--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The parents are making threatening…" description: "\"“The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art, with dad doing his Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation and mom playing Gle..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg" --- # The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner… ![“The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art, with dad doing his Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation and mom playing Glenn Close in one of her psycho roles. I am the Victim. Mom: [creepy smile] “Thought you could put one over us, did you, Melinda? Big high school…” quote by Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg) > ““The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art, with dad doing his Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation and mom playing Glenn Close in one of her psycho roles. I am the Victim. Mom: \[creepy smile\] “Thought you could put one over us, did you, Melinda? Big high school students now, don’t need to show your homework to your parents, don’t need to show any failing test grades?” Dad: \[bangs table, silverware jumps\] “Cut the crap. She knows what’s up. The interim reports came today. Listen to me, young lady. I’m only going to say this to you once. You get those grades up or your name is mud. Hear me? Get them up!” \[Attacks baked potato.\]”” [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## 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 feels pressured by parents who use intimidation and theatrical threats to demand academic success, highlighting toxic expectations and emotional manipulation. **In simple terms:** Parents pressure teen with threats and drama over grades. Key Takeaway Recognize and set boundaries against unhealthy pressure. Themes family dynamics parental pressure adolescent stress communication mental health Mood anxious defensive determined Type narrative dialogue confessional When to use this quote - school meetings - parent‑teen discussions - seeking counseling - setting academic goals Key Concepts toxic expectations emotional manipulation performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How can teens assert themselves when faced with intimidation? - What strategies help families discuss expectations without fear? A Different Perspective The quote reflects a single perspective and may not capture the parents’ intentions or the broader family context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arnold schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arnold-schwarzenegger/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [High school students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school-students/) [Imitation Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitation-mom-3130780/) [Mom Creepy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom-creepy-3130779/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-don/) [Parents Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-making-805041/) [School Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-students/) [Victim Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim-mom-3130781/) [Young lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-lady/) ## Related quotes > [ That movie \[Jawbreaker\] was so much fun to shoot. 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I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I don't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-idea-of-celibate-vampires-is-ridiculous-to-me-vampires-are-sex-i/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-m-53-i-don-t-care-about-high-school-students-i-find-them-irritating/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Work-based learning is a game changer. It's like test driving a career, and I have seen it in action with our registered apprenticeship programs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-reynolds/work-based-learning-is-a-game-changer-it-s-like-test-driving-a-career/) [Kim Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-reynolds/) > [We constantly see surveys that reveal this ignorance, especially among our high school students,78 percent of whom, in a recent nationwide multiple-choice test, identified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/we-constantly-see-surveys-that-reveal-this-ignorance-especially-among/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Even for high school students we expect some degree of forgiveness particularly for those students that have only been here a short period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-for-high-school-students-we-expect-some-degree-of-forgiveness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every year, some 65,000 high school students - many of them star students and leaders in their communities - are unable to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-locke/every-year-some-65-000-high-school-students-many-of-them-star/) [Gary Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-locke/) ## More by Laurie Halse Anderson > [“The word ghost sounds like memory. The word therapy means exorcism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-word-ghost-sounds-like-memory-the-word-therapy-means-exorcism/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. 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It made it easier not to think about having my body and my family and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/cutting-pain-was-a-different-flavor-of-hurt-it-made-it-easier-not-to/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/leaning-against-my-father-the-sadness-finally-broke-open-inside-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-like-cheeseburgers-too-much-to-be-a-model/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am getting better at smiling when people expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-getting-better-at-smiling-when-people-expect-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/all-that-crap-you-hear-on-tv-about-communication-and-expressing/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“It was the most eloquent silence I ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-was-the-most-eloquent-silence-i-ever-heard/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I've dealt with depression my entire life, on and off, which makes me the perfect author for teenage readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-ve-dealt-with-depression-my-entire-life-on-and-off-which-makes-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“What did it feel like to die? Was it a peaceful sleep? Some thought it was