---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in the third grade, I remember…"
description: "\"When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA who worked the 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. shift.\" — Laphonza Butler"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg"
---

#  When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA…

![“When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA who worked the 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. shift.” quote by Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg)

> “When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA who worked the 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. shift.”

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A mother's night shift as a CNA shaped early awareness of hard work and sacrifice.

**In simple terms:** Mom worked nights as a caregiver; it taught perseverance.

Key Takeaway

Value dedication and empathy from early role models.

Themes

family hard work caregiving perseverance

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

personal narrative

When to use this quote

- career counseling
- social services
- education planning

Key Concepts

work ethic social mobility parental influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How did this experience influence your values?
- What support helps families in similar situations?

A Different Perspective

Single-parent challenges can limit resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Third grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-grade/)

## Related quotes

> [We worked for 11 years to get where we are today, and I want to take our work seriously so that later on I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-gibb/we-worked-for-11-years-to-get-where-we-are-today-and-i-want-to-take/)

[Maurice Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-gibb/)

> [Teacher: Come on! You learned this in 3rd grade! Me: I can't remember what I ate for breakfast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/teacher-come-on-you-learned-this-in-3rd-grade-me-i-can-t-remember/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I remember my mom dressed like Janis Joplin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-white/i-remember-my-mom-dressed-like-janis-joplin/)

[Bryan White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-white/)

> [“Just remember,” Mom said after examining the blisters, “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.” “If that was true, I’d be Hercules by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/just-remember-mom-said-after-examining-the-blisters-what-doesn-t-kill/)

[Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/)

> [Being a parent has become incredibly important to me. I never knew how much I would be altered by my children. I would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-soetoro-ng/being-a-parent-has-become-incredibly-important-to-me-i-never-knew-how/)

[Maya Soetoro-Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-soetoro-ng/)

> [I remember my mom telling me that when John Belushi died, my dad cried. I remember thinking that was strange as a child, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-morby/i-remember-my-mom-telling-me-that-when-john-belushi-died-my-dad-cried/)

[Kevin Morby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-morby/)

> [Every time I post &amp; don't get any likes I remember what my mom used to say,i prepare this breakfast with such a difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-cullen/every-time-i-post-don-t-get-any-likes-i-remember-what-my-mom-used-to/)

[Akbar Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-cullen/)

> [Hey you can talk about my wife am not gonna flinch, Just remember your mom is my side bitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dub-tepper/hey-you-can-talk-about-my-wife-am-not-gonna-flinch-just-remember-your/)

DUB$TEPPER

> [My mom went to jail a few days before my birthday and my birthday is on November 8th my sister is in rehab she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay/my-mom-went-to-jail-a-few-days-before-my-birthday-and-my-birthday-is/)

[Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay/)

> [I remember my mom saying to me that what your friends do is one thing, but what you do could be on the front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/i-remember-my-mom-saying-to-me-that-what-your-friends-do-is-one-thing/)

[Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/)

> [I remember my mom sitting at our kitchen table, paying bills with a small smile. She'd sigh and say, 'I'm so blessed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/i-remember-my-mom-sitting-at-our-kitchen-table-paying-bills-with-a/)

[Faith Salie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-salie/)

> [I remember my mom saying, 'I will take you to every audition, I will support you, but the minute you stop caring about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/i-remember-my-mom-saying-i-will-take-you-to-every-audition-i-will/)

[Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/)

> [Good morning! Remember you only get 1 mom, 1 dad, 1 God and 1 life...cherish them while you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-morning-remember-you-only-get-1-mom-1-dad-1-god-and-1-life/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I remember my mom would read the newspaper, and if she saw a place that was cheaper in rent, we were gone. She'd pack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-sehorn/i-remember-my-mom-would-read-the-newspaper-and-if-she-saw-a-place/)

[Jason Sehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-sehorn/)

> [“But mostly, when I look back, what I remember is not Mom rushing about; it’s Mom sitting quietly in the center of the house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/but-mostly-when-i-look-back-what-i-remember-is-not-mom-rushing-about/)

[Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/)

