--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to think that when I grew up there…" description: "\"I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the mor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/phyllis-reynolds-naylor-14751_doors_i-used-to-think-that-when-i-grew-up-ther_1179914.jpg" --- # I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so… ![“I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the morning, what door you used going home, when you could talk in the library, how many paper towels you could use in the rest room, and how many drinks…” quote by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/phyllis-reynolds-naylor-14751_doors_i-used-to-think-that-when-i-grew-up-ther_1179914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/phyllis-reynolds-naylor-14751_doors_i-used-to-think-that-when-i-grew-up-ther_1179914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/phyllis-reynolds-naylor-14751_doors_i-used-to-think-that-when-i-grew-up-ther_1179914.jpg) > “I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the morning, what door you used going home, when you could talk in the library, how many paper towels you could use in the rest room, and how many drinks of water you could get during recess. And there was always somebody watching to make sure. What I'm finding out about growing older is that there are just as many rules about lots of things, but there's nobody watching.” [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects how childhood is filled with explicit, enforced rules, while adulthood imposes many implicit expectations without direct supervision. **In simple terms:** Childhood has clear rules; adulthood has hidden ones. Key Takeaway Recognize and question unspoken adult expectations. Themes growth responsibility freedom authority societal norms Mood reflective thoughtful contemplative Type advice observational philosophical When to use this quote - school life - workplace - family dynamics - online behavior - community participation Key Concepts Social contract self‑regulation norms Questions to Reflect On - What unspoken rules guide your daily choices? - How do you enforce your own standards? A Different Perspective Adults may lack clear enforcement, making self‑discipline harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink/) [Elementary school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elementary-school/) [Entrances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrances/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Going home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-home/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Growing older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-older/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Just Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-rules-804207/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Recess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recess/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Rules Elementary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-elementary-3455710/) [Rules Lots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-lots-3455711/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-rules-475525/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Towels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towels/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Wouldn Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-rules-3455712/) ## Related quotes > [If we do not let people do things the way they do, we will never know what they are really capable of and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/if-we-do-not-let-people-do-things-the-way-they-do-we-will-never-know/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [“The school rules are stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-casey/the-school-rules-are-stupid/) [L.A. Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-casey/) > [“I gaped at what I saw next. She yanked his arm off and ate it. Gross! I knew she was hungry, but that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-rose/i-gaped-at-what-i-saw-next-she-yanked-his-arm-off-and-ate-it-gross-i/) [Imogen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-rose/) > [I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules, Which goes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albus-dumbledore/i-seem-to-remember-telling-you-both-that-i-would-have-to-expel-you-if-2/) [Albus Dumbledore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albus-dumbledore/) > [I'm done with rules that are there just to be rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/i-m-done-with-rules-that-are-there-just-to-be-rules/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [“People say beware, but I don't care. Their words are just rules and regulations to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/people-say-beware-but-i-don-t-care-their-words-are-just-rules-and/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Take Me, to another place where Ill be face to face, just you and me with no rules, just like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-garcia/take-me-to-another-place-where-ill-be-face-to-face-just-you-and-me/) [Justice Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-garcia/) > [Words are just rules and regulations to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/words-are-just-rules-and-regulations-to-me/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“There’s no crying in baseball and no love in Hell. It’s just the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-desrochers/there-s-no-crying-in-baseball-and-no-love-in-hell-it-s-just-the-rules/) [Lisa Desrochers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-desrochers/) > [These are just the rules and regulations Of the birds, and the bees The earth, and the trees, Not to mention the gods, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/these-are-just-the-rules-and-regulations-of-the-birds-and-the-bees/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [In the innermost recesses of humanism, as its very soul, there rages a frantic prisoner who, as a Fascist, turns the world into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-innermost-recesses-of-humanism-as-its-very-soul-there-rages-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With the modern diseases (once TB, now cancer) the romantic idea that the disease expresses the character is invariably extended to assert that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/with-the-modern-diseases-once-tb-now-cancer-the-romantic-idea-that/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Life was so much easier when our worries were when recess was too short... desicions were solved by eni meani mini mo... only skineed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-was-so-much-easier-when-our-worries-were-when-recess-was-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's August, which means Congress is on recess and Mitch McConnell has shimmied back into the ocean to seek a mate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/it-s-august-which-means-congress-is-on-recess-and-mitch-mcconnell-has/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Alas, everything that men say to one another is alike; the ideas they exchange are almost always the same, in their conversation. But inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-musset/alas-everything-that-men-say-to-one-another-is-alike-the-ideas-they/) [Alfred de Musset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-musset/) ## More by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor > [“Well, the man who first translated the bible into English was burned at the stake, and they've been at it ever since. Must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/well-the-man-who-first-translated-the-bible-into-english-was-burned/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“Sexually active? Sexually active ? Patrick and I hadn't even learned the fine points of kissing yet! I marched on down. 