--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Right from the start my parents had left…" description: "\"Right from the start my parents had left me to fend for myself. Apparently unaware that I was a kid, they invariably treated me like an adult, perhaps ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/phyllis-diller-1622_adults_right-from-the-start-my-parents-had-left_1295083.png" --- # Right from the start my parents had left me to fend for… ![“Right from the start my parents had left me to fend for myself. Apparently unaware that I was a kid, they invariably treated me like an adult, perhaps because they themselves were no spring chickens.” quote by Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/phyllis-diller-1622_adults_right-from-the-start-my-parents-had-left_1295083.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/phyllis-diller-1622_adults_right-from-the-start-my-parents-had-left_1295083.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/phyllis-diller-1622_adults_right-from-the-start-my-parents-had-left_1295083.png) > “Right from the start my parents had left me to fend for myself. Apparently unaware that I was a kid, they invariably treated me like an adult, perhaps because they themselves were no spring chickens.” [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being treated as an adult early forced the speaker to develop independence and resilience despite youthful inexperience. **In simple terms:** Adult expectations forced early independence. Key Takeaway Embrace responsibility early. Themes family growth independence humor Mood thoughtful humorous Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - career development - personal coaching - mentorship programs Key Concepts parenting role reversal self‑reliance Questions to Reflect On - How does early responsibility affect adulthood? - What coping strategies help? A Different Perspective Pressure can cause stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) ## Related quotes > [“You want to be treated like an adult? Then you need to grow up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristan-higgins/you-want-to-be-treated-like-an-adult-then-you-need-to-grow-up/) [Kristan Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristan-higgins/) > [Once I got my driver's license everybody treated me like I was an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-i-got-my-driver-s-license-everybody-treated-me-like-i-was-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Todd Haynes was incredible, he treated me like an adult, communicated with me, was supportive, he treated me as any director would an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/todd-haynes-was-incredible-he-treated-me-like-an-adult-communicated/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [I have a big family and no one ever treated me like a child. They always treated me like an adult, like an equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/i-have-a-big-family-and-no-one-ever-treated-me-like-a-child-they/) [Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/) > [When I was 15, my parents left town for a month. They hid the keys to the car, but I found them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-masterson/when-i-was-15-my-parents-left-town-for-a-month-they-hid-the-keys-to-2/) [Danny Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-masterson/) > [My parents left the house without even telling me. Oh that's cool. It's not like I don't enjoy finding being left behind or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-parents-left-the-house-without-even-telling-me-oh-that-s-cool-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My grandmother was fifteen the day of the roundup. She was told she was free because they were only taking small children between two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-de-rosnay/my-grandmother-was-fifteen-the-day-of-the-roundup-she-was-told-she/) [Tatiana de Rosnay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-de-rosnay/) > [My parents left Iran in 1979 and moved to France and then moved to the U.S. My brother was born in France and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/my-parents-left-iran-in-1979-and-moved-to-france-and-then-moved-to/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [I was really scared to stay home alone when I was kid, and I would freak out whenever there was a noise after my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-carpenter/i-was-really-scared-to-stay-home-alone-when-i-was-kid-and-i-would/) [Sabrina Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-carpenter/) > [I was born in Edinburgh, in Scotland, a few days after the end of the Second World War. Both my parents had left school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/i-was-born-in-edinburgh-in-scotland-a-few-days-after-the-end-of-the/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [Just because my parents left Ramannagudem does not mean that I do not hail from Telangana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/just-because-my-parents-left-ramannagudem-does-not-mean-that-i-do-not/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [Immigration has defined my entire life. My parents left Mozambique with nothing but their wits in search of a better life for their kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/immigration-has-defined-my-entire-life-my-parents-left-mozambique/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [My parents have left a legacy in our family of service to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-bush/my-parents-have-left-a-legacy-in-our-family-of-service-to-others/) [Neil Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-bush/) > [My parents left Libya in 1979, escaping political repression, and settled in Cairo. I was nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hisham-matar/my-parents-left-libya-in-1979-escaping-political-repression-and/) [Hisham Matar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hisham-matar/) > [She'd be one of those parents who left a kid behind at a rest stop, driving for miles before she noticed. We'd hear about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/she-d-be-one-of-those-parents-who-left-a-kid-behind-at-a-rest-stop/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## More by Phyllis Diller > [My mother-in-law must be the probation officer I got for the crime I committed of marrying my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-mother-in-law-must-be-the-probation-officer-i-got-for-the-crime-i/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If it weren't for baseball, many kids wouldn't know what a millionaire looked like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-it-weren-t-for-baseball-many-kids-wouldn-t-know-what-a-millionaire/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm the only woman who can walk in Central Park at night... and reduce the crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-m-the-only-woman-who-can-walk-in-central-park-at-night-and-reduce/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I was the world's ugliest baby. When I was born, the doctor slapped everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-was-the-world-s-ugliest-baby-when-i-was-born-the-doctor-slapped/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [For Fang, getting out of bed in the morning is a career move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/for-fang-getting-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-is-a-career-move/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and a three-dollar pantyhose that won't run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/women-want-men-careers-money-children-friends-luxury-comfort/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-admit-i-have-a-tremendous-sex-drive-my-boyfriend-lives-forty-miles/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/the-reason-women-don-t-play-football-is-because-11-of-them-would/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-you-don-t-have-wrinkles-you-haven-t-laughed-enough/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [“A smile is a curve that sets things right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-smile-is-a-curve-that-sets-things-right/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Every time I go near the stove, the dog howls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/every-time-i-go-near-the-stove-the-dog-howls/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Some wives have model husbands, I got one that needed remodeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/some-wives-have-model-husbands-i-got-one-that-needed-remodeling/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-idea-of-exercise-is-a-good-brisk-sit/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) [Explore all 222 Phyllis Diller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) K. Anders Ericsson > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Right from the start my parents had left me to fend for myself. 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