--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from…" description: "\"Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year at school, and will enter Harvard University this month. He promises verywell, considering we ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/abraham-lincoln-88_bob_our-eldest-boy-bob-has-been-away-from-us_1512913.jpg" --- # Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year… ![“Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year at school, and will enter Harvard University this month. He promises verywell, considering we never controlled him much.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/abraham-lincoln-88_bob_our-eldest-boy-bob-has-been-away-from-us_1512913.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/abraham-lincoln-88_bob_our-eldest-boy-bob-has-been-away-from-us_1512913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/abraham-lincoln-88_bob_our-eldest-boy-bob-has-been-away-from-us_1512913.jpg) > “Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year at school, and will enter Harvard University this month. He promises verywell, considering we never controlled him much.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bob, away at school, will start Harvard; he does well despite little parental control. **In simple terms:** Bob succeeds at Harvard without much oversight. Key Takeaway Trust youthful independence. Themes education family dynamics trust Mood proud hopeful Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - college admissions - parent‑child relationships - academic planning Key Concepts developmental psychology higher education Questions to Reflect On - How does autonomy affect achievement? - What support can parents provide from afar? A Different Perspective Lack of guidance can risk poor decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Raising children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-children/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [Well, Brett was a pretty laid back kid and I think all the pressure was heaped upon my eldest boy, Bobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-hull/well-brett-was-a-pretty-laid-back-kid-and-i-think-all-the-pressure/) [Bobby Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-hull/) > [“By the age of seven, as an eldest boy, I was expected to help the family with the money." !!!!!!!!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izzeldin-abuelaish/by-the-age-of-seven-as-an-eldest-boy-i-was-expected-to-help-the/) [Izzeldin Abuelaish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izzeldin-abuelaish/) > [We've had risk assessments performed by Harvard University, which said that even if we did have a small number of cases in this country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-veneman/we-ve-had-risk-assessments-performed-by-harvard-university-which-said/) [Ann Veneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-veneman/) > [I don't think anybody could understand what its like to be an athlete at Harvard University.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/i-don-t-think-anybody-could-understand-what-its-like-to-be-an-athlete/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [Many kids think unless they go to one of these great Ivy League schools, which I was lucky enough to go to later, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/many-kids-think-unless-they-go-to-one-of-these-great-ivy-league/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [As African economies boom and businesses are created, one of the big questions this growth raises is that of third-level education: how can Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attias/as-african-economies-boom-and-businesses-are-created-one-of-the-big/) [Richard Attias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attias/) > [“Theodore Roosevelt once said: “In 1880, I was graduated from Harvard University and then my education began.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-n-cassion/theodore-roosevelt-once-said-in-1880-i-was-graduated-from-harvard/) [Herbert N Cassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-n-cassion/) > [That said, there are a few clear factors that determine the potential of a university to reach the highest levels of excellence. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rosovsky/that-said-there-are-a-few-clear-factors-that-determine-the-potential/) [Henry Rosovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rosovsky/) > [With a hundred and seventy-eight machines to sequence the precise order of the billions of chemicals within a molecule of DNA, B.G.I. produces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/with-a-hundred-and-seventy-eight-machines-to-sequence-the-precise/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [Following graduation from high school in 1948, I attended Harvard University where I became a physics major. Having grown up in a small town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/following-graduation-from-high-school-in-1948-i-attended-harvard/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [I had a certificate that said, 'Doctor of Mixology, Harvard University,' that I actually got from Harvard University. A friend of mine was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronda-rousey/i-had-a-certificate-that-said-doctor-of-mixology-harvard-university/) [Ronda Rousey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronda-rousey/) > [If Harvard is $60,000 and University of Toronto, where I went to school, is maybe six. So you're really telling me that education is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-harvard-is-60-000-and-university-of-toronto-where-i-went-to-school/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Following graduation from Amherst, a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship enabled me to test the depth of my interest in literary scholarship by beginning graduate studies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-e-varmus/following-graduation-from-amherst-a-woodrow-wilson-fellowship-enabled/) [Harold E. Varmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-e-varmus/) > [Nigeria was a blank on the map - there weren't even any maps. The US State Department, everyone said don't go there. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rem-koolhaas/nigeria-was-a-blank-on-the-map-there-weren-t-even-any-maps-the-us/) [Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rem-koolhaas/) > [I think there are too many bosses in Washington telling Nashville Diesel College and Harvard University how to run - how to run their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-think-there-are-too-many-bosses-in-washington-telling-nashville/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Bob quotes > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ The most recent incarnation of \[Bob\] Dylan has been the traveling journeyman/ charlatan who sings roots music, snarls dark lyrics that make "All Along… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/the-most-recent-incarnation-of-bob-dylan-has-been-the-traveling/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Because of my tremendous respect for Bob Barker and for the show's high standards of professionalism I consider this a tremendous honor that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-west/because-of-my-tremendous-respect-for-bob-barker-and-for-the-show-s/) [Randy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-west/) > [That's who I wanted to be like was Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/that-s-who-i-wanted-to-be-like-was-bob-dylan/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Listen, the story of the United States is this: One kid, without anything, walks out of his house, down the road, with nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/listen-the-story-of-the-united-states-is-this-one-kid-without/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) Browse all 886 Bob quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our eldest boy, Bob, has been away from us nearly a year at school, and will enter Harvard University this month. 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