--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It isn't surprising that many children…" description: "\"It isn't surprising that many children consider their parents to be a little dim, and that they sometimes try to update them. The fact that they don't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/peg-bracken-12080_being-a-parent_it-isn-t-surprising-that-many-children-c_1998194.png" --- # It isn't surprising that many children consider their… ![“It isn't surprising that many children consider their parents to be a little dim, and that they sometimes try to update them. The fact that they don't usually try too hard is just as well; a thoroughly updated parent is an unappetizing sight.” quote by Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/peg-bracken-12080_being-a-parent_it-isn-t-surprising-that-many-children-c_1998194.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/peg-bracken-12080_being-a-parent_it-isn-t-surprising-that-many-children-c_1998194.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/peg-bracken-12080_being-a-parent_it-isn-t-surprising-that-many-children-c_1998194.png) > “It isn't surprising that many children consider their parents to be a little dim, and that they sometimes try to update them. The fact that they don't usually try too hard is just as well; a thoroughly updated parent is an unappetizing sight.” [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often view parents as outdated; updating them is rarely effective and can be off‑putting **In simple terms:** Kids see parents as old‑fashioned; trying to modernize them can be unappealing Key Takeaway Accept generational gaps and communicate respectfully Themes family dynamics generational conflict humor Mood lighthearted thoughtful Type humorous observational When to use this quote - Family meetings - intergenerational workshops - media literacy training - humor in counseling Key Concepts social change parent‑child communication cultural adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can families bridge generational gaps? - What respectful ways update parents without alienating them? A Different Perspective Parents may resist change; children may feel frustrated ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being a parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-a-parent/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) ## Related quotes > [Parents have too little respect for their children, just as the children have too much for the parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/parents-have-too-little-respect-for-their-children-just-as-the/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that have very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-theresa/everybody-today-seems-to-be-in-such-a-terrible-rush-anxious-for-2/) [Mother Theresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-theresa/) > [“Of love and my parents, there is little to be written; their relationship to their children was utilitarian. 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We fall into bed, exhausted, with thoughts of raunchy, hot sex the furthest thing from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/now-we-do-what-parents-with-little-kids-do-we-fall-into-bed-exhausted/) [Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/) > [For the parents of a Little Leaguer, a baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown into innings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-wilson/for-the-parents-of-a-little-leaguer-a-baseball-game-is-simply-a/) [Earl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-wilson/) > [When you have parents who are a little out of their minds, somebody has to take responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-woodward/when-you-have-parents-who-are-a-little-out-of-their-minds-somebody/) [Shannon Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-woodward/) > [Parents are sometimes a little more passionate about their sons and daughters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-horford/parents-are-sometimes-a-little-more-passionate-about-their-sons-and/) [Al Horford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-horford/) > [My parents had very little education - it was very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/my-parents-had-very-little-education-it-was-very-hard/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [So much is asked of parents, and so little is given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/so-much-is-asked-of-parents-and-so-little-is-given/) [Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/) > [I was fat because my parents were a little fat themselves at that point in their lives, and I ate what they ate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-was-fat-because-my-parents-were-a-little-fat-themselves-at-that/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Today's parents have little authority over those others with whom they share the task of raising their children. On the contrary,most parents deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-keniston/today-s-parents-have-little-authority-over-those-others-with-whom/) [Kenneth Keniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-keniston/) > [I try to update my arsenal constantly. Learning different martial arts since childhood. To understand what's out there. To really be in tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/i-try-to-update-my-arsenal-constantly-learning-different-martial-arts/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Jeph (Loeb) will call me with updates, and I'll go, "Are you f--king with me?" I never saw this coming, and certainly never saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/jeph-loeb-will-call-me-with-updates-and-i-ll-go-are-you-f-king-with/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [There is no such thing as getting anything easy. Trust and believe. Even if you're good at what you do, you still should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jones/there-is-no-such-thing-as-getting-anything-easy-trust-and-believe/) [Leslie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jones/) ## More by Peg Bracken > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [What most of us are after, when we have a picture taken, is a good natural-looking picture that doesn't resemble us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/what-most-of-us-are-after-when-we-have-a-picture-taken-is-a-good/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who don't cook out of and have NEVER cooked out of THE I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-the-ones-who-don-t-cook/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [many people choose, early on, their own truths from the large smorgasbord available. And once they've chosen them, for good reason or no reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/many-people-choose-early-on-their-own-truths-from-the-large/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [When I finally gathered, invented, stole, simplified, borrowed, and found a publisher for a clutch of reasonably foolproof recipes, I learned I had friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/when-i-finally-gathered-invented-stole-simplified-borrowed-and-found/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [I believe that one's basic financial attitudes are - like a tendency toward fat knees - probably formed in utero, or, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-believe-that-one-s-basic-financial-attitudes-are-like-a-tendency/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [This wild emaciated look appeals to some women, though not to many men, who are seldom seen pinning up a Vogue illustration in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/this-wild-emaciated-look-appeals-to-some-women-though-not-to-many-men/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [The subject of men and women is absolutely fraught with sex, which is as it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/the-subject-of-men-and-women-is-absolutely-fraught-with-sex-which-is/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/gifts-of-time-and-love-are-surely-the-basic-ingredients-of-a-truly/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [... I've never found anything whatsoever that is as easy to do the right way as the wrong way, and if there is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-ve-never-found-anything-whatsoever-that-is-as-easy-to-do-the-right/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/why-does-a-slight-tax-increase-cost-you-two-hundred-dollars-and-a/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [It is always a taut moment in a foreign country waiting to see if your English-speaking guide speaks English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/it-is-always-a-taut-moment-in-a-foreign-country-waiting-to-see-if/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [I didn't learn for years that you generally find your Self after you quit looking for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-didn-t-learn-for-years-that-you-generally-find-your-self-after-you/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [The fact is, the cocktail party has much in its favor. Going to one is a good way of indicating that you're still alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/the-fact-is-the-cocktail-party-has-much-in-its-favor-going-to-one-is/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Mothers always think you are working either too hard or not hard enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/mothers-always-think-you-are-working-either-too-hard-or-not-hard/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) [Explore all 56 Peg Bracken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) ## More Being a parent quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Being a parent and having two young kids, I buy Blu-rays and DVDs all the time. 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Usually kicking and screaming?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/has-it-ever-occurred-to-you-that-parents-are-nothing-but-overgrown/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There is nothing that can bring you closer to fearlessness about everything else in the world than being a parent - because everyday fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/there-is-nothing-that-can-bring-you-closer-to-fearlessness-about/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [There's a marketing scheme that tells you that pregnancy and child rearing will make you into a moron, that your kids are only happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/there-s-a-marketing-scheme-that-tells-you-that-pregnancy-and-child/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [We live in a society now where it's very rare for your parents to be around. 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