--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never happy as a child, so it…" description: "\"I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I took for granted.i did'nt grow up as an average, american child. An average child grows up with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg" --- # I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I… ![“I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I took for granted.i did'nt grow up as an average, american child. An average child grows up with an expectation of being happy.” quote by Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg) > “I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I took for granted.i did'nt grow up as an average, american child. An average child grows up with an expectation of being happy.” [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) ## 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 reflects that childhood unhappiness shaped their perception, noting they never assumed happiness as a given. **In simple terms:** Childhood unhappiness altered their view of happiness. Key Takeaway Recognize how early experiences influence current expectations. Themes childhood happiness expectations selfawareness Mood reflective melancholic hopeful Type personal psychological inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - parenting - education Key Concepts psychology memory social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How did your early feelings affect adult choices? - Can you reframe past unhappiness into growth? A Different Perspective Not all unhappy childhoods lead to lasting negativity; resilience varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Took for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-for-granted/) ## Related quotes > [I was brought up differently than the average American child because the average child is brought up expecting to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-brought-up-differently-than-the-average-american-child-because/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“Acting as if” you’re already happy and successful will build a subconscious expectation you will BE happy and successful.This alone creates quantum leaps!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ammon-wexler/acting-as-if-you-re-already-happy-and-successful-will-build-a/) [Jill Ammon-Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ammon-wexler/) > [There must be such a thing as a child with average ability, but you can't find a parent who will admit that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/there-must-be-such-a-thing-as-a-child-with-average-ability-but-you/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play, it is as though he were a head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-vygotsky/in-play-a-child-is-always-above-his-average-age-above-his-daily/) [Lev Vygotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-vygotsky/) > [I was never used to being happy, so that wasn't something I ever took for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-never-used-to-being-happy-so-that-wasn-t-something-i-ever-took/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [By the age of 18, the average child has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence, including 18,000 simulated murders, on television. It is not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-illsley-clarke/by-the-age-of-18-the-average-child-has-witnessed-200-000-acts-of/) Jean Illsley Clarke > [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“I was an average child with dreams too big for a world so small”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-glynn/i-was-an-average-child-with-dreams-too-big-for-a-world-so-small/) Sophie Glynn > [By the age of six the average child will have completed the basic American education… From television, the child will have learned how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-the-age-of-six-the-average-child-will-have-completed-the-basic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By four years of age, the average child in a family receiving public assistance has heard about 13 million words, compared to 45 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-albanese/by-four-years-of-age-the-average-child-in-a-family-receiving-public/) [Sal Albanese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-albanese/) > [As for the American child's classic problem - too much mother, too little father - that would be cured by an equalization of parental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/as-for-the-american-child-s-classic-problem-too-much-mother-too/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I see the face of a child. He lives in a great city. He is black. Or he is white. He is Mexican, Italian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-see-the-face-of-a-child-he-lives-in-a-great-city-he-is-black-or-he/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“The average American child, by age eighteen, is estimated to have seen eighteen thousand murders and two hundred thousand acts of violence on television.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-borden/the-average-american-child-by-age-eighteen-is-estimated-to-have-seen/) [Richard J. Borden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-borden/) > [I'm proud to say that there is not a single Russian nuclear missile pointed at an American child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-m-proud-to-say-that-there-is-not-a-single-russian-nuclear-missile/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“Amount of time an American child spends watching television, annually: 1,500 hours. Amount of time an American child spends in school, annually: 900 hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-strupp/amount-of-time-an-american-child-spends-watching-television-annually/) Peter Strupp ## More by Marilyn Monroe > [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Nothing happens without a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/nothing-happens-without-a-reason/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Sometimes I've been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeites...the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/sometimes-i-ve-been-to-a-party-where-no-one-spoke-to-me-for-a-whole/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/you-believe-lies-so-you-eventually-learn-to-trust-no-one-but-yourself/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [The worst thing that happens to people when they dress up and go to a party is that they leave their real selves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/the-worst-thing-that-happens-to-people-when-they-dress-up-and-go-to-a/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Confidentially, the type of male I find most enjoyable for a friend is one who has enough fire and assurance to speak up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/confidentially-the-type-of-male-i-find-most-enjoyable-for-a-friend-is/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [I usually eat four or five raw carrots with my meat, and that is all. I must be part rabbit; I never get bored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-usually-eat-four-or-five-raw-carrots-with-my-meat-and-that-is-all-i/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupied so are regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/we-should-all-start-to-live-before-we-get-too-old-fear-is-stupied-so/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [You're the beautiful one. It's society that's ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/you-re-the-beautiful-one-it-s-society-that-s-ugly/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-ve-never-fooled-anyone-i-ve-let-people-fool-themselves-they-didn-t/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/if-i-d-observed-all-the-rules-i-d-never-have-got-anywhere/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [A woman can't be alone. She needs a man. A man and a woman support and strengthen each other. She just can't do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/a-woman-can-t-be-alone-she-needs-a-man-a-man-and-a-woman-support-and/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [It's better being completely ridiculous than unbelievably boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/it-s-better-being-completely-ridiculous-than-unbelievably-boring/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [A career is wonderful thing, but you can't snuggle up to it on a cold night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/a-career-is-wonderful-thing-but-you-can-t-snuggle-up-to-it-on-a-cold/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Suicide, is a persons privilege. I don't believe it's a sin or a crime it's your right if you do. Though it doesn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/suicide-is-a-persons-privilege-i-don-t-believe-it-s-a-sin-or-a-crime/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) [Explore all 572 Marilyn Monroe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) ## More Average quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) Buck Martinez > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [I really focus more to hit for average, just try to put the ball in play as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-soto/i-really-focus-more-to-hit-for-average-just-try-to-put-the-ball-in/) [Juan Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-soto/) > [You give me enough shots, I'll average 20. You give me a particular system where I stick close to the basket, I'll average 10 rebounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/you-give-me-enough-shots-i-ll-average-20-you-give-me-a-particular/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I feel like what motivates me is what would motivate the regular average person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-feel-like-what-motivates-me-is-what-would-motivate-the-regular/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [We're trying to do something so that when the average person uses Pinterest, it has to make the service better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-re-trying-to-do-something-so-that-when-the-average-person-uses/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) Browse all 2,816 Average quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I took for granted.i did'nt grow up as an average, american child. An average child grows up with an expectation of being happy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marilyn Monroe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn-t-something-i-took-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Average" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn-t-something-i-took-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/marilyn-monroe-416_average_i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn_1918339.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was never happy as a child, so it wasn't something I took for granted.i did'nt grow up as an average…” — Marilyn Monroe", "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": "Marilyn Monroe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was never happy as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn-t-something-i-took-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-was-never-happy-as-a-child-so-it-wasn-t-something-i-took-for/#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 } } ] } ```