--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't let the children watch TV until…" description: "\"Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to read, or else all they'll know how to do is cuss, fight, and breed.\" — Prince" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg" --- # Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to… ![“Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to read, or else all they'll know how to do is cuss, fight, and breed.” quote by Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg) > “Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to read, or else all they'll know how to do is cuss, fight, and breed.” [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children should learn reading before TV to avoid negative influences. **In simple terms:** Teach reading before TV. Key Takeaway Prioritize literacy early. Themes education media influence child development Mood concerned protective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - school curriculum - media literacy Key Concepts psychology education theory Questions to Reflect On - How does early reading shape a child? - What media are beneficial for kids? A Different Perspective TV can also be educational. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ## Related quotes > [I love the rush of doing live TV - you never know what will happen next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lachey/i-love-the-rush-of-doing-live-tv-you-never-know-what-will-happen-next/) [Nick Lachey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lachey/) > [I never watch TV. I know I'm missing so much, aren't I? I'm probably not. I can't stand popular TV. I've got too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-never-watch-tv-i-know-i-m-missing-so-much-aren-t-i-i-m-probably-not/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [You know I hate watching myself on TV, I know a lot of actors say that, but it's true for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mader/you-know-i-hate-watching-myself-on-tv-i-know-a-lot-of-actors-say-that/) [Rebecca Mader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mader/) > [It never crossed my mind that one day I'm gonna be big and famous and have my own TV show, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-osbourne/it-never-crossed-my-mind-that-one-day-i-m-gonna-be-big-and-famous-and/) [Jack Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-osbourne/) > [TV can be fairly rigid. I've done enough Network TV to know that it's fun but if I have to go somewhere every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/tv-can-be-fairly-rigid-i-ve-done-enough-network-tv-to-know-that-it-s/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [If you're on a TV show, you never know what's going to happen week to week with your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-bishe/if-you-re-on-a-tv-show-you-never-know-what-s-going-to-happen-week-to/) [Kerry Bishe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-bishe/) > [The whole thing about doing TV is that you never know what's going to happen. You just have to go with it and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-levy/the-whole-thing-about-doing-tv-is-that-you-never-know-what-s-going-to/) [Jane Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-levy/) > [Nothing can really prepare you for live TV because you never know what's going to happen. I think, for me, what really helps is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ijustine/nothing-can-really-prepare-you-for-live-tv-because-you-never-know/) iJustine > [I'm shy. I'm not outgoing. I'm a homebody. I am on TV, but you know, it's interesting. How much do I talk on TV?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-white/i-m-shy-i-m-not-outgoing-i-m-a-homebody-i-am-on-tv-but-you-know-it-s/) [Vanna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-white/) > [It feels good to watch TV and know that you're being represented on somebody's network and for certain communities, it feels even better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/it-feels-good-to-watch-tv-and-know-that-you-re-being-represented-on/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [As a woman you have to tick all these boxes to be able to be on TV. I know I look a certain way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/as-a-woman-you-have-to-tick-all-these-boxes-to-be-able-to-be-on-tv-i/) [Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/) > [On TV, you never know where it's going. They may even lie to you about where it's going. You never really know because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-l-martin/on-tv-you-never-know-where-it-s-going-they-may-even-lie-to-you-about/) [Jesse L. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-l-martin/) > [“Nobody wants to be themselves. That's why there's TV. So you know what to want and who to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/nobody-wants-to-be-themselves-that-s-why-there-s-tv-so-you-know-what/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Kids are much more intuitive these days. Not that I'm crazy about what's on TV, but they know so much these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/kids-are-much-more-intuitive-these-days-not-that-i-m-crazy-about-what/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [The world isn't done watching Erica Mena on TV and I know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-mena/the-world-isn-t-done-watching-erica-mena-on-tv-and-i-know-that/) [Erica Mena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-mena/) ## More by Prince > [Record contracts are just like - I'm gonna say the word, slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/record-contracts-are-just-like-i-m-gonna-say-the-word-slavery/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Music is music, ultimately. If it makes you feel good, cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/music-is-music-ultimately-if-it-makes-you-feel-good-cool/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [To create something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings, and I would - I don't know, I wish it upon everybody. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/to-create-something-from-nothing-is-one-of-the-greatest-feelings-and/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Ownership, that's what you give your kids. That's your legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/ownership-that-s-what-you-give-your-kids-that-s-your-legacy/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [The music industry is a matrix that is counter to what is natural and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/the-music-industry-is-a-matrix-that-is-counter-to-what-is-natural-and/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Hip-hop is very diverse, but if you only focus on one aspect of it, then what you get is this image of Black America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/hip-hop-is-very-diverse-but-if-you-only-focus-on-one-aspect-of-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [It gets embarrassing to say something untrue because you put it online and everyone knows about it, so it's better to tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/it-gets-embarrassing-to-say-something-untrue-because-you-put-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Tell me a musician who's got rich off digital sales. Apple's doing pretty good though, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/tell-me-a-musician-who-s-got-rich-off-digital-sales-apple-s-doing/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [If you lend your consciousness to someone else, you're a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/if-you-lend-your-consciousness-to-someone-else-you-re-a-robot/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [I don't live in the past. I don't play my old records for that reason. I make a statement, then move on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-i-don-t-play-my-old-records-for-that-reason/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [ Sometimes it \[music in my head\] is a curse, but it's also a blessing. It is a gift that I am completely grateful for.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/sometimes-it-music-in-my-head-is-a-curse-but-it-s-also-a-blessing-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [It's a hurtful place, the world, in and of itself. We don't need to add to it. And we're in a place now where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/it-s-a-hurtful-place-the-world-in-and-of-itself-we-don-t-need-to-add/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [If you really want to be a star, we can do it in your Mama's car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/if-you-really-want-to-be-a-star-we-can-do-it-in-your-mama-s-car/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [ Our \[generation\] people have the worst diet of anybody. I'm ready to put a farmer on my payroll. We've got to get back to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/our-generation-people-have-the-worst-diet-of-anybody-i-m-ready-to-put/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [We're living in a system that the devil designed, and suffering from this devil's most heinous crime. He's tried to keep us from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/we-re-living-in-a-system-that-the-devil-designed-and-suffering-from/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) [Explore all 221 Prince quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) ## 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": "Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to read, or else all they'll know how to do is cuss, fight, and breed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Prince" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-they-know-how-to-read-or-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-they-know-how-to-read-or-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/prince-1626_children_don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-th_2619827.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't let the children watch TV until they know how to read, or else all they'll know how to do is cuss…” — Prince", "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": "Prince", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't let the children watch TV...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-they-know-how-to-read-or-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/don-t-let-the-children-watch-tv-until-they-know-how-to-read-or-else/#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 } } ] } ```