--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We’ve all done this —created our…" description: "\"“We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families, our homemade safety nets.”\" — David Levithan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg" --- # We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families… ![“We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families, our homemade safety nets.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg) > ““We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families, our homemade safety nets.”” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Levithan notes that modern families are often self‑crafted, blending diverse relationships into personal support systems. **In simple terms:** People create their own mixed families and safety nets. Key Takeaway Embrace and nurture chosen support networks. Themes family identity choice support diversity Mood introspective hopeful Type cultural personal When to use this quote - LGBTQ+ community - single parenting - friendship circles - online communities Key Concepts chosen family social construction resilience Questions to Reflect On - What defines a family for you? - How can we support those lacking a safety net? A Different Perspective Not everyone has access to supportive chosen families. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Safety net](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety-net/) ## Related quotes > [War can be so impersonal yet when we put a name, a face, a place and match it to families, then war is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/war-can-be-so-impersonal-yet-when-we-put-a-name-a-face-a-place-and/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [“And while the shape of my family might not match other families - or even what I imagined it should be - some pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-a-barson/and-while-the-shape-of-my-family-might-not-match-other-families-or/) [K.A. Barson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-a-barson/) > [“I'm OK. Really. I can find people. I'll be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-ok-really-i-can-find-people-i-ll-be-all-right/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“They don't know what a stand up guy you are." "Even more so, now that I have four legs, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/they-don-t-know-what-a-stand-up-guy-you-are-even-more-so-now-that-i/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [“Goodnight, screwballs, you’re goddam lucky you got each other; no one in their right mind would wantcha.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-loveman/goodnight-screwballs-you-re-goddam-lucky-you-got-each-other-no-one-in/) Laurie Loveman > [“You two did all the work; I’ll clean all this up in the morning. I don’t have to go into the office.” ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-wilder/you-two-did-all-the-work-i-ll-clean-all-this-up-in-the-morning-i-don/) [Lin Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-wilder/) > [“But you made it for Dotty. You should keep it in the family,' I said. Henry took my hands in his and leaned toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/but-you-made-it-for-dotty-you-should-keep-it-in-the-family-i-said/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“The truck looked like a beater, maybe built in the 1950's, mostly rust on the outside, but a spaceship on the inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/the-truck-looked-like-a-beater-maybe-built-in-the-1950-s-mostly-rust/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [“For their was no finer family than the one you had chosen yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-a-kuzniar/for-their-was-no-finer-family-than-the-one-you-had-chosen-yourself/) [M.A. Kuzniar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-a-kuzniar/) > [If the economy is growing fast, there is call for a distributing income from the rich to the poor to to put in place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/if-the-economy-is-growing-fast-there-is-call-for-a-distributing/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [I don't believe in having safety nets - you'll end up using them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/i-don-t-believe-in-having-safety-nets-you-ll-end-up-using-them/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-saline/sisters-function-as-safety-nets-in-a-chaotic-world-simply-by-being/) Carol Saline > [It's how they've stayed popular for so long. By not doing anything that will make them look like fools. They never leave home without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/it-s-how-they-ve-stayed-popular-for-so-long-by-not-doing-anything/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [At each point of our process to repeal Obamacare, we have not lost sight of our responsibility to the most vulnerable in our communities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/at-each-point-of-our-process-to-repeal-obamacare-we-have-not-lost/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [There are all these safety nets in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/there-are-all-these-safety-nets-in-pop-music/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. 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Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Chosen-family quotes > [“I'm OK. Really. I can find people. I'll be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-ok-really-i-can-find-people-i-ll-be-all-right/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“For their was no finer family than the one you had chosen yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-a-kuzniar/for-their-was-no-finer-family-than-the-one-you-had-chosen-yourself/) [M.A. Kuzniar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-a-kuzniar/) > [“The truck looked like a beater, maybe built in the 1950's, mostly rust on the outside, but a spaceship on the inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/the-truck-looked-like-a-beater-maybe-built-in-the-1950-s-mostly-rust/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [“But you made it for Dotty. You should keep it in the family,' I said. Henry took my hands in his and leaned toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/but-you-made-it-for-dotty-you-should-keep-it-in-the-family-i-said/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“You two did all the work; I’ll clean all this up in the morning. I don’t have to go into the office.” ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-wilder/you-two-did-all-the-work-i-ll-clean-all-this-up-in-the-morning-i-don/) [Lin Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-wilder/) > [“Goodnight, screwballs, you’re goddam lucky you got each other; no one in their right mind would wantcha.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-loveman/goodnight-screwballs-you-re-goddam-lucky-you-got-each-other-no-one-in/) Laurie Loveman > [“They don't know what a stand up guy you are." "Even more so, now that I have four legs, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/they-don-t-know-what-a-stand-up-guy-you-are-even-more-so-now-that-i/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) Browse all 8 Chosen-family quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families, our homemade safety nets.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Levithan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and-match-families-our-homemade/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chosen-family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and-match-families-our-homemade/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/david-levithan-67_chosen-family_we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and_1336013.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We’ve all done this —created our mix-and-match families, our homemade safety nets.” — David Levithan", "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": "David Levithan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We’ve all done this —created our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and-match-families-our-homemade/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-ve-all-done-this-created-our-mix-and-match-families-our-homemade/#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 } } ] } ```