--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Attachment begins early but grows slowly…" description: "\"“Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no shortcuts. Verbal guarantees of safety or nurturance carry no more weight than those for hair-r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg" --- # Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no… ![“Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no shortcuts. Verbal guarantees of safety or nurturance carry no more weight than those for hair-replacement systems and miracle slicers. A therapist must prove trustworthy over time. Only consistent experiential demonstrations, in times of both…” quote by Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg) > ““Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no shortcuts. Verbal guarantees of safety or nurturance carry no more weight than those for hair-replacement systems and miracle slicers. A therapist must prove trustworthy over time. Only consistent experiential demonstrations, in times of both quietude and turbulence, convince the child. Though all children love to be wined and dined, the safety, understanding, warmth, and containment of therapy are what foster trust and ultimately seduce the child patient.”” [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trust in therapy develops slowly through consistent, reliable actions, not promises. **In simple terms:** Trust builds via consistent care over time. Key Takeaway Provide reliable, experiential support. Themes trust therapy attachment Mood thoughtful analytical Type educational clinical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - parent‑child interactions - crisis counseling - long‑term treatment plans Key Concepts psychology attachment theory Questions to Reflect On - What actions can a therapist demonstrate reliability? - How does consistency affect child anxiety? A Different Perspective Therapists may lack resources for consistent presence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [I think all children love to dress up and play make believe. It's just that I never stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/i-think-all-children-love-to-dress-up-and-play-make-believe-it-s-just/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [Once you have children it's love without bounds. You would die for them in an instant, without question. How can you better that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/once-you-have-children-it-s-love-without-bounds-you-would-die-for/) [Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/) > [Every time a good child dies, an angel of God comes down to earth. He takes the child in his arms, spreads out his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/every-time-a-good-child-dies-an-angel-of-god-comes-down-to-earth-he/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [It's fun to read things when you don't know all the words. Even children love it... they come up against weird words, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-fun-to-read-things-when-you-don-t-know-all-the-words-even/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Perhaps I should admit on the title page that this book is "By L. Frank Baum and his correspondents," for I have used many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/perhaps-i-should-admit-on-the-title-page-that-this-book-is-by-l-frank/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Steampunk is...the love child of Hot Topic and a BBC costume drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/steampunk-is-the-love-child-of-hot-topic-and-a-bbc-costume-drama/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [Munich is a great city. I have lived in many cities in Europe, but I have never felt this comfortable, and my wife and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/munich-is-a-great-city-i-have-lived-in-many-cities-in-europe-but-i/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [If you want to do something for your children and show how much you love them, the single best thing-by far-is to support organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-want-to-do-something-for-your-children-and-show-how-much-you/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [“There is no reciprocity. Men love women. Women love children. Children love hamsters. Hamsters don't love anyone; it is quite hopeless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-thomas-ellis/there-is-no-reciprocity-men-love-women-women-love-children-children/) [Alice Thomas Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-thomas-ellis/) > [The greatest gift a person can give their children is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-bassam/the-greatest-gift-a-person-can-give-their-children-is-love/) [Ali Bassam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-bassam/) > [At the end of my life, I want to say that I made the world a better place because I raised good children, loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/at-the-end-of-my-life-i-want-to-say-that-i-made-the-world-a-better/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [My children love everything that sparkles. My boys just go with everything and make it their own, but my daughter is a little upset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/my-children-love-everything-that-sparkles-my-boys-just-go-with/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [You have to love your country like an adult loves somebody, not like a child loves its mommy. And right-wing Republicans tend to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/you-have-to-love-your-country-like-an-adult-loves-somebody-not-like-a/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [Tender expressions of love and affection toward children are as much the responsibility of the father as the mother. Tell your children you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/tender-expressions-of-love-and-affection-toward-children-are-as-much/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) ## More by Richard Bromfield > [“Not one of us gets all of the understanding we want, and few get as much as we need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/not-one-of-us-gets-all-of-the-understanding-we-want-and-few-get-as/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“Given the considerable number of children who come to therapy begrudgingly, you might expect me to rejoice for those who come with bells on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/given-the-considerable-number-of-children-who-come-to-therapy/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“Be good to the child and he will come to you tomorrow. - Unknown”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/be-good-to-the-child-and-he-will-come-to-you-tomorrow-unknown/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“underscores the fact that parents’ fears are well founded. The numbers don’t lie, and there are too many of them to ignore or dismiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/underscores-the-fact-that-parents-fears-are-well-founded-the-numbers/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“had failed to learn the value of money and how to work for it. And in a Center for a New American Dream survey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/had-failed-to-learn-the-value-of-money-and-how-to-work-for-it-and-in/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“numbers. According to a 2007 survey conducted by AOL and the family magazine Cookie, 94 percent of parents say their children are spoiled, up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/numbers-according-to-a-2007-survey-conducted-by-aol-and-the-family/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) > [“Like a good harbor, the child therapist offers the besiegedc child physical shelter, tolerance of her defensive preoccupation, and a rare opportunity to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/like-a-good-harbor-the-child-therapist-offers-the-besiegedc-child/) [Richard Bromfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) [Explore all 8 Richard Bromfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/) ## More Children 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/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [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/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no shortcuts. Verbal guarantees of safety or nurturance carry no more weight than those for hair-replacement systems and miracle slicers. A therapist must prove trustworthy over time. Only consistent experiential demonstrations, in times of both quietude and turbulence, convince the child. Though all children love to be wined and dined, the safety, understanding, warmth, and containment of therapy are what foster trust and ultimately seduce the child patient.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Bromfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly-there-are-no-shortcuts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly-there-are-no-shortcuts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/richard-bromfield-46070_children_attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly_1127107.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Attachment begins early but grows slowly. There are no shortcuts. Verbal guarantees of safety or nurturance…” — Richard Bromfield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Bromfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bromfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Attachment begins early but grows slowly....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly-there-are-no-shortcuts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bromfield/attachment-begins-early-but-grows-slowly-there-are-no-shortcuts/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```