--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn…" description: "\"Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn [recently turned 2]. As parents sometimes fondly do, we reminisced a bit about his early days on earth-the excitem..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg" --- # Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn \[recently turned 2\]… ![“Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn [recently turned 2]. As parents sometimes fondly do, we reminisced a bit about his early days on earth-the excitement, the wonder, the fears when we brought him home. His every squeak or squawk we were sure heralded some terrible crisis; I tested the warmth of…” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg) > “Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn \[recently turned 2\]. As parents sometimes fondly do, we reminisced a bit about his early days on earth-the excitement, the wonder, the fears when we brought him home. His every squeak or squawk we were sure heralded some terrible crisis; I tested the warmth of formulas from dusk to dawn, it seemed. We were so germ-conscious my wife even sterilized the skin of the oranges before squeezing them. How firstborns ever survive their parents' attentions is beyond me. However, they do, and he did, and, in spite of our efforts, he turned out to be quite a good guy.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents often overreact to a child's minor issues, yet children grow up fine despite intense scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Parents overreact to kids' small problems, but kids thrive. Key Takeaway Relax and trust children's resilience. Themes parenting overprotection growth Mood concerned hopeful Type parenting reflective When to use this quote - newborn care - parenting workshops - family meals Key Concepts developmental psychology family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance vigilance and freedom? - What signs indicate a child truly needs intervention? A Different Perspective Excessive worry can strain parent-child relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Birthdays Firstborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birthdays-firstborn-5079162/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Dusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dusk/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [Firstborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firstborn/) [Firstborn Recently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firstborn-recently-5079161/) [Firstborns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firstborns-2298639/) [Firstborns Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firstborns-survive-5079160/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Germs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germs/) [Good guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-guy/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [My wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-wife/) [Orange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orange/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/) [Squeezing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squeezing/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Tested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tested/) [Warmth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warmth/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [That's the way it is with firstborns. Mom and Dad may think they're in charge, but the firstborn knows better, and so does the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/that-s-the-way-it-is-with-firstborns-mom-and-dad-may-think-they-re-in/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [“But, slow learner, I'm beginning to trust that the gods are not going to snatch my firstborn if I happen to enjoy my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/but-slow-learner-i-m-beginning-to-trust-that-the-gods-are-not-going/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) > [He was the firstborn Bridgerton of a firstborn Bridgerton of a firstborn Bridgerton eight times over. He had a dynastic responsibility to be fruitful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-was-the-firstborn-bridgerton-of-a-firstborn-bridgerton-of-a/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [The master never seemed to have his fill of gazing at his firstborn child. "What do you want him to be when he grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-master-never-seemed-to-have-his-fill-of-gazing-at-his-firstborn/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“I’m going to name my firstborn son 0123456789, because I want him to learn to count before he learns the alphabet. And my second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-going-to-name-my-firstborn-son-0123456789-because-i-want-him-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [My parents wished peace upon their firstborn child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shalom-harlow/my-parents-wished-peace-upon-their-firstborn-child/) [Shalom Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shalom-harlow/) > [“Verse 12 \[of Ex. 12) tells us that the judgment of Yahweh is not only on the Egyptians but also on their deities. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/verse-12-of-ex-12-tells-us-that-the-judgment-of-yahweh-is-not-only-on/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“And I will make him the firstborn,         the highest of the kings of the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/and-i-will-make-him-the-firstborn-the-highest-of-the-kings-of-the/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [I'm second, and so my brother is first. Being second, sometimes you get left out and all of that. The anecdotal stories about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hartley/i-m-second-and-so-my-brother-is-first-being-second-sometimes-you-get/) [Justin Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hartley/) > [Perhaps. But the firstborn of hope is tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/perhaps-but-the-firstborn-of-hope-is-tragedy/) [Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/) > [“ He pre-designed and engineered us from the start to be jointly fashioned in the same mold and image of his son according to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-du-toit/he-pre-designed-and-engineered-us-from-the-start-to-be-jointly/) [François Du Toit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-du-toit/) > [“I’ll name my firstborn child Squiblob, after his mother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-ll-name-my-firstborn-child-squiblob-after-his-mother/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“THE MOTTO, “IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN,’” INSULTS A FIRSTBORN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-byk/the-motto-if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-insults-a/) [Lynn Byk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-byk/) > [“My firstborn and my baby both tried to shed me like a husk from the start, and the twins came with a fine interior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/my-firstborn-and-my-baby-both-tried-to-shed-me-like-a-husk-from-the/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“I was ready to sign over Frankie and my firstborn to get out of this particular hole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/i-was-ready-to-sign-over-frankie-and-my-firstborn-to-get-out-of-this/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn [recently turned 2]. As parents sometimes fondly do, we reminisced a bit about his early days on earth-the excitement, the wonder, the fears when we brought him home. His every squeak or squawk we were sure heralded some terrible crisis; I tested the warmth of formulas from dusk to dawn, it seemed. We were so germ-conscious my wife even sterilized the skin of the oranges before squeezing them. How firstborns ever survive their parents' attentions is beyond me. However, they do, and he did, and, in spite of our efforts, he turned out to be quite a good guy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-recently-turned-2-as-parents/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-recently-turned-2-as-parents/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/malcolm-forbes-1510_attention_speaking-of-birthdays-our-firstborn-rece_2240762.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Speaking of birthdays, our firstborn [recently turned 2]. 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