'For your information,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/sexually-active-sexually-active-patrick-and-i-hadn-t-even-learned-the/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“Just that what happens today or next week or next year isn't necessarily the way things are always going to be. As soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/just-that-what-happens-today-or-next-week-or-next-year-isn-t/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“Do we have a hand mirror?' I asked from the kitchen doorway. 'Never use one,' said Lester, examining the date on a carton of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/do-we-have-a-hand-mirror-i-asked-from-the-kitchen-doorway-never-use/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [It's all right to have secrets, ... as long as you don't have any secrets from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/it-s-all-right-to-have-secrets-as-long-as-you-don-t-have-any-secrets/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“Everything can change in an instant. Everything. And then there is only before and after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/everything-can-change-in-an-instant-everything-and-then-there-is-only/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [We all have found ourselves in awkward, embarrassing situations, often brought on by ourselves - thinking we are saying something clever, for example, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/we-all-have-found-ourselves-in-awkward-embarrassing-situations-often/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [When you’ve found the right one - when you see him, when you’re with him - you’ll feel like you’re coming home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/when-you-ve-found-the-right-one-when-you-see-him-when-you-re-with-him/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [Once I have the idea for a story. I start collecting all kinds of helpful information and storing it in three-ring notebooks. For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/once-i-have-the-idea-for-a-story-i-start-collecting-all-kinds-of/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [Saying hello to something new means saying good-bye to something old and loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/saying-hello-to-something-new-means-saying-good-bye-to-something-old/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [Writing, for me, is the best occupation I can think of, and there is nothing in the world I would rather do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/writing-for-me-is-the-best-occupation-i-can-think-of-and-there-is/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [I also know that you can lie not only by what you say but what you don't say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/i-also-know-that-you-can-lie-not-only-by-what-you-say-but-what-you/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“If you are embarrassed about your sex, it must mean that you feel there is something demeaning or disgusting about being female. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/if-you-are-embarrassed-about-your-sex-it-must-mean-that-you-feel/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“Patrick and I were about as different as two people could possibly be. Nothing embarrasses Patrick very much, and everything embarrasses me. Just being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/patrick-and-i-were-about-as-different-as-two-people-could-possibly-be/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > […and I’m thinking how nothing is as simple as you guess-not right or wrong, not Judd Travers, not even me or this dog I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/and-i-m-thinking-how-nothing-is-as-simple-as-you-guess-not-right-or/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) [Explore all 45 Phyllis Reynolds Naylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) ## More Doors quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [When you have counted eighty years and more, Time and Fate will batter at your door; But if you should survive to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/when-you-have-counted-eighty-years-and-more-time-and-fate-will-batter/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [The odor of bowel wind is known to every human, but the fragrance of book glue has crossed only a fraction of mortal nostrils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-odor-of-bowel-wind-is-known-to-every-human-but-the-fragrance-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [In the beginning I was just a makeup artist and I never really pictured myself doing anything else. But now that I have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/in-the-beginning-i-was-just-a-makeup-artist-and-i-never-really/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I do not chase after anyone if you wanna walk out my life then I will hold the fu\*\*\*\*g door open for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-do-not-chase-after-anyone-if-you-wanna-walk-out-my-life-then-i-will/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Do you know what it is sir? Do you know what the Dance Dance Revolution is? It's not an actual revolution, so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-peters/do-you-know-what-it-is-sir-do-you-know-what-the-dance-dance/) [Russell Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-peters/) [Browse all 5,899 Doors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to think that when I grew up there wouldn't be so many rules. Back in elementary school there were rules about what entrance you used in the morning, what door you used going home, when you could talk in the library, how many paper towels you could use in the rest room, and how many drinks of water you could get during recess. And there was always somebody watching to make sure. 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