--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 12 years old, I was just…" description: "\"When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents were ashamed to watch my matches. I would play on a court at the local club and they would wat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/roger-federer-3105_ashamed_when-i-was-12-years-old-i-was-just-horri_3210416.jpg" --- # When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents… ![“When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents were ashamed to watch my matches. I would play on a court at the local club and they would watch from the balcony. They would scream, 'Be quiet' to me and I would scream back, 'Go and have a drink. Leave me alone.' Then we would drive home…” quote by Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/roger-federer-3105_ashamed_when-i-was-12-years-old-i-was-just-horri_3210416.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/roger-federer-3105_ashamed_when-i-was-12-years-old-i-was-just-horri_3210416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/roger-federer-3105_ashamed_when-i-was-12-years-old-i-was-just-horri_3210416.jpg) > “When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents were ashamed to watch my matches. I would play on a court at the local club and they would watch from the balcony. They would scream, 'Be quiet' to me and I would scream back, 'Go and have a drink. Leave me alone.' Then we would drive home in a very quiet car. No one speaking to each other.” [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young athlete felt shame and isolation due to poor performance, leading to conflict with parents and emotional withdrawal. **In simple terms:** Feeling ashamed of one's abilities can strain family ties. Key Takeaway Seek supportive environments for growth. Themes shame family dynamics performance anxiety growth Mood reflective empathetic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - youth sports - parent‑child communication - building confidence Key Concepts psychology sports psychology family relationships Questions to Reflect On - What can parents do to encourage struggling children? - How can athletes turn embarrassment into motivation? A Different Perspective Family support can mitigate negative self‑image. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [Thank you ... San Francisco. All right, you're ruining the show. Thank you ... for clapping for what my parents are ashamed of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/thank-you-san-francisco-all-right-you-re-ruining-the-show-thank-you/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [It must have been horrible for my parents to see me go from public school to comprehensive to detention centre to borstal. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-allen/it-must-have-been-horrible-for-my-parents-to-see-me-go-from-public/) [Keith Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-allen/) > [I meet people from really grand backgrounds who had horrible parents who took no interest in them, whereas I'm a working-class boy from Deptford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-meet-people-from-really-grand-backgrounds-who-had-horrible-parents/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [Moon, moon, when you leave me alone all the darkness is an utter blackness, a pit of fear, a stench, hands unreasonable never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-creeley/moon-moon-when-you-leave-me-alone-all-the-darkness-is-an-utter/) [Robert Creeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-creeley/) > [Hey, sweet. Please open your eyes, Livia. Open your eyes and see what you did. I’m actually sitting here without grimacing. 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I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-redding/sittin-here-resting-my-bones-this-loneliness-won-t-leave-me-alone-two/) [Otis Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otis-redding/) > [You can't please everybody. I give up. I'm not trying to. I don't care. Leave me alone with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/you-can-t-please-everybody-i-give-up-i-m-not-trying-to-i-don-t-care/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [It is this nothingness (in solitude) that I have to face in my solitude, a nothingness so dreadful that everything in me wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-this-nothingness-in-solitude-that-i-have-to-face-in-my-solitude/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a big mistake the left has made with talking to religious people, which is attempting to talk them out of their interpretations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/there-s-a-big-mistake-the-left-has-made-with-talking-to-religious/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Tell him to leave me alone, Astrid. Else I’ll have to barbecue him and make akri angry at me. I don’t want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/tell-him-to-leave-me-alone-astrid-else-i-ll-have-to-barbecue-him-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Alaskans are basically 'leave me alone' type people who respect and embrace different strokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/alaskans-are-basically-leave-me-alone-type-people-who-respect-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [“And there's a cop over there." "What?" the boy said, glancing at the D.C. police officer that stood at the corner of the street,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/and-there-s-a-cop-over-there-what-the-boy-said-glancing-at-the-d-c/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [With every character you play, as these guys will tell you, there's a part of you goes into that in terms of the ingredients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/with-every-character-you-play-as-these-guys-will-tell-you-there-s-a/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) ## More by Roger Federer > [I feel like I've definitely become more a man now than in the last few years since I'm not scared of five setters anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-feel-like-i-ve-definitely-become-more-a-man-now-than-in-the-last/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [I have a great record against anybody right now, so it doesn't really matter who I play in the final. I'll be in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-have-a-great-record-against-anybody-right-now-so-it-doesn-t-really/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Hopefully I can just have another terrible year with only the one Grand Slam and that will be just fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/hopefully-i-can-just-have-another-terrible-year-with-only-the-one/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [I can walk around screaming, 'I have 17 Grand Slams. I have the record here or there.' When you can play for history and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-can-walk-around-screaming-i-have-17-grand-slams-i-have-the-record/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Once you find that peace, that place of peace and quiet, harmony and confidence, that's when you start playing your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/once-you-find-that-peace-that-place-of-peace-and-quiet-harmony-and/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [I always believe if you're stuck in a hole and maybe things aren't going well you will come out stronger. Everything in life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-always-believe-if-you-re-stuck-in-a-hole-and-maybe-things-aren-t/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Seriously. I'm not playing to prove anything to journalists. I'm playing for myself, for my fans,to make people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/seriously-i-m-not-playing-to-prove-anything-to-journalists-i-m/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [The serve, I think, is the most difficult, you know, in terms of coordination, because you got the two arms going, and you got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/the-serve-i-think-is-the-most-difficult-you-know-in-terms-of/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [I am now the Wimbledon champion, and I think that gives me even more confidence coming to the Olympics. And maybe in some ways,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-am-now-the-wimbledon-champion-and-i-think-that-gives-me-even-more/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Obviously, matches and all that stuff takes its toll on your body and so forth. But as you get sort of a bit older,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/obviously-matches-and-all-that-stuff-takes-its-toll-on-your-body-and/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [ My advice is you've got to make sure you wear the clothes and not \[let\] the clothes wear you. It's quite simple in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/my-advice-is-you-ve-got-to-make-sure-you-wear-the-clothes-and-not-let/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Every season is different or special, Last year was the most emotional, the most special. Losing in Australia, coming back, winning Paris, Wimbledon, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/every-season-is-different-or-special-last-year-was-the-most-emotional/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Success is a nice thing because it always means you've taken a step forward and it gives you a sense of pride, which in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/success-is-a-nice-thing-because-it-always-means-you-ve-taken-a-step/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [What I think I've been able to do well over the years is play with pain, play with problems, play in all sorts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/what-i-think-i-ve-been-able-to-do-well-over-the-years-is-play-with/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) [Explore all 139 Roger Federer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents were ashamed to watch my matches. I would play on a court at the local club and they would watch from the balcony. They would scream, 'Be quiet' to me and I would scream back, 'Go and have a drink. Leave me alone.' Then we would drive home in a very quiet car. 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