--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was twelve, my parents had two…" description: "\"“When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really get the usual version. My mom, Lisa, is a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg" --- # When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One… ![“When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really get the usual version. My mom, Lisa, is a registered nurse, and she told me what went where, and what didn't need to go here, there, or any damn where till I'm grown. Back then, I doubted…” quote by Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg) > ““When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really get the usual version. My mom, Lisa, is a registered nurse, and she told me what went where, and what didn't need to go here, there, or any damn where till I'm grown. Back then, I doubted anything was going anywhere anyway. While all the other girls sprouted breasts between sixth and seventh grade, my chest was as flat as my back. The other talk was about what to do if a cop stopped me. Momma fussed and told Daddy I was too young for that. He argued that I wasn't too young to get arrested or shot. "Starr-Starr, you do whatever they tell you to do," he said. "Keep your hands visible. Don't make any sudden moves. Only speak when they speak to you." I knew it must've been serious. Daddy has the biggest mouth of anybody I know, and if he said to be quiet, I needed to be quiet. I hope somebody had the talk with Khalil.”” [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A teen reflects on parental advice about sexuality and police encounters, highlighting confusion and fear in growing up. **In simple terms:** Youth grapples with adult warnings about sex and police. Key Takeaway Seek clarity and safety in adult guidance. Themes adolescence sexuality police interactions Mood conflicted thoughtful Type narrative educational When to use this quote - school counseling - parent‑child talks - community safety workshops Key Concepts family dynamics social awareness Questions to Reflect On - What questions would you ask a parent about safety? - How can teens get accurate info on sexuality? A Different Perspective Advice may be vague or outdated; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) [Momma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momma/) [Nurse Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse-told-3941332/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Talks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-talks-6164054/) [Police brutality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-brutality/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Registered Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/registered-nurse-230221/) [Starr Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starr-tell-4419576/) [Told Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-daddy-236861/) ## Related quotes > [“The other talk was about what to do if a cop stopped me. Momma fussed and told Daddy I was too young for that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-other-talk-was-about-what-to-do-if-a-cop-stopped-me-momma-fussed/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“When the smell of her perfume, something that reminded him of faint spicy blossoms and spring, wasn't wreathed in a cloud around him. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-ranney/when-the-smell-of-her-perfume-something-that-reminded-him-of-faint/) [Karen Ranney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-ranney/) > [“He might be worried, but at least he's not upset with me. My family gets up set easily, and he got stuck helping me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-salcedo/he-might-be-worried-but-at-least-he-s-not-upset-with-me-my-family/) [Nicki Salcedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-salcedo/) > [“A nurse walked in with some pills and a cup of water. “I told you, I don’t need that stuff,” Mr. Jones told her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-french-koller/a-nurse-walked-in-with-some-pills-and-a-cup-of-water-i-told-you-i-don/) [Jackie French Koller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-french-koller/) > [“For ten years before I began writing for a living, I worked as a registered nurse. Never mind that the work was hard—more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/for-ten-years-before-i-began-writing-for-a-living-i-worked-as-a/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“I am a stranger in a strange town, and the man standing beside me has just removed his pants. There are mitigating factors—he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/i-am-a-stranger-in-a-strange-town-and-the-man-standing-beside-me-has/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [There are people who have never studied writing who are capable of being writers. I know this because I am an example. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/there-are-people-who-have-never-studied-writing-who-are-capable-of/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“Legal You will learn that there are restrictions placed upon you in some areas. These restrictions are for your own protection. You will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-l-chambers/legal-you-will-learn-that-there-are-restrictions-placed-upon-you-in/) [Karen L Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-l-chambers/) > [My mother was a single mom, and she was a claims adjuster at an insurance company. She actually dropped out of school - she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-brown-philpot/my-mother-was-a-single-mom-and-she-was-a-claims-adjuster-at-an/) [Stacy Brown-Philpot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-brown-philpot/) > [Nurses are an integral component of the health care system, and it is important that we recognize the over 2.7 million registered nurses for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-deal/nurses-are-an-integral-component-of-the-health-care-system-and-it-is/) [Nathan Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-deal/) > [I think all Americans believe in human rights. And health is an often overlooked aspect of basic human rights. And it's one that's easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-think-all-americans-believe-in-human-rights-and-health-is-an-often/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Son, you know what we stand for,” I told him. “We’re all trying to live for God. We’re not going to let you visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/son-you-know-what-we-stand-for-i-told-him-we-re-all-trying-to-live/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [There was a point when I told my daddy I didn't want to go hunting anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/there-was-a-point-when-i-told-my-daddy-i-didn-t-want-to-go-hunting/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [“When I was sure she was asleep, I got up and went into Mother's room and pulled her yellow nightie out from the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-kagen/when-i-was-sure-she-was-asleep-i-got-up-and-went-into-mother-s-room/) [Lesley Kagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-kagen/) > [That is what I'm looking forward to the most, practical learning. I