--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a child, there were times when…" description: "\"When I was a child, there were times when we had to entertain ourselves. And usually the best way to do that was to turn on the TV.\" — Jack Handey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/jack-handey-829_children_when-i-was-a-child-there-were-times-when_336805.jpg" --- # When I was a child, there were times when we had to… ![“When I was a child, there were times when we had to entertain ourselves. And usually the best way to do that was to turn on the TV.” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/jack-handey-829_children_when-i-was-a-child-there-were-times-when_336805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/jack-handey-829_children_when-i-was-a-child-there-were-times-when_336805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/jack-handey-829_children_when-i-was-a-child-there-were-times-when_336805.jpg) > “When I was a child, there were times when we had to entertain ourselves. And usually the best way to do that was to turn on the TV.” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often used TV as a simple, immediate source of entertainment, reflecting a reliance on passive media for amusement. **In simple terms:** Kids turned to TV for easy fun. Key Takeaway Seek active, creative play. Themes childhood media entertainment Mood nostalgic reflective Type observational humorous When to use this quote - family evenings - solo play - creative hobbies - digital detox Key Concepts passive consumption immediacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you replace screen time with creative activities? - What benefits arise from active play? A Different Perspective TV can limit imagination and social interaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-times-1028731/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain/) [Entertain Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain-usually-3139800/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-entertain-3139801/) [Turn on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-on/) [Turn Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-tv-457526/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Tvs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tvs/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I was an angry, angry child at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/i-was-an-angry-angry-child-at-times/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [If you turn on the TV, you're going to get a certain palate, and if you go looking underneath the surface, there's a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/if-you-turn-on-the-tv-you-re-going-to-get-a-certain-palate-and-if-you/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Then I go in the den and turn on Law & Order, since the only thing i can really count on in life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-i-go-in-the-den-and-turn-on-law-order-since-the-only-thing-i-can/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You don't have to turn on the TV set. You don't have to work on the Internet. It's up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-don-t-have-to-turn-on-the-tv-set-you-don-t-have-to-work-on-the/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Although I hardly ever turn on the TV set unless it's football season, I do watch a lot of TV on my iPad -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/although-i-hardly-ever-turn-on-the-tv-set-unless-it-s-football-season/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/when-i-go-into-my-living-room-and-turn-on-the-tv-i-feel-like-i-have/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Everyone wants to turn on their TV and have a break from their normal day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-price/everyone-wants-to-turn-on-their-tv-and-have-a-break-from-their-normal/) [Megyn Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-price/) > [Over in the UK and in Wales, it's nice to turn on the TV and see 'Baywatch.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/over-in-the-uk-and-in-wales-it-s-nice-to-turn-on-the-tv-and-see/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [I like to turn on the TV and watch whatever's on. Nick Kroll does that a lot. He doesn't watch important shows. He'll just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-like-to-turn-on-the-tv-and-watch-whatever-s-on-nick-kroll-does-that/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I would turn on the TV, but its so embarassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/i-would-turn-on-the-tv-but-its-so-embarassing/) [Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/) > [It feels good to turn on the TV and have options, a variety. That's why television is so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/it-feels-good-to-turn-on-the-tv-and-have-options-a-variety-that-s-why/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [When I want to be reminded of stupidity, especially my own, I turn on the TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/when-i-want-to-be-reminded-of-stupidity-especially-my-own-i-turn-on/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [We don't want to turn the TV into a computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/we-don-t-want-to-turn-the-tv-into-a-computer/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [Every time you turn on the TV, you see some kind of heartbreaking story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hartley/every-time-you-turn-on-the-tv-you-see-some-kind-of-heartbreaking-story/) [Justin Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hartley/) > [When I turn the TV on, if it is WTA, ATP, whatever, I like to watch it obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-alcaraz/when-i-turn-the-tv-on-if-it-is-wta-atp-whatever-i-like-to-watch-it/) [Carlos Alcaraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-alcaraz/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. 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