---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am just a child who has never grown up…"
description: "\"I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.\" — Stephen Hawking"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg"
---

#  I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep…

![“I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.” quote by Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg)

> “I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.”

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Childlike curiosity persists into adulthood, driving continual learning despite occasional answers.

**In simple terms:** Never stop asking how and why.

Key Takeaway

Embrace lifelong curiosity.

Themes

learning curiosity growth

Mood

inquisitive thoughtful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- education
- research
- personal development

Key Concepts

philosophical inquiry development

Questions to Reflect On

- What questions still intrigue you?
- How do you handle uncertainty?

A Different Perspective

Answers may be incomplete or unsatisfying.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/)

## Related quotes

> [“A ‘weaned child’ refers to a child who is no longer fed at the mother’s breast. The Hebrew children were normally fed at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-raskino/a-weaned-child-refers-to-a-child-who-is-no-longer-fed-at-the-mother-s/)

Ivan Raskino

> [I was the little, funny one. I felt I was the child among grown women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/i-was-the-little-funny-one-i-felt-i-was-the-child-among-grown-women/)

[Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/)

> [I'm a 90s child and I have grown up on a staple diet of David Dhawan films, Baazigar, Rangeela and Dil Chahta Hai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/i-m-a-90s-child-and-i-have-grown-up-on-a-staple-diet-of-david-dhawan/)

[Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/)

> [Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age The child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay-2/childhood-is-not-from-birth-to-a-certain-age-and-at-a-certain-age-the/)

[Edna St Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay-2/)

> [In the child, we see the grown-up. I see the problem differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-ohlendorf/in-the-child-we-see-the-grown-up-i-see-the-problem-differently/)

[Otto Ohlendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-ohlendorf/)

> [I think there's some kids that need to go from being a child to being a grown-up. You get out in the tech communities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-there-s-some-kids-that-need-to-go-from-being-a-child-to-being/)

[Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/)

> [As a performer you often feel that you're the child and everyone else is a grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derren-brown/as-a-performer-you-often-feel-that-you-re-the-child-and-everyone-else/)

[Derren Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derren-brown/)

> [The truth is that when one is still a child-or even if one is grown up- and has been well fed, and has slept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/the-truth-is-that-when-one-is-still-a-child-or-even-if-one-is-grown/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [“When we lose our spiritual child then that is when we have grown old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-we-lose-our-spiritual-child-then-that-is-when-we-have-grown-old/)

[Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/)

> [It's a difficult thing to lose a child, a grown-up child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/it-s-a-difficult-thing-to-lose-a-child-a-grown-up-child/)

[Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/)

> [Child who's grown old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/child-who-s-grown-old/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [“She was eleven, after all. She was both even and odd. She was ready to be many things at once—child, grown-up, poet, engineer, botanist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-barnhill/she-was-eleven-after-all-she-was-both-even-and-odd-she-was-ready-to/)

[Kelly Barnhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-barnhill/)

> [I talk to everyone - Uber drivers, bartenders. On Twitter, people see me as some mean guy, but in real life, I am out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/i-talk-to-everyone-uber-drivers-bartenders-on-twitter-people-see-me/)

[Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/)

> [The first time I had a secretary, I was sheepish about being demanding or even asking questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bing-gordon/the-first-time-i-had-a-secretary-i-was-sheepish-about-being-demanding/)

[Bing Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bing-gordon/)

> [I think all good architecture should challenge you, make you start asking questions. You don't have to understand it. You may not like it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-think-all-good-architecture-should-challenge-you-make-you-start/)

[Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/)

## More by Stephen Hawking

> [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [We are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-are-the-product-of-quantum-fluctuations-in-the-very-early-universe/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [The human race does not have a very good record of intelligent behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-does-not-have-a-very-good-record-of-intelligent/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [“We have finally found something that doesn’t have a cause, because there was no time for a cause to exist in. For me this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-have-finally-found-something-that-doesn-t-have-a-cause-because/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-the-simplest-explanation-is-there-is-no-god-no-one-created/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-paralympic-games-is-about-transforming-our-perception-of-the-world/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-increase-of-disorder-or-entropy-is-what-distinguishes-the-past/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/most-sets-of-values-would-give-rise-to-universes-that-although-they/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/there-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-religion-which-is-based-on/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [“In the eighteenth century, philosophers considered the whole of human knowledge, including science, to be their field and discussed questions such as: Did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/in-the-eighteenth-century-philosophers-considered-the-whole-of-human/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [“Empedocles noticed that if you cover the neck before you immerse it, a clepsydra does not fill. He reasoned that something invisible must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/empedocles-noticed-that-if-you-cover-the-neck-before-you-immerse-it-a/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-shouldn-t-have-all-its-eggs-in-one-basket-or-on-one/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [I hope I have helped to raise the profile of science and to show that physics is not a mystery but can be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-hope-i-have-helped-to-raise-the-profile-of-science-and-to-show-that/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

[Explore all 601 Stephen Hawking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

## More Answers quotes

> [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/)

[Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/)

> [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/)

[Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/)

> [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/)

[Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/)

> [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/)

[Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/)

[Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/)

Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Hawking"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up-i-still-keep-asking-these/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Answers"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up-i-still-keep-asking-these/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/stephen-hawking-389_answers_i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up_2714995.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally…” — Stephen Hawking",
                "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": "Stephen Hawking",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I am just a child who...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up-i-still-keep-asking-these/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-am-just-a-child-who-has-never-grown-up-i-still-keep-asking-these/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
