--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts?…" description: "\"“Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts? Is it a blessing to not have children? 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' became a hit cult book for women without ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-waters-751_books_who-s-to-blame-when-your-kid-goes-nuts-i_1070733.jpg" --- # Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts? Is it a blessing… ![“Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts? Is it a blessing to not have children? 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' became a hit cult book for women without offspring who were finally able to admit they didn't want to give birth. They felt complete, thank you very much, and lived in silent resentment for…” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-waters-751_books_who-s-to-blame-when-your-kid-goes-nuts-i_1070733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-waters-751_books_who-s-to-blame-when-your-kid-goes-nuts-i_1070733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-waters-751_books_who-s-to-blame-when-your-kid-goes-nuts-i_1070733.jpg) > ““Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts? Is it a blessing to not have children? 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' became a hit cult book for women without offspring who were finally able to admit they didn't want to give birth. They felt complete, thank you very much, and lived in silent resentment for years at other women's pious, unwanted sympathy toward them for not having babies. With even gay couples having children these days, aren't happy heterosexual women who don't want to have kids the most ostracized of us all? To me they are beautiful feminists. If you're not sure you could love your children, please don't have them, because they might grow up and kill us.”” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author critiques societal pressure on women to have children, highlighting the stigma faced by child‑free women and framing their choice as feminist. **In simple terms:** Society judges child‑free women, but their choice is valid. Key Takeaway Respect personal reproductive decisions. Themes feminism parenthood social norms Mood critical empathetic Type social feminist When to use this quote - family planning - public policy - media discourse - support groups Key Concepts reproductive rights stigma choice Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do we make about parenthood? - How can we support diverse family choices? A Different Perspective Child‑free choices can be misunderstood or vilified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Having children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-children/) [Love Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-children/) [Love your children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-your-children/) [Role models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-models/) [Talk Kevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-kevin-1946092/) [Want Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-kids/) [Women Offspring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-offspring-2665718/) ## Related quotes > [If you're not sure you could love your children, please don't have them, because they might grow up and kill us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/if-you-re-not-sure-you-could-love-your-children-please-don-t-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [You have to love your children unselfishly. That's hard. But it's the only way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/you-have-to-love-your-children-unselfishly-that-s-hard-but-it-s-the/) [Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/) > [Love your children with all your hearts, love them enough to discipline them before it is too late. ... Praise them for important things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavina-christensen-fugal/love-your-children-with-all-your-hearts-love-them-enough-to/) [Lavina Christensen Fugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavina-christensen-fugal/) > [Do you think you love your children better than He who made them? Is not your love what it is because He put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/do-you-think-you-love-your-children-better-than-he-who-made-them-is/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Just because you choose to fill yourself up and address your own needs doesn’t mean you love your children any less. It actually means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-ambrosini/just-because-you-choose-to-fill-yourself-up-and-address-your-own/) [Melissa Ambrosini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-ambrosini/) > [Oh, dear friend, if you love your children, I charge you, do not let the early impression of a habit of prayer slip by.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/oh-dear-friend-if-you-love-your-children-i-charge-you-do-not-let-the/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [If you love your children, if you love your country, if you love the God of love, clear your hands from slaves, burden not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-v-allen/if-you-love-your-children-if-you-love-your-country-if-you-love-the/) [Richard V. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-v-allen/) > [“It's impossible to stop time regardless of how much you love your children. You take pictures, dry the tears, relive the moments and hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-and-keith-desserich/it-s-impossible-to-stop-time-regardless-of-how-much-you-love-your/) [Brooke and Keith Desserich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-and-keith-desserich/) > [I've done bits where I've perhaps talked about my kids annoying me and you hope that the audience realise that you do actually love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/i-ve-done-bits-where-i-ve-perhaps-talked-about-my-kids-annoying-me/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [You must acknowledge and experience this part of the universe. Karma is intricate, too vast. You would, with your limited human senses, consider it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kuan-yin/you-must-acknowledge-and-experience-this-part-of-the-universe-karma/) [Kuan Yin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kuan-yin/) > [I walked away from this movie thinking how important it is to have a genuine selfless love for your children. You can really mess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-jackson/i-walked-away-from-this-movie-thinking-how-important-it-is-to-have-a/) [Jonathan Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-jackson/) > [“You say that you love your children above everything else. And yet you are stealing their future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunberg/you-say-that-you-love-your-children-above-everything-else-and-yet-you/) [Greta Thunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunberg/) > [“You are still a good mom if you -forget to click a selfie with your kid -set boundaries with your little monsters -are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeksha-arora/you-are-still-a-good-mom-if-you-forget-to-click-a-selfie-with-your/) [Deeksha Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeksha-arora/) > [The thing you can do better than anyone else is love your children, because they're your children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rudolph/the-thing-you-can-do-better-than-anyone-else-is-love-your-children/) [Maya Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rudolph/) > [Love your children-and let them know you love them. Children who experience love find it far easier to believe God loves them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/love-your-children-and-let-them-know-you-love-them-children-who/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Around '62 in Baltimore, all the girls had those big hairdos. And then suddenly, a few of the really hip ones started doing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/around-62-in-baltimore-all-the-girls-had-those-big-hairdos-and-then/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“John!?” I ask in shock. This woman recognizes me? It can’t be! “How do you know my name?” I wonder out loud. Suddenly she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/john-i-ask-in-shock-this-woman-recognizes-me-it-can-t-be-how-do-you/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > ['Serial Mom' tested really well when we finally got with the right audience. But they would go to some shopping mall in a deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/serial-mom-tested-really-well-when-we-finally-got-with-the-right/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [One Christmas, Dennis Dermody, the movie critic of 'Paper,' gave me 'Rock Hudson: A Gathering of Friends,' the master invitation list from Rock Hudson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/one-christmas-dennis-dermody-the-movie-critic-of-paper-gave-me-rock/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Many hundred-million-dollar Hollywood comedies aren't any good. They're trying to shock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/many-hundred-million-dollar-hollywood-comedies-aren-t-any-good-they/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [The Easter Bunny is a major reason for heroin addiction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-easter-bunny-is-a-major-reason-for-heroin-addiction-in-america/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [To use bad taste, you have to know the rules of good taste. I've always thanked my mother for that. She taught how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/to-use-bad-taste-you-have-to-know-the-rules-of-good-taste-i-ve-always/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm an old person because I still buy DVDs. I have every one of my albums and 45s - I even have a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-an-old-person-because-i-still-buy-dvds-i-have-every-one-of-my/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I do like Christmas. I do understand that there are people who hate it, and there are other religions that resent it. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-do-like-christmas-i-do-understand-that-there-are-people-who-hate-it/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I love to read about anger. A "feel bad" book always makes me feel good. And no other novel in the history of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-love-to-read-about-anger-a-feel-bad-book-always-makes-me-feel-good/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [ Maybe I'll just write books. I'd like to make another movie, but I don't want to go back and \[do\] what they want you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/maybe-i-ll-just-write-books-i-d-like-to-make-another-movie-but-i-don/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) [Explore all 381 John Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who's to blame when your kid goes nuts? Is it a blessing to not have children? 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' became a hit cult book for women without offspring who were finally able to admit they didn't want to give birth. They felt complete, thank you very much, and lived in silent resentment for years at other women's pious, unwanted sympathy toward them for not having babies. With even gay couples having children these days, aren't happy heterosexual women who don't want to have kids the most ostracized of us all? To me they are beautiful feminists. 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