full of either trumpet-blowing angels or angry devils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-did-it-feel-like-to-die-was-it-a-peaceful-sleep-some-thought-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) [Explore all 437 Laurie Halse Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## More Arnold schwarzenegger quotes > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [How would Elvira run the state of California? Well, there isn't much I could do that is worse than what Arnold Schwarzenegger has done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/how-would-elvira-run-the-state-of-california-well-there-isn-t-much-i/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [My dream would be to play the villain in a James Bond movie, or opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. I like everything exaggerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/my-dream-would-be-to-play-the-villain-in-a-james-bond-movie-or/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I recently read that Arnold Schwarzenegger collects Hummers. Now we know why Maria's face is frozen in that puckered position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-wilkerson/i-recently-read-that-arnold-schwarzenegger-collects-hummers-now-we/) [Brad Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-wilkerson/) > [I'd like to talk to Arnold Schwarzenegger, 'cause I live in California and I just want to see that canned, chemical filled body in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-d-like-to-talk-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-cause-i-live-in-california/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he's running for governor. He's got a great slogan - 'Vote for me, or I'll make 'Kindergarten Cop II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/arnold-schwarzenegger-announced-he-s-running-for-governor-he-s-got-a/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [There's no one in the world close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a phenomenon. He's brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/there-s-no-one-in-the-world-close-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-he-is-a/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger blew away dozens of cops as the Terminator. But I don't hear anybody complaining about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/arnold-schwarzenegger-blew-away-dozens-of-cops-as-the-terminator-but/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [ Arnold Schwarzenegger made his tax returns public, \[and\] now there's a problem about him stretching the truth. Apparently under occupation he put down 'actor.' ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/arnold-schwarzenegger-made-his-tax-returns-public-and-now-there-s-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Their steaks are often good, but the lobsters-with claws the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger's forearms-are as glazed and tough as most of the customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-s-forbes/their-steaks-are-often-good-but-the-lobsters-with-claws-the-size-of/) [Malcolm S Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-s-forbes/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger is in trouble after tapes surfaced of him saying negative things about other Republicans. Actually the Schwarzenegger tapes surfaced last year, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/arnold-schwarzenegger-is-in-trouble-after-tapes-surfaced-of-him/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Simon had drawn three pictures. In the top left corner, like a salutation, was a ghost. The middle had a big sketch of Arnold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/simon-had-drawn-three-pictures-in-the-top-left-corner-like-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [There's no one in the world close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a phenomenon. He's brilliant. Just because his physique belies that, don't underestimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/there-s-no-one-in-the-world-close-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-he-is-a-2/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [People here in Los Angeles are disgusted now about a sex scandal involving Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently for seven years, he carried on a sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/people-here-in-los-angeles-are-disgusted-now-about-a-sex-scandal/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [What's it like being opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger? For me? Are you kidding? Maybe if I'm lucky, come up to his navel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/what-s-it-like-being-opposite-arnold-schwarzenegger-for-me-are-you/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) [Browse all 142 Arnold schwarzenegger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arnold-schwarzenegger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art, with dad doing his Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation and mom playing Glenn Close in one of her psycho roles. I am the Victim. Mom: [creepy smile] “Thought you could put one over us, did you, Melinda? Big high school students now, don’t need to show your homework to your parents, don’t need to show any failing test grades?” Dad: [bangs table, silverware jumps] “Cut the crap. She knows what’s up. The interim reports came today. Listen to me, young lady. I’m only going to say this to you once. You get those grades up or your name is mud. Hear me? Get them up!” [Attacks baked potato.]”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-parents-are-making-threatening-noises-turning-dinner-into/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arnold schwarzenegger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-parents-are-making-threatening-noises-turning-dinner-into/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/laurie-halse-anderson-623_arnold-schwarzenegge_the-parents-are-making-threatening-noise_1134061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art, with dad doing his Arnold…” — Laurie Halse Anderson", "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": "Laurie Halse Anderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The parents are making threatening noises,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-parents-are-making-threatening-noises-turning-dinner-into/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-parents-are-making-threatening-noises-turning-dinner-into/#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 } } ] } ```