---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pretty much all children are helpful to…"
description: "\"Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.\" — Mark Rylance"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg"
---

#  Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they…

![“Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.” quote by Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg)

> “Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.”

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Children act honestly because they lack deceit, making them helpful.

**In simple terms:** Children act honestly, lacking guile.

Key Takeaway

Learn from children's sincerity.

Themes

innocence honesty helpfulness

Mood

gentle thoughtful

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- education
- parenting
- teamwork

Key Concepts

developmental psychology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can adult guidance complement child honesty?
- When should you question a child's naive actions?

A Different Perspective

Children may be naive, not always reliable.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

## Related quotes

> [Giving advice to others is not really as helpful as if you yourself act upon that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/giving-advice-to-others-is-not-really-as-helpful-as-if-you-yourself/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [“And they all have pretty children, And the children go to school, And the children go to summer camp, And then to the university,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malvina-reynolds/and-they-all-have-pretty-children-and-the-children-go-to-school-and/)

[Malvina Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malvina-reynolds/)

> [If you see what is right and you fail to act on it; you lack courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-you-see-what-is-right-and-you-fail-to-act-on-it-you-lack-courage/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [I'm not mad about movies, there are too many people involved in the making of them, and they lack a definitive creative focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-m-not-mad-about-movies-there-are-too-many-people-involved-in-the/)

[David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/)

> [News has become entertainment. Once that happens, a whole series of horrific events start to happen, whether it's the lack of dissemination of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/news-has-become-entertainment-once-that-happens-a-whole-series-of/)

[Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/)

> [I think if you don't feel passionate about the first movie you're doing, in the end the project will lack something because you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-corbijn/i-think-if-you-don-t-feel-passionate-about-the-first-movie-you-re/)

[Anton Corbijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-corbijn/)

> [There's this great fear, and I find, lack of knowledge of Catholicism, just like I'm ignorant of other things. I think we should all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-hicks/there-s-this-great-fear-and-i-find-lack-of-knowledge-of-catholicism/)

[Catherine Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-hicks/)

> [The lack of women directors is a sad fact of life. Kathryn Bigelow's thrilling Best Director win may help turn things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/the-lack-of-women-directors-is-a-sad-fact-of-life-kathryn-bigelow-s/)

[Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/)

> [Failure at the box office of some of my earlier films led to a lack of opportunity to play main lead in good films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/failure-at-the-box-office-of-some-of-my-earlier-films-led-to-a-lack/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [“He or She who disrespect others is due to the lack of respect for themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelique-e-constance/he-or-she-who-disrespect-others-is-due-to-the-lack-of-respect-for/)

Angelique E. Constance

> [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/)

[Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/)

> [Hate is a lack of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/hate-is-a-lack-of-imagination/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

> [I do get flak for the lack of romance in my stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-robinson/i-do-get-flak-for-the-lack-of-romance-in-my-stories/)

[Eden Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-robinson/)

> [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/)

[Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/)

> [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/)

[Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/)

## More by Mark Rylance

> [But to me I find Francis Bacon the most likely candidate to be the author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-to-me-i-find-francis-bacon-the-most-likely-candidate-to-be-the/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [I've always looked at famous actors and hope that once they get a part that they have success in, they would reprise it every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-ve-always-looked-at-famous-actors-and-hope-that-once-they-get-a/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [I certainly never pictured myself even attending the Academy Awards, much less winning at 56. I very, very happily settled into a theater career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-certainly-never-pictured-myself-even-attending-the-academy-awards/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [In a way, I think science is the modern religion, and at times, I despise it as much as I despise other religions because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/in-a-way-i-think-science-is-the-modern-religion-and-at-times-i/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [So there's a lot of people tied into believing that the traditional response to the authorship question. In terms of actors, some people get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/so-there-s-a-lot-of-people-tied-into-believing-that-the-traditional/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [My understanding is that we are generally a very philanthropic and compassionate people - that when there are disasters in the world, individual citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/my-understanding-is-that-we-are-generally-a-very-philanthropic-and/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [Every great filmmaker at some moment makes a war film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/every-great-filmmaker-at-some-moment-makes-a-war-film/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [There were terrific shows on TV like 'Star Trek' and 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea' and 'Wild Wild West.' All us kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/there-were-terrific-shows-on-tv-like-star-trek-and-voyage-to-the/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [I love film. I love going to see films; I always have. I've done quite a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/i-love-film-i-love-going-to-see-films-i-always-have-i-ve-done-quite-a/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [It's an important thing for children to be able to make up their own words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/it-s-an-important-thing-for-children-to-be-able-to-make-up-their-own/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [Great actors try to dismiss all ideas from their conscious mind in order to provide an experience that is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/great-actors-try-to-dismiss-all-ideas-from-their-conscious-mind-in/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [You try, as an actor, to wear a mask; you're serving a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/you-try-as-an-actor-to-wear-a-mask-you-re-serving-a-story/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [But I find with Francis Bacon, some of the things were in the place, and someone who was connected with these schools of thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-i-find-with-francis-bacon-some-of-the-things-were-in-the-place/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [My accent does slip. When I arrived in England in 1978 at 18, I was shocked to find myself 'the American' at RADA. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/my-accent-does-slip-when-i-arrived-in-england-in-1978-at-18-i-was/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

> [But I don't sit down at dinner and have clever ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-i-don-t-sit-down-at-dinner-and-have-clever-ideas/)

[Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

[Explore all 68 Mark Rylance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/)

## More Act quotes

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/)

[Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/)

[Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/)

> [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/)

[Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/)

> [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/)

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/)

[Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/)

> [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/)

[Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/)

> [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/)

[Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/)

> [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/)

[Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/)

> [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/)

[Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/)

> [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/)

[Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/)

> [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/)

[Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/)

Browse all 1,802 Act quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Rylance"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to-act-with-they-lack-any-guile/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Act"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to-act-with-they-lack-any-guile/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/mark-rylance-10062_act_pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to_910539.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Pretty much all children are helpful to act with; they lack any guile when they act.” — Mark Rylance",
                "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": "Mark Rylance",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Pretty much all children are helpful...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to-act-with-they-lack-any-guile/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/pretty-much-all-children-are-helpful-to-act-with-they-lack-any-guile/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
