--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to ensure that children are not…" description: "\"We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.\" — Philip Pullman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png" --- # We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste… ![“We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.” quote by Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png) > “We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.” [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement argues against forcing children to waste time on meaningless or low‑value activities. **In simple terms:** Children shouldn't be forced into useless tasks. Key Takeaway Protect children's time for meaningful learning. Themes education child development efficiency Mood concerned protective Type educational advocacy When to use this quote - school curricula - after‑school programs - parental guidance Key Concepts pedagogy time management Questions to Reflect On - How can we identify valuable activities? - What role should play have in children's time? A Different Perspective Defining “barren rubbish” can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barren/) [Barren Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barren-rubbish-4879599/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-forced-1844042/) [Ensure Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ensure-children-511708/) [Forced Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced-waste-4879600/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbish/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [“All our children have are us until they are forced to face the world. We can prepare them for greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ghikadis/all-our-children-have-are-us-until-they-are-forced-to-face-the-world/) [Steve Ghikadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ghikadis/) > [I was one of those children forced into fighting at the age of 13, in my country Sierra Leone, a war that claimed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/i-was-one-of-those-children-forced-into-fighting-at-the-age-of-13-in/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [“It was a cruel world though. More than half of all children died before they could reach maturity, thanks to chronic epidemics and malnutrition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-was-a-cruel-world-though-more-than-half-of-all-children-died/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Children are forced to live very rapidly in order to live at all. They are given only a few years in which to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/children-are-forced-to-live-very-rapidly-in-order-to-live-at-all-they/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [We all want to do the best by our children. I will try to ensure my children have something when I leave this green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/we-all-want-to-do-the-best-by-our-children-i-will-try-to-ensure-my/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [Let's put in place programs to ensure that all of our children are reading by third grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/let-s-put-in-place-programs-to-ensure-that-all-of-our-children-are/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I believe the government should ensure all children are provided with a good education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/i-believe-the-government-should-ensure-all-children-are-provided-with/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [If the goal of the No Child Left Behind Act is to ensure that all children meet state standards, then allowing large numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/if-the-goal-of-the-no-child-left-behind-act-is-to-ensure-that-all/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [We have a moral responsibility to protect the earth and ensure that our children and grandchildren have a healthy and sustainable environment in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clyburn/we-have-a-moral-responsibility-to-protect-the-earth-and-ensure-that/) [Jim Clyburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clyburn/) > [The best thing a society can do is ensure its children are taken care of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/the-best-thing-a-society-can-do-is-ensure-its-children-are-taken-care/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [To ensure that children are protected, the abuse and exploitation of children must be brought to light and those who violate children brought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-veneman/to-ensure-that-children-are-protected-the-abuse-and-exploitation-of/) [Ann Veneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-veneman/) > [It is the duty of the parents to ensure the children don't fall prey to societal pressures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-stalin/it-is-the-duty-of-the-parents-to-ensure-the-children-don-t-fall-prey/) [M. K. Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-k-stalin/) > [Head Start is designed to ensure that all children - regardless of their family's income, race, or ethnic background - are able to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-roybal-allard/head-start-is-designed-to-ensure-that-all-children-regardless-of/) [Lucille Roybal-Allard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-roybal-allard/) > [The bottom line in my view is that America's mothers and fathers deserve to have confidence in law enforcement's ability to ensure that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ney/the-bottom-line-in-my-view-is-that-america-s-mothers-and-fathers/) [Bob Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ney/) > [We must let the world know children’s stories and we must take effective protective, legal and political actions to ensure that as many children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-coomaraswamy/we-must-let-the-world-know-children-s-stories-and-we-must-take/) [Radhika Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-coomaraswamy/) ## More by Philip Pullman > [The state of mind which I put myself when I tell a story is one in which superstition flourishes very easily. And I welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-state-of-mind-which-i-put-myself-when-i-tell-a-story-is-one-in/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. Destroying intellectual freedom is always evil, but only religion makes doing evil feel quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/religion-grants-its-adherents-malign-intoxicating-and-morally/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-don-t-need-lists-of-rights-and-wrongs-tables-of-do-s-and-don-ts-we/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I have stolen ideas from every book I have ever read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-have-stolen-ideas-from-every-book-i-have-ever-read/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [All the stories of the Bible that I know came to me first from my grandfather's lips... He would see stories in everything. