--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kids need to think that you care before…" description: "\"Kids need to think that you care before they care what you think.\" — Wes Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png" --- # Kids need to think that you care before they care what you… ![“Kids need to think that you care before they care what you think.” quote by Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png) > “Kids need to think that you care before they care what you think.” [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children must first sense genuine care before they value one’s opinions. **In simple terms:** Earn kids’ trust before influencing them. Key Takeaway Show genuine care. Themes parenting trust communication Mood empathetic thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom - family discussions - mentoring Key Concepts psychology education Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate care? - What if trust is broken? A Different Perspective Trust can be fragile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The question is not what others think of you but if you care about what they think?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hqlinestumblr/the-question-is-not-what-others-think-of-you-but-if-you-care-about/) HQLinestumblr > [As you care less about what people think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-care-less-about-what-people-think-of-you-you-will-care-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't care what people think about me, I care what they think about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-don-t-care-what-people-think-about-me-i-care-what-they-think-about/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do! That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-care-not-what-others-think-of-what-i-do-but-i-care-very-much-about/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Don't think so much about who is for or against you, rather give all your care, that God be with you in everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/don-t-think-so-much-about-who-is-for-or-against-you-rather-give-all/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [I don't care what people think. Not a care in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-m-a/i-don-t-care-what-people-think-not-a-care-in-the-world/) [Young M.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-m-a/) > [I think if I take care of my body it should continue to work the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-vinatieri/i-think-if-i-take-care-of-my-body-it-should-continue-to-work-the-same/) [Adam Vinatieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-vinatieri/) > [I like to think I take care of my body a little bit more, I'm not screaming as much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-bixler-zavala/i-like-to-think-i-take-care-of-my-body-a-little-bit-more-i-m-not/) [Cedric Bixler-Zavala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-bixler-zavala/) > [I don't care what people think of me now, so why would I care when I'm dead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/i-don-t-care-what-people-think-of-me-now-so-why-would-i-care-when-i-m/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [The ones that think and care for you are the most, the ones that try to get you in trouble should be let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/the-ones-that-think-and-care-for-you-are-the-most-the-ones-that-try/) $Teady > [Some people think that you will care, some people think you won't. The more you let them think you do, the more they'll think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-think-that-you-will-care-some-people-think-you-won-t-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aw, how cute! You think I care! :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-h/aw-how-cute-you-think-i-care/) [Miranda H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-h/) > [I don't think that care homes are all rotten old places that ought to be shut down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-don-t-think-that-care-homes-are-all-rotten-old-places-that-ought-to/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [“They think you care, They'll walk all over you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-macht/they-think-you-care-they-ll-walk-all-over-you/) [Gabriel Macht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-macht/) > [When you become a mother, you think less about yourself and care more about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-vodianova/when-you-become-a-mother-you-think-less-about-yourself-and-care-more/) [Natalia Vodianova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-vodianova/) ## More by Wes Moore > [Maryland will always have the backs of working people and organized labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/maryland-will-always-have-the-backs-of-working-people-and-organized/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [ “...he was telling me that our \[country's\] blood-soaked and atrocity-littered past was important but that the future didn't have to be its slave.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/he-was-telling-me-that-our-country-s-blood-soaked-and-atrocity/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [Economic growth is our North Star. Anyone who suggests we can just cut our way to prosperity isn't being honest. Anyone who suggests we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/economic-growth-is-our-north-star-anyone-who-suggests-we-can-just-cut/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“...I found myself surrounded by people--starting with my mom, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, and leading to a string of wonderful role models and mentors--who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-found-myself-surrounded-by-people-starting-with-my-mom-grandparents/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [I vowed we would defy the national politics of hyperpolarization and partisan divides and instead, build bridges of partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-vowed-we-would-defy-the-national-politics-of-hyperpolarization-and/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [I can tell you countless instances of this country's history of brutality, of inequity, of heartlessness. But if I do that without also talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-can-tell-you-countless-instances-of-this-country-s-history-of/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [After taking office, I vowed that the Moore-Miller administration would focus on four key pillars of progress in our first legislative session: elevating service,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/after-taking-office-i-vowed-that-the-moore-miller-administration/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [Investments in health care help us support individuals who have been historically left behind - from people with disabilities to people in poverty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/investments-in-health-care-help-us-support-individuals-who-have-been/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [When it is time for you to leave this school, leave your job, or even leave this earth, you make sure you have worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/when-it-is-time-for-you-to-leave-this-school-leave-your-job-or-even/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [We need to be abundantly clear on this - people living in poverty are the victims, not the perpetrators of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/we-need-to-be-abundantly-clear-on-this-people-living-in-poverty-are/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“I hear you, but it's not the process you should focus on; it's the joy you will feel after you go through the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-hear-you-but-it-s-not-the-process-you-should-focus-on-it-s-the-joy/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [When we say we want to take an all-of-the-above approach to public safety, we mean all of the above. As elected officials, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/when-we-say-we-want-to-take-an-all-of-the-above-approach-to-public/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“search it out. I also try to remind myself that while there is always a big-picture ambition or goal on the horizon, it’s important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/search-it-out-i-also-try-to-remind-myself-that-while-there-is-always/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [“Heroism is simply the idea of living your life with the passion that it deserves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/heroism-is-simply-the-idea-of-living-your-life-with-the-passion-that/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [By keeping the Orioles at Camden Yards for the long run - regardless of ownership structure - we've sent a clear message to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/by-keeping-the-orioles-at-camden-yards-for-the-long-run-regardless-of/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) [Explore all 148 Wes Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [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/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kids need to think that you care before they care what you think.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wes Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before-they-care-what-you-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before-they-care-what-you-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/wes-moore-2818_care_kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before_3066292.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kids need to think that you care before they care what you think.” — Wes Moore", "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": "Wes Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Kids need to think that you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before-they-care-what-you-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/kids-need-to-think-that-you-care-before-they-care-what-you-think/#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 } } ] } ```