"They very seldom let me lose my cool. They made me like I was Polly Perfect, which was ridiculous so that when I bump into kids on the street they'd say 'I wish my Mom were like you.'"

This quote by Charlotte Rae speaks to the pressure that parents can put on their children to be perfect. It suggests that Charlotte Rae's moms and dads expected her to be "Polly Perfect," which was an unrealistic expectation. This pressure most likely triggered her to be extremely cautious and mindful in her interactions with others, which is why kids on the street would wish their moms were like her. The quote also suggests that Charlotte Rae's moms and dads seldom enabled her to reveal her emotions, which could have been harming to her psychological development. In general, this quote speaks to the value of allowing kids to make errors and reveal their feelings in a healthy way.