---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a youngster I lived with…"
description: "\"When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I nearly always felt closer to the man of the house. Maybe because I always dreamed of having a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg"
---

#  When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I…

![“When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I nearly always felt closer to the man of the house. Maybe because I always dreamed of having a father of my own.” quote by Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg)

> “When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I nearly always felt closer to the man of the house. Maybe because I always dreamed of having a father of my own.”

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

## About This Quote

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

Childhood longing for a father figure influences adult relationships and self‑image.

**In simple terms:** Missing a father affects adult life.

Key Takeaway

Seek healthy role models and self‑acceptance.

Themes

family identity longing

Mood

nostalgic thoughtful

Type

psychological reflective

When to use this quote

- building relationships
- therapy
- parenting

Key Concepts

attachment theory psychology self‑esteem

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this longing affect your current relationships?
- What steps can you take to nurture self‑worth?

A Different Perspective

Idealizing absent figures may create unrealistic expectations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-families/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreamed Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamed-having-297710/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Closer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-closer-1880814/) [Having Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-father-553122/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Youngsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youngsters/)

## Related quotes

> [“Tristan’s hand pressed against my back and I felt myself move closer until my head was resting against his warm chest. I closed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-carter/tristan-s-hand-pressed-against-my-back-and-i-felt-myself-move-closer/)

[Renee Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-carter/)

> [All my life, my heart has felt closer to rock n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-einaudi/all-my-life-my-heart-has-felt-closer-to-rock-n-roll/)

[Ludovico Einaudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-einaudi/)

> [I felt so much closer to my mother after I had babies. It bonds a mother and daughter more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmila-tagore/i-felt-so-much-closer-to-my-mother-after-i-had-babies-it-bonds-a/)

[Sharmila Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmila-tagore/)

> [I have heard people say that they felt closer to their parents after they have died. Maybe if I treat people as if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-have-heard-people-say-that-they-felt-closer-to-their-parents-after/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [“I have to admit, I wasn't close to my old man when he was alive. He was hardly ever home. But now that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/i-have-to-admit-i-wasn-t-close-to-my-old-man-when-he-was-alive-he-was/)

[Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/)

> [“And I felt closer to you. Because you knew me so much better than I'd realized - and still loved me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-lupton/and-i-felt-closer-to-you-because-you-knew-me-so-much-better-than-i-d/)

[Rosamund lupton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-lupton/)

> [“I forged more notes and my trips to the library became frequent. Reading grew into a passion. My first serious novel was Sinclair Lewis’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wright/i-forged-more-notes-and-my-trips-to-the-library-became-frequent/)

[Richard Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wright/)

> [There were times Ruma felt closer to her mother in death than she had in life, an intimacy born simply of thinking of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/there-were-times-ruma-felt-closer-to-her-mother-in-death-than-she-had/)

[Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/)

> ['Modern Family' is unique in that it's telling the story of three different families, which is a huge amount of characters to service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/modern-family-is-unique-in-that-it-s-telling-the-story-of-three/)

[Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/)

> [The etiquette of intimacy is very different from the etiquette of formality, but manners are not just something to show off to the outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-etiquette-of-intimacy-is-very-different-from-the-etiquette-of/)

[Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/)

> [We lived, until I was 12 or so, in communal apartment with five different families and the same kitchen, in two little - my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/we-lived-until-i-was-12-or-so-in-communal-apartment-with-five/)

[Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/)

> [I'm not religious, and I feel that has to do with me being uprooted so many times in my life that I've explored many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masiela-lusha/i-m-not-religious-and-i-feel-that-has-to-do-with-me-being-uprooted-so/)

[Masiela Lusha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masiela-lusha/)

> [...the reading, the observing, the living from day to day. It was something that had been born into her and her only - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/the-reading-the-observing-the-living-from-day-to-day-it-was-something/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [I was a stepchild in two different families. The hardest thing about being a stepchild is you know that in some way everything would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-was-a-stepchild-in-two-different-families-the-hardest-thing-about/)

[Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/)

> [I want to see America thrive. I want to see all different families here succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-meng/i-want-to-see-america-thrive-i-want-to-see-all-different-families/)

[Grace Meng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-meng/)

## More by Marilyn Monroe

> [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Nothing happens without a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/nothing-happens-without-a-reason/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Sometimes I've been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeites...the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/sometimes-i-ve-been-to-a-party-where-no-one-spoke-to-me-for-a-whole/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/you-believe-lies-so-you-eventually-learn-to-trust-no-one-but-yourself/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [The worst thing that happens to people when they dress up and go to a party is that they leave their real selves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/the-worst-thing-that-happens-to-people-when-they-dress-up-and-go-to-a/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Confidentially, the type of male I find most enjoyable for a friend is one who has enough fire and assurance to speak up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/confidentially-the-type-of-male-i-find-most-enjoyable-for-a-friend-is/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [I usually eat four or five raw carrots with my meat, and that is all. I must be part rabbit; I never get bored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-usually-eat-four-or-five-raw-carrots-with-my-meat-and-that-is-all-i/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupied so are regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/we-should-all-start-to-live-before-we-get-too-old-fear-is-stupied-so/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [You're the beautiful one. It's society that's ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/you-re-the-beautiful-one-it-s-society-that-s-ugly/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-ve-never-fooled-anyone-i-ve-let-people-fool-themselves-they-didn-t/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/if-i-d-observed-all-the-rules-i-d-never-have-got-anywhere/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [A woman can't be alone. She needs a man. A man and a woman support and strengthen each other. She just can't do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/a-woman-can-t-be-alone-she-needs-a-man-a-man-and-a-woman-support-and/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [It's better being completely ridiculous than unbelievably boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/it-s-better-being-completely-ridiculous-than-unbelievably-boring/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [A career is wonderful thing, but you can't snuggle up to it on a cold night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/a-career-is-wonderful-thing-but-you-can-t-snuggle-up-to-it-on-a-cold/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [Suicide, is a persons privilege. I don't believe it's a sin or a crime it's your right if you do. Though it doesn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/suicide-is-a-persons-privilege-i-don-t-believe-it-s-a-sin-or-a-crime/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

[Explore all 572 Marilyn Monroe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

[Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I nearly always felt closer to the man of the house. Maybe because I always dreamed of having a father of my own.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marilyn Monroe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-different-families-i-nearly/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-different-families-i-nearly/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/marilyn-monroe-416_always_when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-diff_1584641.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I was a youngster I lived with different families. I nearly always felt closer to the man of the house…” — Marilyn Monroe",
                "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": "Marilyn Monroe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I was a youngster I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-different-families-i-nearly/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/when-i-was-a-youngster-i-lived-with-different-families-i-nearly/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
