--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the most terrible thing about…" description: "\"“That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're convinced that it's all your fault.\" Lulu”\" — Ruth Reichl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg" --- # That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're… ![“That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're convinced that it's all your fault." Lulu” quote by Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg) > ““That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're convinced that it's all your fault." Lulu”” [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) ## 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 blame themselves for events beyond their control, causing undue guilt. **In simple terms:** Kids think everything is their fault. Key Takeaway Teach children realistic responsibility. Themes guilt childhood perception Mood empathetic thoughtful Type parenting psychology When to use this quote - parenting - school counseling - family discussions Key Concepts psychology development education Questions to Reflect On - How can adults help reframe this belief? - What tools support healthy self‑esteem? A Different Perspective May simplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Lulu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lulu/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [“Magic is a dangerous thing, child. It isn’t something to use lightly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevis-hendrickson/magic-is-a-dangerous-thing-child-it-isn-t-something-to-use-lightly/) [Kevis Hendrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevis-hendrickson/) > [It is one thing to show your child the way, and a harder thing to then stand out of it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/it-is-one-thing-to-show-your-child-the-way-and-a-harder-thing-to-then/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The greatest thing you can give a child is confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-porter/the-greatest-thing-you-can-give-a-child-is-confidence/) [Gail Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-porter/) > [The worst thing you can do to a child, and I've seen it happen so many times, is the silver spoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-worst-thing-you-can-do-to-a-child-and-i-ve-seen-it-happen-so-many/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [I don't think you can have pain and soul-searching doing the right thing for your child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/i-don-t-think-you-can-have-pain-and-soul-searching-doing-the-right/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Karate is the best thing you can do for your child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-norris/karate-is-the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-your-child/) [Chuck Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-norris/) > [If you teach a child that appearance doesn't matter, what will be the next thing that child asserts her individuality over? Turning up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/if-you-teach-a-child-that-appearance-doesn-t-matter-what-will-be-the/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [“What’s the most frightening thing to a child? The pain of being the outsider, of looking ridiculous to others, of being teased or picked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/what-s-the-most-frightening-thing-to-a-child-the-pain-of-being-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I loved the Little Lulu stories, where she would fantasize that her bedroom rug would turn into a pool of water, and she could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-johnston/i-loved-the-little-lulu-stories-where-she-would-fantasize-that-her/) [Lynn Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-johnston/) > [“I'll keep you here.' He taps his temple. 'Where you can't get lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ll-keep-you-here-he-taps-his-temple-where-you-can-t-get-lost/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“That was the irony of Lulu's days; that she who lived in a torment of concealment had never known a moment when she did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kennedy/that-was-the-irony-of-lulu-s-days-that-she-who-lived-in-a-torment-of/) Raymond Kennedy > [“There is a world of difference, Lulu, between falling in love and being in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/there-is-a-world-of-difference-lulu-between-falling-in-love-and-being-2/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Because for that day, I really did become Lulu. Maybe not from the film or the real Louise Brooks, but my own idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/because-for-that-day-i-really-did-become-lulu-maybe-not-from-the-film/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [By that point, it’ll have been more than year since I met Lulu. Any sane person would say it’s too late. It already felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/by-that-point-it-ll-have-been-more-than-year-since-i-met-lulu-any/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## More by Ruth Reichl > [...in the end you are the only one who can make yourself happy. More important, ...it is never too late to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/in-the-end-you-are-the-only-one-who-can-make-yourself-happy-more/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [When a person has lived generously and fought fiercely, she deserves more than sadness at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/when-a-person-has-lived-generously-and-fought-fiercely-she-deserves/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“but when I told her they didn’t cost one penny and were very nutritious (I made that part up, but I’m sure it must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/but-when-i-told-her-they-didn-t-cost-one-penny-and-were-very/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“He was like a jazz musician, joyfully improvising, imagining tastes that ordinary people could not. He pulled ingredients apart and reconstructed them in endlessly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/he-was-like-a-jazz-musician-joyfully-improvising-imagining-tastes/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“Every restaurant is a theater, and the truly great ones allow us to indulge in the fantasy that we are rich and powerful. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/every-restaurant-is-a-theater-and-the-truly-great-ones-allow-us-to/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“She took a sip of wine and held it in her mouth, straining to identify the flavors. Cherry, she thought. Licorice. Thorns. She imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/she-took-a-sip-of-wine-and-held-it-in-her-mouth-straining-to-identify/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“She's always sniffing the bottles in the spice cabinet." I didn't know she'd even noticed. At first it was just curiosity; why did fennel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/she-s-always-sniffing-the-bottles-in-the-spice-cabinet-i-didn-t-know/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [Plain fresh bread, its crust shatteringly crisp. Sweet cold butter. There is magic in the way they come together in your mouth to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/plain-fresh-bread-its-crust-shatteringly-crisp-sweet-cold-butter/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“Tommy and I put on a radio play to entertain everyone while they unpacked their cookies. It was about a girl who saves up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/tommy-and-i-put-on-a-radio-play-to-entertain-everyone-while-they/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“I remember the pissaladière. We stood there watching them cook and eating that soft, oily bread. Back then I was so poor I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/i-remember-the-pissaladi-re-we-stood-there-watching-them-cook-and/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“The meal began with pickled squid, oyster shooters, marinated anchovies, and scungilli salad. Then Rosalie set an enormous bowl of pasta con le vongole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/the-meal-began-with-pickled-squid-oyster-shooters-marinated-anchovies/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“...I was not prepared for the feel of the noodles in my mouth, or the purity of the taste. I had been in Japan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/i-was-not-prepared-for-the-feel-of-the-noodles-in-my-mouth-or-the/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [It is not 'only' food, I said heatedly. There's meaning hidden underneath each dish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/it-is-not-only-food-i-said-heatedly-there-s-meaning-hidden-underneath/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“You'll find that historical research is extremely soothing. When you spend all day among old papers, the people come alive for you, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/you-ll-find-that-historical-research-is-extremely-soothing-when-you/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [“I wish you could have seen the kitchen when I was done: It looked like a hurricane had blown right in the door! But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/i-wish-you-could-have-seen-the-kitchen-when-i-was-done-it-looked-like/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) [Explore all 50 Ruth Reichl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“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/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're convinced that it's all your fault.\" Lulu”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ruth Reichl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-being-a-child-you-re-convinced/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Childhood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-being-a-child-you-re-convinced/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/ruth-reichl-13523_childhood_that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-bei_998092.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's the most terrible thing about being a child; you're convinced that it's all your fault.\" Lulu” — Ruth Reichl", "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": "Ruth Reichl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That's the most terrible thing about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-being-a-child-you-re-convinced/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-being-a-child-you-re-convinced/#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 } } ] } ```