want to be a registered nurse so getting to talk to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/that-is-what-i-m-looking-forward-to-the-most-practical-learning-i/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) ## More by Angie Thomas > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“For real?” I say what I’m supposed to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/for-real-i-say-what-i-m-supposed-to/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I think that the more of us who take the time to understand how someone else is feeling, the more likely we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-think-that-the-more-of-us-who-take-the-time-to-understand-how/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-transition-from-unknown-to-known-in-publishing-has-been/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-really-do-hope-the-hate-u-give-provides-mirrors-for-readers-who-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their “wild African ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/slave-masters-thought-they-were-making-a-difference-in-black-people-s/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [As a black woman, I feel like I have a unique experience that we don't often see in media portrayals of the South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/as-a-black-woman-i-feel-like-i-have-a-unique-experience-that-we-don-t/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Who the fuck complains about going to Harry Potter World? Or Butter Beer? Or wands?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/who-the-fuck-complains-about-going-to-harry-potter-world-or-butter/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“With King Lords, we had a whole bunch of folks who had our backs, no matter what. They bought us clothes and shit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/with-king-lords-we-had-a-whole-bunch-of-folks-who-had-our-backs-no/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I wanted to write a book like a rapper would write it - I didn't want to hold back. Rappers catch a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-like-a-rapper-would-write-it-i-didn-t-want/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Bent Literary Agency had a Q&A on Twitter, and I took a chance and asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was an appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/bent-literary-agency-had-a-q-a-on-twitter-and-i-took-a-chance-and/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Has this situation made you fearful of cops?" she eventually asks. "I don't know," I say truthfully. "My uncle's a cop. I know not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/has-this-situation-made-you-fearful-of-cops-she-eventually-asks-i-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [My maternal grandmother was a star on her high school basketball team in small-town Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/my-maternal-grandmother-was-a-star-on-her-high-school-basketball-team/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/now-i-am-that-person-and-i-m-too-afraid-to-speak/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Representation makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/representation-makes-a-difference/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) [Explore all 153 Angie Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More Cops quotes > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [I can't understand why culture cops try and impose their brand of morality on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/i-can-t-understand-why-culture-cops-try-and-impose-their-brand-of/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I remember my first run-in with cops. It took me really getting to hang, well after that, with cops who were cool, and realizing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-remember-my-first-run-in-with-cops-it-took-me-really-getting-to/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [I've definitely run from the cops in the New York City subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-ve-definitely-run-from-the-cops-in-the-new-york-city-subways/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [“Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, watcha gonna do when they cut your wiener,” Gavin sang as he pointed his gun at random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-sivec/bad-boys-bad-boys-whatcha-gonna-do-watcha-gonna-do-when-they-cut-your/) [Tara Sivec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-sivec/) > [The BET definition of a humanitarian is someone who perpetuates a war on cops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/the-bet-definition-of-a-humanitarian-is-someone-who-perpetuates-a-war/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/there-s-one-overriding-issue-namely-that-we-live-in-a-police-state-so/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I'm the black sheep in a family of cops. I understand how difficult the job is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/i-m-the-black-sheep-in-a-family-of-cops-i-understand-how-difficult/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [If you feel your rights are being abused by the authorities, and you don't say something, sometimes the cops don't know how far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/if-you-feel-your-rights-are-being-abused-by-the-authorities-and-you/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) [Browse all 352 Cops quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really get the usual version. My mom, Lisa, is a registered nurse, and she told me what went where, and what didn't need to go here, there, or any damn where till I'm grown. Back then, I doubted anything was going anywhere anyway. While all the other girls sprouted breasts between sixth and seventh grade, my chest was as flat as my back. The other talk was about what to do if a cop stopped me. Momma fussed and told Daddy I was too young for that. He argued that I wasn't too young to get arrested or shot. \"Starr-Starr, you do whatever they tell you to do,\" he said. \"Keep your hands visible. Don't make any sudden moves. Only speak when they speak to you.\" I knew it must've been serious. Daddy has the biggest mouth of anybody I know, and if he said to be quiet, I needed to be quiet. I hope somebody had the talk with Khalil.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angie Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-talks-with-me-one-was-the-usual/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cops" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-talks-with-me-one-was-the-usual/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/angie-thomas-2699_cops_when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-tal_1616467.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really…” — Angie Thomas", "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": "Angie Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When I was twelve, my parents...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-talks-with-me-one-was-the-usual/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/when-i-was-twelve-my-parents-had-two-talks-with-me-one-was-the-usual/#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 } } ] } ```