--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Adults don’t have the same growth…" description: "\"“Adults don’t have the same growth momentum that children do to help enable and amplify progress. In adults, change comes from hard work, not getting a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/melissa-orlov-17715_adults_adults-don-t-have-the-same-growth-moment_2412319.jpg" --- # Adults don’t have the same growth momentum that children… ![“Adults don’t have the same growth momentum that children do to help enable and amplify progress. In adults, change comes from hard work, not getting a year older. This means that an ADHD spouse seems more prone to get “stuck” than a child does, and do things over and over again, which is just the…” quote by Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/melissa-orlov-17715_adults_adults-don-t-have-the-same-growth-moment_2412319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/melissa-orlov-17715_adults_adults-don-t-have-the-same-growth-moment_2412319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/melissa-orlov-17715_adults_adults-don-t-have-the-same-growth-moment_2412319.jpg) > ““Adults don’t have the same growth momentum that children do to help enable and amplify progress. In adults, change comes from hard work, not getting a year older. This means that an ADHD spouse seems more prone to get “stuck” than a child does, and do things over and over again, which is just the opposite of what you would expect:”” [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adults lack the natural, rapid development children have; their progress relies on deliberate effort rather than age alone. **In simple terms:** Adults need hard work for change, not just getting older. Key Takeaway Focus on intentional effort to grow. Themes growth adulthood effort ADHD change Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - marriage counseling - personal development - ADHD management - career advancement Key Concepts developmental psychology motivation neurodiversity Questions to Reflect On - How can adults create momentum for change? - What strategies help ADHD adults avoid feeling stuck? A Different Perspective Change may be slower without structured support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [“for the non-ADHD spouse, the ADHD partner’s lack of participation in household chores becomes symbolic of all of the things that person doesn’t”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/for-the-non-adhd-spouse-the-adhd-partner-s-lack-of-participation-in/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Parenting” an ADHD spouse is always destructive to your relationship because it demotivates and generates frustration and anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/parenting-an-adhd-spouse-is-always-destructive-to-your-relationship/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“frustration with a lack of progress by your ADHD spouse more often leads to anger than empathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/frustration-with-a-lack-of-progress-by-your-adhd-spouse-more-often/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Most often, a non-ADHD spouse can make this transition easily, but the ADHD spouse ends up lost; and because the non-ADHD spouse assumes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/most-often-a-non-adhd-spouse-can-make-this-transition-easily-but-the/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“without sufficient levels of these neuro -transmitters, an ADHD spouse’s attention is inconsistent and becomes dysregulated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/without-sufficient-levels-of-these-neuro-transmitters-an-adhd-spouse/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [Most people (by the time they have become adults ) can't change their minds because their neural pathways have become set... the longer neural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/most-people-by-the-time-they-have-become-adults-can-t-change-their/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [“Medication is the most efficient way to jump-start treatment, but it does not effectively treat ADHD in marriages without the addition of behavioral changes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/medication-is-the-most-efficient-way-to-jump-start-treatment-but-it/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [Though we marry as adults, we don't marry adults. We marry children who have grown up and still rejoice in being children, especially if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/though-we-marry-as-adults-we-don-t-marry-adults-we-marry-children-who/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“I think they had something to do with the killing of Mr. Joseph, miss." She laughed, as all adults seem to do when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/i-think-they-had-something-to-do-with-the-killing-of-mr-joseph-miss/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [I'm a little fatigued of adults saying we've got to worry about the kids. And these are the same adults that don't know science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-m-a-little-fatigued-of-adults-saying-we-ve-got-to-worry-about-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“I wish I were in high school again so I could call him a butthole. Adults don't call their brothers buttholes, though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-wish-i-were-in-high-school-again-so-i-could-call-him-a-butthole/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Ordinary adults don't like children to speak of things that are denied them by their own gray minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/ordinary-adults-don-t-like-children-to-speak-of-things-that-are/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [It's simply that older adults don't seem to be able to generate sleep efficiently, and that's why they're not getting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/it-s-simply-that-older-adults-don-t-seem-to-be-able-to-generate-sleep/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) > [I have developed a whole new view on narcissistic people and also adults who don't dress their age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-developed-a-whole-new-view-on-narcissistic-people-and-also/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think adults sometimes don't think about how children are feeling about the adult problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-think-adults-sometimes-don-t-think-about-how-children-are-feeling/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) ## More by Melissa Orlov > [“One of the defining symptoms of ADHD is distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/one-of-the-defining-symptoms-of-adhd-is-distraction/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“It is EXTREMELY STRESSFUL to feel like there is no companionship because I can’t rely on my husband to do what he said he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/it-is-extremely-stressful-to-feel-like-there-is-no-companionship/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“because people with ADHD don’t receive and process information in a hierarchical way, Maria’s suffering enters his mind at about the same level as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/because-people-with-adhd-don-t-receive-and-process-information-in-a/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“I hear so many excuses that I’ve pretty much become numb to his endless tales of woes. Communication is a major problem in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/i-hear-so-many-excuses-that-i-ve-pretty-much-become-numb-to-his/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“He learns that getting things done doesn’t get him much credit, which demotivates him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/he-learns-that-getting-things-done-doesn-t-get-him-much-credit-which/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“a great deal of damage is caused by lack of knowledge about, and misinterpretation of, ADHD symptoms. Couples who learn about the specific patterns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/a-great-deal-of-damage-is-caused-by-lack-of-knowledge-about-and/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Applaud all forward progress. Research shows that encouragement, support, and recognition of success are far more effective than offering “help” when your goal is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/applaud-all-forward-progress-research-shows-that-encouragement/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“You may feel desperately unhappy and lonely, and your partner isn’t even aware of it—even if you’ve tried to talk about it. You fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/you-may-feel-desperately-unhappy-and-lonely-and-your-partner-isn-t/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Most often, a non-ADHD spouse can make this transition easily, but the ADHD spouse ends up lost; and because the non-ADHD spouse assumes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/most-often-a-non-adhd-spouse-can-make-this-transition-easily-but-the/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“frustration with a lack of progress by your ADHD spouse more often leads to anger than empathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/frustration-with-a-lack-of-progress-by-your-adhd-spouse-more-often/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Parenting” an ADHD spouse is always destructive to your relationship because it demotivates and generates frustration and anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/parenting-an-adhd-spouse-is-always-destructive-to-your-relationship/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“for the non-ADHD spouse, the ADHD partner’s lack of participation in household chores becomes symbolic of all of the things that person doesn’t”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/for-the-non-adhd-spouse-the-adhd-partner-s-lack-of-participation-in/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Dr. John Ratey, an expert on how the brain functions, suggests that ADHD is the result of dysregulation of the reward system (primarily dopamine)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/dr-john-ratey-an-expert-on-how-the-brain-functions-suggests-that-adhd/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“insecurity had nothing to do with reality. He loved me deeply. He just didn’t realize that he wasn’t paying attention because he was distracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/insecurity-had-nothing-to-do-with-reality-he-loved-me-deeply-he-just/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) > [“Medication is the most efficient way to jump-start treatment, but it does not effectively treat ADHD in marriages without the addition of behavioral changes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-orlov/medication-is-the-most-efficient-way-to-jump-start-treatment-but-it/) [Melissa Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) [Explore all 36 Melissa Orlov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-orlov/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) K. Anders Ericsson > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. 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As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Adults don’t have the same growth momentum that children do to help enable and amplify progress. In adults, change comes from hard work, not getting a year older. 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