--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I…" description: "\"When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day for my dad, huh? Never played basketball. I never played tennis - never did. We worked so that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg" --- # When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day… ![“When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day for my dad, huh? Never played basketball. I never played tennis - never did. We worked so that we could eat.” quote by Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg) > “When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day for my dad, huh? Never played basketball. I never played tennis - never did. We worked so that we could eat.” [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work from a young age builds resilience and appreciation for effort, shaping character. **In simple terms:** Early work builds resilience. Key Takeaway Value effort and perseverance. Themes hard work resilience character building Mood reflective determined Type advice biographical When to use this quote - sports training - career development - personal finance - self‑discipline Key Concepts socio‑economic mobility family duty Questions to Reflect On - How has early work shaped your values? - What balance do you seek between work and play? A Different Perspective Early labor can limit childhood experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) ## Related quotes > [Both of us played basketball, and I played tennis and my knees are done. Now if you ask us head-to-head who wins at golf,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wilbon/both-of-us-played-basketball-and-i-played-tennis-and-my-knees-are/) [Michael Wilbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wilbon/) > [I love to eat, and I don't believe in denying myself, so I have to work out. I'm not obsessed with it; I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/i-love-to-eat-and-i-don-t-believe-in-denying-myself-so-i-have-to-work-2/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [My dad played football - and tennis as well - and so did my brothers. My dad was chairman of our local club, Spartans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nwankwo-kanu/my-dad-played-football-and-tennis-as-well-and-so-did-my-brothers-my/) [Nwankwo Kanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nwankwo-kanu/) > [I grew up in an age where women's tennis did not have similar prizes to men, and they played in complete obscurity, really, compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stern/i-grew-up-in-an-age-where-women-s-tennis-did-not-have-similar-prizes/) [David Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stern/) > [I was sporty in high school. I played tennis and hockey, and was basketball captain. Then I went to university and stopped doing sport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/i-was-sporty-in-high-school-i-played-tennis-and-hockey-and-was/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [I played tennis at underneath - Brooklyn Bridge? Manhattan Bridge? Williamsburg Bridge? There are courts on the Manhattan side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callum-turner/i-played-tennis-at-underneath-brooklyn-bridge-manhattan-bridge/) [Callum Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callum-turner/) > [My parents both played tennis in South Africa. I learned from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-kloss/my-parents-both-played-tennis-in-south-africa-i-learned-from-them/) [Ilana Kloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-kloss/) > [I was super sporty in high school. I played tennis, field hockey, and lacrosse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-windsor/i-was-super-sporty-in-high-school-i-played-tennis-field-hockey-and/) [Devon Windsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-windsor/) > [I played tennis when I was younger. I don't know if I could have been a professional, but I am still passionate about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-lloris/i-played-tennis-when-i-was-younger-i-don-t-know-if-i-could-have-been/) [Hugo Lloris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-lloris/) > [The fact that nobody played tennis in my family and you'd say by chance they make three tennis courts in front of the restaurant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novak-djokovic/the-fact-that-nobody-played-tennis-in-my-family-and-you-d-say-by/) [Novak Djokovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novak-djokovic/) > [If an athlete like Michael Jordan played tennis, he would be the best - he's flexible, not too bulky, and has unbelievable hand-to-eye coordination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-wilander/if-an-athlete-like-michael-jordan-played-tennis-he-would-be-the-best/) [Mats Wilander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-wilander/) > [My workout was playing other sports and I always played tennis, football, basketball, threw a baseball - I was always doing something to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-workout-was-playing-other-sports-and-i-always-played-tennis/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I played tennis a lot when I had the skull injury. For the first two months of my preparation, it was all I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petr-cech/i-played-tennis-a-lot-when-i-had-the-skull-injury-for-the-first-two/) [Petr Cech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petr-cech/) > [I haven't played tennis since 2006, and tennis is one of those sports where if you don't play, you don't get paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-philippoussis/i-haven-t-played-tennis-since-2006-and-tennis-is-one-of-those-sports/) [Mark Philippoussis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-philippoussis/) > [I've played too many tennis hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-davenport/i-ve-played-too-many-tennis-hours/) [Lindsay Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-davenport/) ## More by Melvin Van Peebles > [I went to a number of schools when I was a kid on the south side of Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-went-to-a-number-of-schools-when-i-was-a-kid-on-the-south-side-of/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Music or sound in a film is a character as important as another character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/music-or-sound-in-a-film-is-a-character-as-important-as-another/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I'm not a normal director. You can't look at me that way. What's kept me alive is my technical skill at doing other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-m-not-a-normal-director-you-can-t-look-at-me-that-way-what-s-kept/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Don't ask me something if you don't want to know. Because I will tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/don-t-ask-me-something-if-you-don-t-want-to-know-because-i-will-tell/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-was-a-trader-for-a-company-that-s-different-from-the-brokers-who-we/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I'm pretty much a loner. That's not good, bad, or indifferent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-m-pretty-much-a-loner-that-s-not-good-bad-or-indifferent/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [After 'Don't Play Us Cheap,' I got very busy with theater and Wall Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/after-don-t-play-us-cheap-i-got-very-busy-with-theater-and-wall-street/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [The studios didn't really take independent films seriously, till 'Sweetback' was such a financial success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/the-studios-didn-t-really-take-independent-films-seriously-till/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Over time, you accumulate a lot of life material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/over-time-you-accumulate-a-lot-of-life-material/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I intend to stay dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-intend-to-stay-dangerous/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Whitey is uptight about offending blacks without really knowing what offends blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/whitey-is-uptight-about-offending-blacks-without-really-knowing-what/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I said to my kids, 'Learn the business of America if you want to be an artist in America. The rest of that stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-said-to-my-kids-learn-the-business-of-america-if-you-want-to-be-an/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [If you give people something they want, they'll come and see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/if-you-give-people-something-they-want-they-ll-come-and-see-it/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [I do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-do-what-i-want-to-do/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Music - some people just don't know that part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/music-some-people-just-don-t-know-that-part-of-me/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) [Explore all 79 Melvin Van Peebles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day for my dad, huh? Never played basketball. I never played tennis - never did. We worked so that we could eat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melvin Van Peebles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-worked-every-day-for-my-dad-huh/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-worked-every-day-for-my-dad-huh/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/melvin-van-peebles-8573_basketball_when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-wor_2982629.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a kid, from 10 years old, I worked every day for my dad, huh? Never played basketball. I never…” — Melvin Van Peebles", "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": "Melvin Van Peebles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a kid, from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-worked-every-day-for-my-dad-huh/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/when-i-was-a-kid-from-10-years-old-i-worked-every-day-for-my-dad-huh/#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 } } ] } ```