Who said “Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six…”?

Disputed

It's credited to John Wilmot, but no reliable source from their lifetime has been found.

What the research foundNo reliable source from John Wilmot's lifetime: Anonymous; first found in James A. Magner's pamphlet (1946).

Evidence: Quote Investigator · Wikiquote · How we check

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“Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories.”
DisputedNo reliable source from John Wilmot's lifetime: Anonymous; first found in James A. Magner's pamphlet (1946). · evidenceChildren
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APA

“Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories.” [Quotation attributed to John Wilmot]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9864-before-i-got-married-i-had-six-theories/

MLA

“Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories.” Attributed to John Wilmot. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9864-before-i-got-married-i-had-six-theories/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories.” Attributed to John Wilmot. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9864-before-i-got-married-i-had-six-theories/.