--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a child, adults would tell me…" description: "\"When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As far as I can tell so far, it seems to invo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg" --- # When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make… ![“When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As far as I can tell so far, it seems to involve lots of foreign travel and not having to get up too early in the morning.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg) > “When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As far as I can tell so far, it seems to involve lots of foreign travel and not having to get up too early in the morning.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood warnings against imagination foreshadow a life of travel and leisure. **In simple terms:** Warnings about lying hinted at future travel and relaxed mornings. Key Takeaway Question early advice and its hidden meanings. Themes imagination advice future life path Mood contemplative curious Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career - travel - personal philosophy Key Concepts creativity prediction life choices Questions to Reflect On - How did early warnings shape your choices? - Do you still value imagination? A Different Perspective May overinterpret childhood advice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Foreign travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-travel/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Warning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning/) ## Related quotes > [“The discovery of the little child is that he is the only one to see what is. While the adults, the scholars, the experts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grothendieck-fa-alexander/the-discovery-of-the-little-child-is-that-he-is-the-only-one-to-see/) Grothendieck \[ FA \] Alexander > [I remember very vividly what it's like to be a child. The adults you liked were the ones who listened to you when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-harris/i-remember-very-vividly-what-it-s-like-to-be-a-child-the-adults-you/) [Rolf Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-harris/) > [“To a child, whatever is being done by adults is good and worth imitating. Many children have embraced societal vices as they emulated adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-nzuki/to-a-child-whatever-is-being-done-by-adults-is-good-and-worth/) [Benjamin Nzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-nzuki/) > [As a child, all you see is that adults are not playing. Adults are not talking too much. Adults don't want to relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-zambra/as-a-child-all-you-see-is-that-adults-are-not-playing-adults-are-not/) [Alejandro Zambra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-zambra/) > [Through the eyes of a child we as adults need too grow up…ER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rothschild/through-the-eyes-of-a-child-we-as-adults-need-too-grow-up-er/) [Eddie Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rothschild/) > [As a child, I always enjoyed - my parents used to have these little cocktail parties - and I always loved trying to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/as-a-child-i-always-enjoyed-my-parents-used-to-have-these-little/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [“When adults tell you they are concerned about you, what they usually mean is that they think you are up to no good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-david-anderson/when-adults-tell-you-they-are-concerned-about-you-what-they-usually/) [John David Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-david-anderson/) > [While I had many friends as a child I aslo kept a great deal to myself. I noticed that adults were drawn to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/while-i-had-many-friends-as-a-child-i-aslo-kept-a-great-deal-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Grown adults often tell me that they used to sit, as children with their parents, and watch '3rd Rock from the Sun,' and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/grown-adults-often-tell-me-that-they-used-to-sit-as-children-with/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [“The Doctor: You know how adults tell you everything's going to be fine, just to make you feel better? Amelia: Yes. Doctor: Well…everything's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/the-doctor-you-know-how-adults-tell-you-everything-s-going-to-be-fine/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [The stuff adults tell you not to do is the easiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/the-stuff-adults-tell-you-not-to-do-is-the-easiest/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [Very young children have no way to verify the accuracy and validity of what parents and adults tell them. So be truthful to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rey-mellomida/very-young-children-have-no-way-to-verify-the-accuracy-and-validity/) [Rey Mellomida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rey-mellomida/) > [Too bad, whenever adults tell kids to enjoy their childhoods, kids are like, 'You don't understand anything,' and everyone is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/too-bad-whenever-adults-tell-kids-to-enjoy-their-childhoods-kids-are/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [A guy like James Brown has walked the walk, talked the talk. I can't disrespect James Brown in any kind of way. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-b/a-guy-like-james-brown-has-walked-the-walk-talked-the-talk-i-can-t/) [Eric B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-b/) > [To get a child's trust - you may know or not - is a very hard thing to do. They're so used to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/to-get-a-child-s-trust-you-may-know-or-not-is-a-very-hard-thing-to-do/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## 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. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. 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": "When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As far as I can tell so far, it seems to involve lots of foreign travel and not having to get up too early in the morning.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me-not-to-make-things-up-warning/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adults" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me-not-to-make-things-up-warning/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/neil-gaiman-29_adults_when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me_1373948.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a child, adults would tell me not to make things up, warning me of what would happen if I did. As…” — Neil Gaiman", "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": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a child, adults...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me-not-to-make-things-up-warning/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-a-child-adults-would-tell-me-not-to-make-things-up-warning/#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 } } ] } ```