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/all-the-stories-of-the-bible-that-i-know-came-to-me-first-from-my/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [What I do say is that I can write verse, and that the writing of verse in strict form is the best possible training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/what-i-do-say-is-that-i-can-write-verse-and-that-the-writing-of-verse/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Writing is tyranny ... but reading is democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/writing-is-tyranny-but-reading-is-democracy/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“Middlemarch is a novel that is diminished by being put on the screen. It can't help but be, because so much of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/middlemarch-is-a-novel-that-is-diminished-by-being-put-on-the-screen/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I have maintained a passionate interest in education, which leads me occasionally to make foolish and ill-considered remarks alleging that not everything is well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-have-maintained-a-passionate-interest-in-education-which-leads-me/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [And think what worrying does: has anyone ever added a single hour to the length of his life by worrying about it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/and-think-what-worrying-does-has-anyone-ever-added-a-single-hour-to/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“The question authors get asked more than any other is "Where do you get your ideas from?" And we all find a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-question-authors-get-asked-more-than-any-other-is-where-do-you/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“We are all subject to the fates. But we must all act as if we are not,” said the witch, “or die of despair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-are-all-subject-to-the-fates-but-we-must-all-act-as-if-we-are-not/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Lonely? I don't know. They tell me this is cold. I don't know what cold is, because I don't freeze. So I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/lonely-i-don-t-know-they-tell-me-this-is-cold-i-don-t-know-what-cold/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Just finished 'Secrecy' - truly enthralling both as a love story and as a tale of suspense - but much more than both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/just-finished-secrecy-truly-enthralling-both-as-a-love-story-and-as-a/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“As Auden is believed to have said, no poem saved a single Jew from the gas chambers. Never mind. Write the poems anyway. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/as-auden-is-believed-to-have-said-no-poem-saved-a-single-jew-from-the/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) [Explore all 479 Philip Pullman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) ## More Barren quotes > [“This book is written in a barren period of loss with an attempt to move forward towards substance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phindiwe-nkosi/this-book-is-written-in-a-barren-period-of-loss-with-an-attempt-to/) [Phindiwe Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phindiwe-nkosi/) > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I stayed in L.A. long enough to get on my feet, and then I moved back to New York. The reason I moved here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-stayed-in-l-a-long-enough-to-get-on-my-feet-and-then-i-moved-back/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [You may boldly say, you did not plough Or trust the barren and ungrateful sands With the fruitful grain of your religious counsels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/you-may-boldly-say-you-did-not-plough-or-trust-the-barren-and/) [Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/) > [T is liberty crowns Britannia's Isle, And makes her barren rocks and her bleak mountains smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/t-is-liberty-crowns-britannia-s-isle-and-makes-her-barren-rocks-and/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [My icons do not raise up the blessed savior in elaborate cathedrals. They are constructed concentrations celebrating barren rooms. They bring a limited light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-flavin/my-icons-do-not-raise-up-the-blessed-savior-in-elaborate-cathedrals/) [Dan Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-flavin/) > [“Just when normal life felt almost possible--when the world held some kind of order, meaning, even loveliness (prismatic spray of light through an icicle;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wroblewski/just-when-normal-life-felt-almost-possible-when-the-world-held-some/) [David Wroblewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wroblewski/) > [The apparition of an evil, sick unconscious wild city rose before me in visible semblance, and about the dead buildings in the barren air,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/the-apparition-of-an-evil-sick-unconscious-wild-city-rose-before-me/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [Please don't settle for happiness. It's not good enough. Of course you deserve it, but if that's all you have in mind - happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/please-don-t-settle-for-happiness-it-s-not-good-enough-of-course-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All men who live only according to their five senses, and seek nothing beyond the gratification of their natural appetites for pleasure and reputation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/all-men-who-live-only-according-to-their-five-senses-and-seek-nothing/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I find the aesthetics of the 20th century hopelessly barren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-find-the-aesthetics-of-the-20th-century-hopelessly-barren/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Perseverance gives power to weakness, and opens to poverty the world's wealth. It spreads fertility over the barren landscape, and buds the choicest flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-griswold-goodrich/perseverance-gives-power-to-weakness-and-opens-to-poverty-the-world-s/) [Samuel Griswold Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-griswold-goodrich/) > [“Life without love is nothing but a barren piece of land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-ashok-anand/life-without-love-is-nothing-but-a-barren-piece-of-land/) [Dr. Ashok Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-ashok-anand/) > [Fruits fail and love dies and time ranges;Thou art fed with perpetual breath, and alive after infinite changes,And fresh from the kisses of death,Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/fruits-fail-and-love-dies-and-time-ranges-thou-art-fed-with-perpetual/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [By the deficiency or absence of one necessary constituent, all the others being present, the soil is rendered barren for all those crops to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-von-liebig/by-the-deficiency-or-absence-of-one-necessary-constituent-all-the/) [Justus von Liebig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justus-von-liebig/) [Browse all 324 Barren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barren/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Pullman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not-forced-to-waste-their-time-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barren" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not-forced-to-waste-their-time-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/philip-pullman-525_barren_we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not_597691.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We need to ensure that children are not forced to waste their time on barren rubbish.” — Philip Pullman", "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": "Philip Pullman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We need to ensure that children...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not-forced-to-waste-their-time-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-need-to-ensure-that-children-are-not-forced-to-waste-their-time-on/#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 } } ] } ```