--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother tried really hard to protect…" description: "\"My mother tried really hard to protect us, but occasionally, after afternoon cartoons of whatever was on... the nightly news would come on, and I'd see..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg" --- # My mother tried really hard to protect us, but… ![“My mother tried really hard to protect us, but occasionally, after afternoon cartoons of whatever was on... the nightly news would come on, and I'd see footage from the war zone, and I would hear the word 'Vietnam,' and I would know my dad was over there, and it was a very frightening experience…” quote by Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg) > “My mother tried really hard to protect us, but occasionally, after afternoon cartoons of whatever was on... the nightly news would come on, and I'd see footage from the war zone, and I would hear the word 'Vietnam,' and I would know my dad was over there, and it was a very frightening experience for me.” [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s exposure to distant conflict through media creates fear and awareness of parental absence, shaping trauma and perception of war. **In simple terms:** Media exposure to war scares a child and reveals a parent’s deployment. Key Takeaway Recognize how media can impact children’s emotional health. Themes family war media influence childhood trauma parental absence Mood anxious reflective Type narrative personal When to use this quote - parental separation - news consumption - emotional coping - discussion with caregivers Key Concepts psychological impact media consumption war awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can families discuss war news with children? - What safeguards protect children from media‑induced fear? A Different Perspective Children may misinterpret news without context, increasing anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cartoons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cartoons/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Nightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightly/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War zone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-zone/) ## Related quotes > [I don't mind people talking to me as they are only ever nice. Although I had one frightening experience when I had a stalker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-young/i-don-t-mind-people-talking-to-me-as-they-are-only-ever-nice-although/) [Paul Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-young/) > [When I was growing up, I actually went through, in New York City, blackouts when we had to close the windows and worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/when-i-was-growing-up-i-actually-went-through-in-new-york-city/) [George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/) > [I started out wanting to be a fireman and would cry if my mother tried to take off my 'Emergency 51' hat, so she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-henry/i-started-out-wanting-to-be-a-fireman-and-would-cry-if-my-mother/) [Ed Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-henry/) > [My mother tried to keep me away from Tekken...now I know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jin-kazama/my-mother-tried-to-keep-me-away-from-tekken-now-i-know-why/) [Jin Kazama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jin-kazama/) > [My mother tried to teach me when I was a small child to sing but failed because of my inability to carry a tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/my-mother-tried-to-teach-me-when-i-was-a-small-child-to-sing-but/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [My father left me when I was 6. My mother tried to take care of all of us on public assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/my-father-left-me-when-i-was-6-my-mother-tried-to-take-care-of-all-of/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [“There was even a story passed among the queen’s court that when freshly hatched, Rhiannon bit her mother on the neck when she tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/there-was-even-a-story-passed-among-the-queen-s-court-that-when/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“moment to answer. He looked over the railing at our small backyard, which, no matter how our mother tried to dress up with annuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/moment-to-answer-he-looked-over-the-railing-at-our-small-backyard/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [“My mother had tried to raise me as a Catholic, but war had deracinated whatever meager plantings her efforts had achieved. No God ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/my-mother-had-tried-to-raise-me-as-a-catholic-but-war-had-deracinated/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [ \[My mother\] tried so hard to make life easy for us. Those are the things that forced me to try to do something different… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/my-mother-tried-so-hard-to-make-life-easy-for-us-those-are-the-things/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [“Is it good?” Carmella asked. Raj slid off the couch and scampered away in case his mother tried to take away his treat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-pace/is-it-good-carmella-asked-raj-slid-off-the-couch-and-scampered-away/) [Pepper Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-pace/) > [I was just a normal athlete. My mother tried to spark something in me. She was an athlete in high school before she got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-ann-fraser-pryce/i-was-just-a-normal-athlete-my-mother-tried-to-spark-something-in-me/) [Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-ann-fraser-pryce/) > [When I was a little girl, my mother tried to make me dance, but I did not like it then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/when-i-was-a-little-girl-my-mother-tried-to-make-me-dance-but-i-did/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [My mother tried to kill me when I was a baby. She denied it. She said she thought the plastic bag would keep me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-monkhouse/my-mother-tried-to-kill-me-when-i-was-a-baby-she-denied-it-she-said/) [Bob Monkhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-monkhouse/) > [“I wanted to give him what I never had. What my father took away when he decided I wasn't worth it. What my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-perea/i-wanted-to-give-him-what-i-never-had-what-my-father-took-away-when/) Melissa Perea ## More by Suzanne Collins > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [KEEP CALM and HAVE A SUGAR CUBE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/keep-calm-and-have-a-sugar-cube/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [A furious Peeta hammers Haymitch with the atrocity he could become party to, but I can feel Haymitch watching me. This is the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/a-furious-peeta-hammers-haymitch-with-the-atrocity-he-could-become/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“The same goes for the other captured tributes, Johanna and Enobaria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/the-same-goes-for-the-other-captured-tributes-johanna-and-enobaria/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [He never lets go of Annie's hand. Not when they walk, not when they eat. I doubt he ever plans to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/he-never-lets-go-of-annie-s-hand-not-when-they-walk-not-when-they-eat/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“I want to interrupt the taping and beg Finnick’s forgiveness for every false thought I’ve ever had about him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-want-to-interrupt-the-taping-and-beg-finnick-s-forgiveness-for/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I pound on the glass, screaming my head off. Everyone ignores me except for some Capitol attendant who appears behind me and offers me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-pound-on-the-glass-screaming-my-head-off-everyone-ignores-me-except/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Because it doesn't matter anymore, and because I'm so desperately lonely I can't stand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/because-it-doesn-t-matter-anymore-and-because-i-m-so-desperately/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Then I dive into my tent before I do something stupid like cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/then-i-dive-into-my-tent-before-i-do-something-stupid-like-cry/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“¡Es que no quiero que me conozcan! ¡Ya me están quitando el futuro! ¡No pueden llevarse también lo que me importaba en el pasado!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/es-que-no-quiero-que-me-conozcan-ya-me-est-n-quitando-el-futuro-no/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“I act delighted, but I have zero interest in these Capitol people. They are only distractions from the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-act-delighted-but-i-have-zero-interest-in-these-capitol-people-they/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [You're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a fully loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-punishing-him-over-and-over-for-things-that-are-out-of-his/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But the significant difference between Thirteen and the Capitol are the expectations of the populace. Thirteen was used to hardship, wheras in the Capitol,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/but-the-significant-difference-between-thirteen-and-the-capitol-are/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) [Explore all 1,709 Suzanne Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More After quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) Deke Richards > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-have-a-lot-of-success-and-make-a-good-living-but-after-while-you/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [See to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/see-to-do-good-and-you-will-find-that-happiness-will-run-after-you/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Sometimes after a compliment about my characterization skills, I'm asked if I model my characters on real people. Emphatically, no. And sort of, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/sometimes-after-a-compliment-about-my-characterization-skills-i-m/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [After The Wizard Of Oz I was typecast as a lion, and there aren't all that many parts for lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-lahr/after-the-wizard-of-oz-i-was-typecast-as-a-lion-and-there-aren-t-all/) Bert Lahr > [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [I'd like an omelet named after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-d-like-an-omelet-named-after-me/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) Browse all 3,411 After quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mother tried really hard to protect us, but occasionally, after afternoon cartoons of whatever was on... the nightly news would come on, and I'd see footage from the war zone, and I would hear the word 'Vietnam,' and I would know my dad was over there, and it was a very frightening experience for me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Suzanne Collins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-us-but-occasionally-after/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "After" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-us-but-occasionally-after/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/suzanne-collins-60_after_my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-u_1989212.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My mother tried really hard to protect us, but occasionally, after afternoon cartoons of whatever was on…” — Suzanne Collins", "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": "Suzanne Collins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My mother tried really hard to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-us-but-occasionally-after/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/my-mother-tried-really-hard-to-protect-us-but-occasionally-after/#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 } } ] } ```