--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having kids is something you can't always…" description: "\"Having kids is something you can't always do. Kids are like lightning. You grab that lightning when you can get it.\" — John Travolta" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/john-travolta-3052_child_having-kids-is-something-you-can-t-alway_133607.jpg" --- # Having kids is something you can't always do. Kids are… ![“Having kids is something you can't always do. Kids are like lightning. You grab that lightning when you can get it.” quote by John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/john-travolta-3052_child_having-kids-is-something-you-can-t-alway_133607.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/john-travolta-3052_child_having-kids-is-something-you-can-t-alway_133607.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/john-travolta-3052_child_having-kids-is-something-you-can-t-alway_133607.jpg) > “Having kids is something you can't always do. Kids are like lightning. You grab that lightning when you can get it.” [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children are fleeting and energetic; seize moments with them when possible. **In simple terms:** Kids are like lightning, grab moments. Key Takeaway Cherish and engage with children while you can. Themes parenthood time ephemerality joy responsibility Mood reflective motivational Type parenting advice philosophical When to use this quote - family outings - parenting advice - life coaching Key Concepts child development mindfulness life urgency Questions to Reflect On - How can busy adults create meaningful moments with kids? - What does “lightning” symbolize about childhood? A Different Perspective Not all parents can prioritize time equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Having kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-kids/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) ## Related quotes > [Time passes by like lightning. Before you know it you're struck down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/time-passes-by-like-lightning-before-you-know-it-you-re-struck-down/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [“but love can flash like lightning, striking you down in a split second.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-love-can-flash-like-lightning-striking-you-down-in-a-split-second/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The tension I feel is the moment they say, 'Action!' Movies are like lightning in a bottle, and you always want to find when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/the-tension-i-feel-is-the-moment-they-say-action-movies-are-like/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [He bats like a lightning rod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/he-bats-like-a-lightning-rod/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) > [Lovers move like lightning and wind. No contest. Theologians mumble, rumble-dumble, necessity and free will, while lover and beloved pull themselves into each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/lovers-move-like-lightning-and-wind-no-contest-theologians-mumble/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Thought can never capture the movement of life, it is much too slow. It is like lightning and thunder. They occur simultaneously, but sound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/thought-can-never-capture-the-movement-of-life-it-is-much-too-slow-it/) [U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/) > [“This week in live current events: your eyes. All power can be dangerous: Direct or alternating, you, socket to me. Plugged in and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/this-week-in-live-current-events-your-eyes-all-power-can-be-dangerous/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [O the joy of my spirit - it is uncaged - it darts like lightning!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/o-the-joy-of-my-spirit-it-is-uncaged-it-darts-like-lightning/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Venues are all the same, all feel the same, these generic blank spaces. I like artists like Lightning Bolt-bands that go in and kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/venues-are-all-the-same-all-feel-the-same-these-generic-blank-spaces/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [In my experience poetry speaks to you either at first sight or not at all. A flash of revelation and a flash of response.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-experience-poetry-speaks-to-you-either-at-first-sight-or-not-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You look at a song like 'Lightning Crashes,' and it's just so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/you-look-at-a-song-like-lightning-crashes-and-it-s-just-so-universal/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [Like having a great idea, life comes at you fast. It hits you and tries to escape and be expressed in any way possible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/like-having-a-great-idea-life-comes-at-you-fast-it-hits-you-and-tries/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [One hears but one does not seek; one takes -- one does not ask who gives; a thought flashes up like lightning, it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-hears-but-one-does-not-seek-one-takes-one-does-not-ask-who-gives/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Your shadow stealthily leaves nothing of where you go, like a poisoned needle that sews together my footsteps. Your light pliantly strikes the water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/your-shadow-stealthily-leaves-nothing-of-where-you-go-like-a-poisoned/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [His smile was like lightning in the darkness, blinding and beautiful and mysterious, and I wanted him so badly it was physically painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/his-smile-was-like-lightning-in-the-darkness-blinding-and-beautiful/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) ## More by John Travolta > [To Americans religious freedom is sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/to-americans-religious-freedom-is-sacred/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Playing a bad guy is always a freeing experience, because you don't have the same envelope of restrictions as you have playing a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/playing-a-bad-guy-is-always-a-freeing-experience-because-you-don-t/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [I think my friend Tom Hanks knows me. He understands me very well. He's always had a sort of parental feeling toward me. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-think-my-friend-tom-hanks-knows-me-he-understands-me-very-well-he-s/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [I am not at all computer literate in real life. I haven't yet found a reason to be. Once I find a reason why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-am-not-at-all-computer-literate-in-real-life-i-haven-t-yet-found-a/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [People make judgments about Scientology, but often they don't know what they're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/people-make-judgments-about-scientology-but-often-they-don-t-know/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Let's share our abundance and make our country stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/let-s-share-our-abundance-and-make-our-country-stronger/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [I am very healthy. Career wise, even old men get to be in movies. So as long as I am healthy, I will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-am-very-healthy-career-wise-even-old-men-get-to-be-in-movies-so-as/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [I think, for sure, 'Saturday Night Fever' and 'Pulp Fiction' were kind of bookends for - or the pillars of - my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-think-for-sure-saturday-night-fever-and-pulp-fiction-were-kind-of/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [The Beatles meant everything to me growing up, and John was part of that. I loved Lennon's persona. He knew who he was and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/the-beatles-meant-everything-to-me-growing-up-and-john-was-part-of/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Never say anything unless you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/never-say-anything-unless-you-have-to/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [You can't control the quality of projects that are coming to you, so if you get several in a row that are quality, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/you-can-t-control-the-quality-of-projects-that-are-coming-to-you-so/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [I couldn't function if I weren't allowed to stretch and do really different characters where I can change the whole "beingness" of that person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-couldn-t-function-if-i-weren-t-allowed-to-stretch-and-do-really/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [After nine or 10 years of being interviewed, you start wanting to team up with the reporter and get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/after-nine-or-10-years-of-being-interviewed-you-start-wanting-to-team/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Good writing is good writing, but that doesn't mean you can't orchestrate it or tweak it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/good-writing-is-good-writing-but-that-doesn-t-mean-you-can-t/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Even if the script's well written there's something about the life of an improvisation that resonates better than a written word, sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/even-if-the-script-s-well-written-there-s-something-about-the-life-of/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) [Explore all 141 John Travolta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“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 parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) [Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Having kids is something you can't always do. Kids are like lightning. 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