---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not babies perhaps. But I know about…"
description: "\"“Not babies perhaps. But I know about young things. Foals, puppies, calves, piglets. Even hunting cats. I know if you want them to trust you, you touch..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/robin-hobb-489_animal_not-babies-perhaps-but-i-know-about-youn_2525485.jpg"
---

#  Not babies perhaps. But I know about young things. Foals…

![“Not babies perhaps. But I know about young things. Foals, puppies, calves, piglets. Even hunting cats. I know if you want them to trust you, you touch them when they are small. Gently, but firmly, so they believe in your strength, too. You don't shout at them, or make sudden moves that look…” quote by Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/robin-hobb-489_animal_not-babies-perhaps-but-i-know-about-youn_2525485.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/robin-hobb-489_animal_not-babies-perhaps-but-i-know-about-youn_2525485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/robin-hobb-489_animal_not-babies-perhaps-but-i-know-about-youn_2525485.jpg)

> ““Not babies perhaps. But I know about young things. Foals, puppies, calves, piglets. Even hunting cats. I know if you want them to trust you, you touch them when they are small. Gently, but firmly, so they believe in your strength, too. You don't shout at them, or make sudden moves that look threatening. You give them good feed and clean water, and keep them clean and give them shelter from the weather. You don't take out your temper on them, or confuse punishment with discipline.””

[Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Trust is built through gentle, consistent care and clear boundaries, not aggression or fear.

**In simple terms:** Gentle care builds trust.

Key Takeaway

Treat others with calm firmness.

Themes

trust care leadership

Mood

calm steady authoritative

Type

advice instructional

When to use this quote

- parenting
- animal training
- team management
- mentoring

Key Concepts

animal husbandry psychology discipline

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance firmness with empathy?
- When is firm discipline appropriate?

A Different Perspective

Aggressive tactics can sometimes be necessary in crisis situations.

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[Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Babies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babies/) [Babies Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babies-know-783093/) [Believe Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-strength-602715/) [Clean water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-water/) [Puppies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppies/) [Puppies Calves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppies-calves-1293512/) [Raising children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-children/)

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