimes you believe that you are targeting a 25-35-year-old young woman and you see that there is a crowd of 78-year-old people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-levy/sometimes-you-believe-that-you-are-targeting-a-25-35-year-old-young/) [Maurice Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-levy/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [“I invented underwear with only one leg hole, for people who like to concentrate on frozen orange juice while bungee jumping from a tampon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-invented-underwear-with-only-one-leg-hole-for-people-who-like-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I only wear underwear from Target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-only-wear-underwear-from-target/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [...I have to tell you that I'm not all that comfortable with the idea of spending the rest of my life sleeping next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/i-have-to-tell-you-that-i-m-not-all-that-comfortable-with-the-idea-of/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [To be polite to everybody except the people they love most is a nervous affectation that afflicts many families ... when they come home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/to-be-polite-to-everybody-except-the-people-they-love-most-is-a/) [Margaret Fishback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fishback/) > [I don't iron my underwear and socks, but I like things to be organised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/i-don-t-iron-my-underwear-and-socks-but-i-like-things-to-be-organised/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [I collect underwear from my travels. Lace, lingerie, bodysuits... they're like souvenirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/i-collect-underwear-from-my-travels-lace-lingerie-bodysuits-they-re/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) ## More by John Pearson > [“she doesn’t want to hear any complaining unless it involves one of the 3 B’s – Barfing, Bleeding, or Broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/she-doesn-t-want-to-hear-any-complaining-unless-it-involves-one-of/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [The occasion of this sadness is expressed in a word, but must be considered in many more, as being the principal concernment both of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/the-occasion-of-this-sadness-is-expressed-in-a-word-but-must-be/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [Vulgar and common persons, as they carry nothing out of this world, so they leave nothing in it: they receive no eminency in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/vulgar-and-common-persons-as-they-carry-nothing-out-of-this-world-so/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [Great was the name of Abraham, but all his Sons were not accepted; only Isaac was in the Covenant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/great-was-the-name-of-abraham-but-all-his-sons-were-not-accepted-only/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [“The moral of the story, of course, is that if you cuss out an adult, you have to stay in during computer class and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/the-moral-of-the-story-of-course-is-that-if-you-cuss-out-an-adult-you/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [We usually say of ancient persons, that they have already one foot in the grave, and the rest of their life is nothing else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/we-usually-say-of-ancient-persons-that-they-have-already-one-foot-in/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [“However, mathematics-inspired books such as Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians (with its valuable, realworld lessons on subtraction) are fair game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/however-mathematics-inspired-books-such-as-agatha-christie-s-ten/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [“I don’t know about you, but I just don’t remember using much profanity in grade school. When we called each other names, they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/i-don-t-know-about-you-but-i-just-don-t-remember-using-much-profanity/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [By the God of thy Father who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/by-the-god-of-thy-father-who-shall-help-thee-and-by-the-almighty-who/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [Thirdly, Death is nothing else but a change of a short and temporary for an unalterable and eternal condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/thirdly-death-is-nothing-else-but-a-change-of-a-short-and-temporary/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [“if teachers didn’t receive any base salary at all, but they were given $25 every time one of their students tattled on someone, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/if-teachers-didn-t-receive-any-base-salary-at-all-but-they-were-given/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [“Jack Woodson is currently living and working in Dallas, TX. He has forty children, and all of them have different mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/jack-woodson-is-currently-living-and-working-in-dallas-tx-he-has/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [Blessing is the soveraign act of God, and the power of benediction like the power of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/blessing-is-the-soveraign-act-of-god-and-the-power-of-benediction/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [Love is of that excellent nature, that it is esteemed by the best of men, and accepted from the meanest persons; what then is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/love-is-of-that-excellent-nature-that-it-is-esteemed-by-the-best-of/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) > [They which have no hope of a life to come, may extend their griefs for the loss of this, and equal the days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pearson/they-which-have-no-hope-of-a-life-to-come-may-extend-their-griefs-for/) [John Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) [Explore all 16 John Pearson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pearson/) ## More Underwear quotes > [I collect underwear from my travels. Lace, lingerie, bodysuits... they're like souvenirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/i-collect-underwear-from-my-travels-lace-lingerie-bodysuits-they-re/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [I don't iron my underwear and socks, but I like things to be organised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/i-don-t-iron-my-underwear-and-socks-but-i-like-things-to-be-organised/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [To be polite to everybody except the people they love most is a nervous affectation that afflicts many families ... when they come home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/to-be-polite-to-everybody-except-the-people-they-love-most-is-a/) [Margaret Fishback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fishback/) > [...I have to tell you that I'm not all that comfortable with the idea of spending the rest of my life sleeping next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/i-have-to-tell-you-that-i-m-not-all-that-comfortable-with-the-idea-of/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I only wear underwear from Target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-only-wear-underwear-from-target/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [“I invented underwear with only one leg hole, for people who like to concentrate on frozen orange juice while bungee jumping from a tampon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-invented-underwear-with-only-one-leg-hole-for-people-who-like-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Sometimes you believe that you are targeting a 25-35-year-old young woman and you see that there is a crowd of 78-year-old people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-levy/sometimes-you-believe-that-you-are-targeting-a-25-35-year-old-young/) [Maurice Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-levy/) > [Everyone's showing their thong out the back of their jeans. But you shouldn't wear any. You get a better line if you wear no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/everyone-s-showing-their-thong-out-the-back-of-their-jeans-but-you/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [Her underwear, her jeans, the comforter, my corduroys and my boxers between us, I thought. Five layers, and yet I felt it, the nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/her-underwear-her-jeans-the-comforter-my-corduroys-and-my-boxers/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Domesticity has to mean nesting. Otherwise, six months go by, and you don't know where your underwear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-mastrantonio/domesticity-has-to-mean-nesting-otherwise-six-months-go-by-and-you/) [Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-mastrantonio/) > [I have a recurring daymare that when the Glorious People's SWAT Teams smash their way in, most of us - by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-have-a-recurring-daymare-that-when-the-glorious-people-s-swat-teams/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I know something you don't…and that is… I'M NOT WEARING ANY UNDERWEAR! We're gonna get sexy for a minute!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/i-know-something-you-don-t-and-that-is-i-m-not-wearing-any-underwear/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Would you want people walking up to you and pointing at your d--k? I can't believe I'm still talking about this. But I've worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/would-you-want-people-walking-up-to-you-and-pointing-at-your-d-k-i/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) [Browse all 542 Underwear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underwear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“but midway through, “Why aren’t you wearing it?” I realized that I probably didn’t really want to be discussing supporting garments with an eight-year-old. Still, “Why was it in your desk?” did escape my lips. 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