---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The leisure time of children must be…"
description: "\"The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time viewing television can be destructive...It ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg"
---

#  The leisure time of children must be constructively…

![“The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time viewing television can be destructive...It is estimated that growing children today watch television over twenty-five hours per week.” quote by Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg)

> “The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time viewing television can be destructive...It is estimated that growing children today watch television over twenty-five hours per week.”

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

## About This Quote

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

Children need structured, healthy activities; excessive TV can harm development.

**In simple terms:** Limit TV, promote constructive play.

Key Takeaway

Encourage balanced, active leisure.

Themes

parenting media influence health

Mood

concerned hopeful

Type

advice observation

When to use this quote

- family time
- school programs
- community sports
- creative arts
- screen time limits

Key Concepts

developmental psychology media studies

Questions to Reflect On

- What activities can replace idle TV time?
- How can families set realistic screen limits?

A Different Perspective

Not all TV is harmful; content matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-today-366011/) [Destructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destructive/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-children/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Leisure time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure-time/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-hours-3507381/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Twenty five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenty-five/) [Viewing Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viewing-television-3507380/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/)

## Related quotes

> [Actually, it is precisely in overworked countries like Japan, England and the US that people watch an absurd amount of television. Up to four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/actually-it-is-precisely-in-overworked-countries-like-japan-england/)

[Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/)

> [They don't have a lot of appointment viewing. What television depends on, one thing 'Larry King Live' was - whether you liked it, didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/they-don-t-have-a-lot-of-appointment-viewing-what-television-depends/)

[Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/)

> [“If you want to better our world tomorrow...start empowering our children today!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/if-you-want-to-better-our-world-tomorrow-start-empowering-our/)

[Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/)

> [My mind boggles at the amount of violence inflicted upon children in today's society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/my-mind-boggles-at-the-amount-of-violence-inflicted-upon-children-in/)

[Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/)

> [Many things can wait. Children cannot. Today their bones are being formed, their blood is being made, their senses are being developed. To them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-mistral/many-things-can-wait-children-cannot-today-their-bones-are-being/)

[Gabriela Mistral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-mistral/)

> [The world we build tomorrow is born in the stories we tell our children today. Politics moves the pieces. Education changes the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-world-we-build-tomorrow-is-born-in-the-stories-we-tell-our/)

[Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/)

> [There are millions of children today who don't attend school. However, education is the only way to get ahead in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/there-are-millions-of-children-today-who-don-t-attend-school-however/)

[Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/)

> [“We no longer get work out of our children; today we get meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-children-today-we-get-meaning/)

[Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/)

> [You know, nothing is more important than education, because nowhere are our stakes higher; our future depends on the quality of education of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/you-know-nothing-is-more-important-than-education-because-nowhere-are/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [The children of today are the builders of a brave, new world - a world without want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-vaswani/the-children-of-today-are-the-builders-of-a-brave-new-world-a-world/)

[Dada Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-vaswani/)

> [Children today know more about sex than I or my father did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/children-today-know-more-about-sex-than-i-or-my-father-did/)

[Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/)

> [You can make children believe whatever you want, and the children of today are the soldiers and mothers of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dudley-nichols/you-can-make-children-believe-whatever-you-want-and-the-children-of/)

[Dudley Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dudley-nichols/)

> [To the children of yesterday, who have grown up and become parents, and to the children of today, who perhaps shout 'Tottigol,' I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-totti/to-the-children-of-yesterday-who-have-grown-up-and-become-parents-and/)

[Francesco Totti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-totti/)

> [“if we use how we were taught yesterday to teach our children today, we are not preparing them well for tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/if-we-use-how-we-were-taught-yesterday-to-teach-our-children-today-we/)

[Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/)

> [Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradict-their-parents-gobble-their/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

## More by Ezra Taft Benson

> [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Records, radio, television, movies, magazines-all are monopolized by the money managers who are guided by one ethic, the words wealth and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/records-radio-television-movies-magazines-all-are-monopolized-by-the/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit. Otherwise, he is placing his soul in jeopardy and neglecting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/every-latter-day-saint-should-make-the-study-of-this-book-a-lifetime/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [The high cost of low living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-high-cost-of-low-living/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [“We must each of us do our home work. 'My people are destroyed,' said Hosea, 'for lack of knowledge.' We must be wise as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/we-must-each-of-us-do-our-home-work-my-people-are-destroyed-said/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [“Man…need not stand alone. Prayer will open doors; prayer will remove barriers; prayer will ease pressures; prayer will give inner peace and comfort during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/man-need-not-stand-alone-prayer-will-open-doors-prayer-will-remove/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Humility does not mean weakness. It does not mean timidity. It does not mean fear. A man can be humble and fearless. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/humility-does-not-mean-weakness-it-does-not-mean-timidity-it-does-not/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-scriptures-record-remarkable-accounts-of-men-whose-lives-changed/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [That government is best which governs the least, so taught the courageous founders of this nation. This simple declaration is diametrically opposed to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/that-government-is-best-which-governs-the-least-so-taught-the/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [No nation which has kept the commandments of God has ever perished, but I say to you that once freedom is lost, only blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/no-nation-which-has-kept-the-commandments-of-god-has-ever-perished/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Someone has said it is better to appreciate the things you don't own than to own things you don't appreciate. I hope we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/someone-has-said-it-is-better-to-appreciate-the-things-you-don-t-own/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [“In framing that great document which Gladstone declared ‘the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/in-framing-that-great-document-which-gladstone-declared-the-most/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Godly sorrow is a gift of the Spirit. It is a deep realization that our actions have offended our Father and our God. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/godly-sorrow-is-a-gift-of-the-spirit-it-is-a-deep-realization-that/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

[Explore all 556 Ezra Taft Benson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

## 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": "The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time viewing television can be destructive...It is estimated that growing children today watch television over twenty-five hours per week.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ezra Taft Benson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-constructively-directed-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-constructively-directed-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/ezra-taft-benson-443_children_the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-con_1187304.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time…” — Ezra Taft Benson",
                "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": "Ezra Taft Benson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The leisure time of children must...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-constructively-directed-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-constructively-directed-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
