--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents both worked; I was a 'latchkey…" description: "\"My parents both worked; I was a 'latchkey kid.' We were lower-middle class, and they did everything that they could to give me anything I wanted, withi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/michelle-visage-4319_hard_my-parents-both-worked-i-was-a-latchkey_895011.jpg" --- # My parents both worked; I was a 'latchkey kid.' We were… ![“My parents both worked; I was a 'latchkey kid.' We were lower-middle class, and they did everything that they could to give me anything I wanted, within reason. We were not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but being an adopted kid, I think we had a different connotation. My parents tried…” quote by Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/michelle-visage-4319_hard_my-parents-both-worked-i-was-a-latchkey_895011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/michelle-visage-4319_hard_my-parents-both-worked-i-was-a-latchkey_895011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99a/michelle-visage-4319_hard_my-parents-both-worked-i-was-a-latchkey_895011.jpg) > “My parents both worked; I was a 'latchkey kid.' We were lower-middle class, and they did everything that they could to give me anything I wanted, within reason. We were not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but being an adopted kid, I think we had a different connotation. My parents tried extra hard, I think.” [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopted, lower‑middle‑class upbringing shaped resilience and appreciation for effort. **In simple terms:** Hard work and modest means built strength. Key Takeaway Value effort, not wealth. Themes family adoption class resilience Mood reflective inspirational Type personal narrative motivational When to use this quote - education - career building - personal growth Key Concepts socioeconomic status identity parental sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - How did your background influence your ambitions? - What resources helped you overcome limitations? A Different Perspective Economic constraints can limit opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [I was a latchkey kid from the time I was 7 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-banks/i-was-a-latchkey-kid-from-the-time-i-was-7-years-old/) [Jonathan Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-banks/) > [I was a latchkey kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redfoo/i-was-a-latchkey-kid/) [Redfoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redfoo/) > [I was a latchkey kid. Every afternoon, I would walk home from school, let myself in, make myself a banana buttie, and watch telly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-the-eagle/i-was-a-latchkey-kid-every-afternoon-i-would-walk-home-from-school/) [Eddie the Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-the-eagle/) > [When I was a student at Mizzou, I was a daycare teacher. I did it because was a latchkey kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/when-i-was-a-student-at-mizzou-i-was-a-daycare-teacher-i-did-it/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [I was a latchkey kid, from 4 or 5 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-choi/i-was-a-latchkey-kid-from-4-or-5-years-old/) [Roy Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-choi/) > [I was very much a latchkey kid. My parents would feel the back of the television to make sure I hadn't been watching it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/i-was-very-much-a-latchkey-kid-my-parents-would-feel-the-back-of-the/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [To put me through school my morn had to work, so I was a latchkey kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-flynn-boyle/to-put-me-through-school-my-morn-had-to-work-so-i-was-a-latchkey-kid/) [Lara Flynn Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-flynn-boyle/) > [Since the child knew his parents would give in, he tried the same trick again and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/since-the-child-knew-his-parents-would-give-in-he-tried-the-same/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [My parents tried so hard to do what they could to keep us in school, but school didn't last but four months out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/my-parents-tried-so-hard-to-do-what-they-could-to-keep-us-in-school/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [I was kind of a volatile personality, very intense. 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My parents divorced when I was 2; I went back and forth between my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-bowersox/i-had-what-you-could-call-a-chaotic-childhood-my-parents-divorced-2/) [Crystal Bowersox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-bowersox/) > [Although we didn't have much when I was growing up in Split, Croatia, my parents always tried to ensure that my sister and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/although-we-didn-t-have-much-when-i-was-growing-up-in-split-croatia/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [My parents - they tried to become American, they tried to become British, they tried to become Scandinavian - nobody wanted them, anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/my-parents-they-tried-to-become-american-they-tried-to-become-british/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) ## More by Michelle Visage > [The challenge of 'Drag Race' is always the appearance and the challenge. It's never just the challenge. It's always the combination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/the-challenge-of-drag-race-is-always-the-appearance-and-the-challenge/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [I think if you buy the 'Christmas Queens 2' album, there will be songs you love and songs you hate, just like every other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/i-think-if-you-buy-the-christmas-queens-2-album-there-will-be-songs/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [You don't have to give up your dreams in order to earn a living - they can go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/you-don-t-have-to-give-up-your-dreams-in-order-to-earn-a-living-they/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [It's never too late to reclaim your inner diva and reclaim your inner strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/it-s-never-too-late-to-reclaim-your-inner-diva-and-reclaim-your-inner/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [Live life and enjoy it. That's the real key to beauty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/live-life-and-enjoy-it-that-s-the-real-key-to-beauty/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [When I grew up where I grew up, things were very, very different, and nobody had a filter. And that's what brought us together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/when-i-grew-up-where-i-grew-up-things-were-very-very-different-and/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [I think we've seen every type of drag come across the stage of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' and there is no end in sight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/i-think-we-ve-seen-every-type-of-drag-come-across-the-stage-of-rupaul/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [We have to fight for what's right the same way the brothers and sisters that came before us did. 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That's never gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/i-agree-with-ru-that-it-ll-never-be-mainstream-because-mainstream/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [It takes an awful lot to offend me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/it-takes-an-awful-lot-to-offend-me/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) [Explore all 112 Michelle Visage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. 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The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. 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