Put the Genie Back in the Bottle

What does the idiom “Put the Genie Back in the Bottle” mean?

Definition:

Try to suppress something that has already been revealed or done

For example:

“Once you give kids additional freedoms, it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle and make them obey rules.”

Notes:

This is usually used in the negative—it’s hard to put a genie back in a bottle.