## More by Laphonza Butler

> [With the apparent demise of Trumpcare, we have shown the power that ordinary people have to stop disastrous policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/with-the-apparent-demise-of-trumpcare-we-have-shown-the-power-that/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I am proud to co-lead the effort to recognize March 14 as Black Midwives Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-am-proud-to-co-lead-the-effort-to-recognize-march-14-as-black/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [Congress should support expanding broadband deployment, including tailored approaches to meet the unique challenges facing rural communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/congress-should-support-expanding-broadband-deployment-including/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [The Time Off to Vote Act would allow Californians to make their voices heard without the added burden of missing work or pay. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/the-time-off-to-vote-act-would-allow-californians-to-make-their/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [My grandparents were patriots who had to be urgent about the promise of America for their eleven children. The promise that if they worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/my-grandparents-were-patriots-who-had-to-be-urgent-about-the-promise/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I have the honor of working alongside over 325,000 caregivers of SEIU Local 2015. Every day I am amazed by their tenacious spirit despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-have-the-honor-of-working-alongside-over-325-000-caregivers-of-seiu/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [Just because you can win a campaign doesn't always mean you should run a campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/just-because-you-can-win-a-campaign-doesn-t-always-mean-you-should/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [It has been an honor to uphold Senator Feinstein's brilliant legacy of fighting for Californians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/it-has-been-an-honor-to-uphold-senator-feinstein-s-brilliant-legacy/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [Accessing mental health care and support has become increasingly difficult in nearly every state in the country. Barriers get even more difficult if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/accessing-mental-health-care-and-support-has-become-increasingly/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [Electing Democratic pro-choice women in the executive offices at the state level is incredibly important to ensuring that we can protect and expand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/electing-democratic-pro-choice-women-in-the-executive-offices-at-the/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I remain dedicated to advocating for policies that uphold our values of justice and compassion as we actively address border challenges at the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-remain-dedicated-to-advocating-for-policies-that-uphold-our-values/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I've had many experiences and hold many identities, and I've done a lot of work in all these areas. All of those things have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-ve-had-many-experiences-and-hold-many-identities-and-i-ve-done-a/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [The Thirty-Two-Hour Workweek Act would allow hardworking Americans to spend more time with their families while protecting their wages and making sure profits aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/the-thirty-two-hour-workweek-act-would-allow-hardworking-americans-to/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [Our partners and allies deserve America's unwavering support, and it is also true that we must hold those nations accountable for what they choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/our-partners-and-allies-deserve-america-s-unwavering-support-and-it/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I went to a historically Black college in Mississippi, Jackson State University. I also grew up in a small town that had one stoplight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/i-went-to-a-historically-black-college-in-mississippi-jackson-state/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

[Explore all 100 Laphonza Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

## More Grade quotes

> [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/)

[Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/)

> [I was the only mixed-race girl in my school, but for me, that was a positive thing; it made me unique. If it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alesha-dixon/i-was-the-only-mixed-race-girl-in-my-school-but-for-me-that-was-a/)

[Alesha Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alesha-dixon/)

> [That joyful moment when you and your friend get the same grade as you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/that-joyful-moment-when-you-and-your-friend-get-the-same-grade-as-you/)

Unkown

> [In seventh grade, with some vague sense that I wanted to be a writer, I crouched in the junior high school library stacks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/in-seventh-grade-with-some-vague-sense-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-i/)

[Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/)

> [I didn't really grow up a comic book fanatic. I was a big baseball player, and my passion in life, in third grade, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ritchson/i-didn-t-really-grow-up-a-comic-book-fanatic-i-was-a-big-baseball/)

[Alan Ritchson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ritchson/)

> [I've been home-schooled since I was in the fifth grade, mainly because I had two brothers who were acting. We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/)

[Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/)

> [At Grinnell College, for the first time in my life, I was in an all-white setting. It was a shocking experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/at-grinnell-college-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-was-in-an-all/)

[Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/)

> [The people I passed every morning as I walked up the school's steps were full of hate. They were white, but so was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/the-people-i-passed-every-morning-as-i-walked-up-the-school-s-steps/)

[Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/)

> [My biggest phobia is spiders. When I was in second grade, one of my classmates got bitten. That did it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-white/my-biggest-phobia-is-spiders-when-i-was-in-second-grade-one-of-my/)

[Vanna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-white/)

> [I shaved my eyebrows in 10th grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-shaved-my-eyebrows-in-10th-grade/)

[Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/)

> [Most people give Kennedy a passing grade, a good grade on the Cuban Missile Crisis handling, but what they don't realize, if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/most-people-give-kennedy-a-passing-grade-a-good-grade-on-the-cuban/)

[Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/)

> [When I was a teenager, I was the only black girl at a small, private Episcopal school, where my tuition was paid by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/when-i-was-a-teenager-i-was-the-only-black-girl-at-a-small-private/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [I was a very shy kid. In 8th grade, I had a teacher who got me into improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-collins/i-was-a-very-shy-kid-in-8th-grade-i-had-a-teacher-who-got-me-into/)

[Mo Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-collins/)

> [“Nobody cared if you plagiarized in the third grade. All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-janz/nobody-cared-if-you-plagiarized-in-the-third-grade-all/)

Jonathan Janz

> [I taught sixth grade for three and a half years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-bradley/i-taught-sixth-grade-for-three-and-a-half-years/)

[Ed Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-bradley/)

Browse all 467 Grade quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA who worked the 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. shift.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Laphonza Butler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember-my-mom-was-a-cna-who-worked/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Grade"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember-my-mom-was-a-cna-who-worked/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30a/laphonza-butler-5989_grade_when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember_1612825.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I was in the third grade, I remember my mom was a CNA who worked the 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. shift.” — Laphonza Butler",
                "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": "Laphonza Butler",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I was in the third...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember-my-mom-was-a-cna-who-worked/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-remember-my-mom-was-a-cna-who-worked/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
