--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kids are still up,\" David commented…" description: "\"“Kids are still up,\" David commented, noting the guest house was lit up like a Vegas casino. \"I'll have to kill them.\" \"Yes, I've noticed what a terrif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg" --- # Kids are still up," David commented, noting the guest… ![“Kids are still up," David commented, noting the guest house was lit up like a Vegas casino. "I'll have to kill them." "Yes, I've noticed what a terrifying and brutal father you are. And how your children fear you." He slanted her a look. "I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional tremble out of them."…” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg) > ““Kids are still up," David commented, noting the guest house was lit up like a Vegas casino. "I'll have to kill them." "Yes, I've noticed what a terrifying and brutal father you are. And how your children fear you." He slanted her a look. "I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional tremble out of them." "I think it's way too late for that. You've gone and raised two happy, well-adjusted kids”” [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A parent’s harshness can be a twisted expression of love, but fear and control damage relationships. **In simple terms:** Harsh parenting stems from fear. Key Takeaway Seek compassionate communication. Themes parenting fear control family dynamics emotional abuse Mood somber reflective Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - family counseling - parental self‑reflection - child development - relationship repair - literary analysis Key Concepts psychology attachment communication Questions to Reflect On - How can a parent balance authority and love? - What alternatives exist to fear‑based discipline? A Different Perspective Harshness may alienate children, not protect them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brutal Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal-father-1909702/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-fear-1038306/) [David Commented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-commented-1909700/) [Father Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-children/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Noticed Terrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noticed-terrifying-1909701/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [“This is why stories like this, with great evils in them, are necessary for children to read. Kids just got here—they are still figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/this-is-why-stories-like-this-with-great-evils-in-them-are-necessary/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-fear-death-as-children-fear-to-go-in-the-dark-and-as-that-natural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I invite everyone to question their thoughts about their children and allow their children to be free. That's when we stop teaching our children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/i-invite-everyone-to-question-their-thoughts-about-their-children-and/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [“Many parents had grown wary of confronting their children for fear of being denounced by them, but not my father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-hall-kelly/many-parents-had-grown-wary-of-confronting-their-children-for-fear-of/) [Martha Hall Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-hall-kelly/) > [“Parents must teach their children the fear of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/parents-must-teach-their-children-the-fear-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“...the world we learned as children to fear---the milieu of goblins, ghosts, spirits, and magic - when it is the tangible world that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-essex/the-world-we-learned-as-children-to-fear-the-milieu-of-goblins-ghosts/) [Karen Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-essex/) > [“Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/fairy-tales-then-are-not-responsible-for-producing-in-children-fear/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [. . . If you are really my children, you will fear nothing, stop at nothing. You will be like lions. We must rouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/if-you-are-really-my-children-you-will-fear-nothing-stop-at-nothing/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [In the bad sixties, when drugs came into widespread use among adolescents and when Scarsdale mothers developed the habit of not asking about each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-trilling/in-the-bad-sixties-when-drugs-came-into-widespread-use-among/) [Diana Trilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-trilling/) > [Children, Fear God; that is to say, have an holy awe upon your minds to avoid that which is evil, and a strict care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/children-fear-god-that-is-to-say-have-an-holy-awe-upon-your-minds-to/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [I'm trying my best not to raise my children with fear of the police.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/i-m-trying-my-best-not-to-raise-my-children-with-fear-of-the-police/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [Since the great foundation of fear is pain, the way to harden and fortify children against fear and danger is to accustom them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/since-the-great-foundation-of-fear-is-pain-the-way-to-harden-and/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [What our children have to fear is not the cars on the highways of tomorrow but our own pleasure in calculating the most elegant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/what-our-children-have-to-fear-is-not-the-cars-on-the-highways-of/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [Healthy children will not fear life if their elders have integrity enough not to fear death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/healthy-children-will-not-fear-life-if-their-elders-have-integrity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Atheists put on false courage and alacrity in the midst of their darkness and apprehensions, like children who, when they fear to go in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/atheists-put-on-false-courage-and-alacrity-in-the-midst-of-their/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) ## More by Nora Roberts > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## More Children 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/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Kids are still up,\" David commented, noting the guest house was lit up like a Vegas casino. \"I'll have to kill them.\" \"Yes, I've noticed what a terrifying and brutal father you are. And how your children fear you.\" He slanted her a look. \"I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional tremble out of them.\" \"I think it's way too late for that. You've gone and raised two happy, well-adjusted kids”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting-the-guest-house-was-lit-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting-the-guest-house-was-lit-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/nora-roberts-128_children_kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting_2596640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kids are still up,\" David commented, noting the guest house was lit up like a Vegas casino. \"I'll have to…” — Nora Roberts", "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": "Nora Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Kids are still up,\" David commented,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting-the-guest-house-was-lit-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/kids-are-still-up-david-commented-noting-the-guest-house-was-lit-up/#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 } } ] } ```