Oh, biscuits! Have you fallen in love with the show Bluey, yet? This Australian cartoon has become a fixture in our household. When I asked my 6-year-old why she loved the show so much she said, “The parents are fun, and the family is a bunch of dogs!” Even the song at the beginning of the show sets the tone. Each member of the family’s name is shouted during a dance off. I have gotten into the habit of dancing when “Mom!” is yelled. Below are the lessons I have learned from Bluey that make me a better mom:
The Parents Embrace Play!
Bluey’s parents do a fantastic job of staying in the present moment with their kids. They go all in with play even when they are tired. This is a great skill to have, because as Maria Montessori said, “Play is the work of children.” Play helps children grow, learn, and process the world around them. Embracing play establishes another means to connect to your tiny humans.
Bluey’s Parents Really Listen.
If of one of the kids voice or exhibit an emotional need, the parents really listen. They stop and help Bluey and Bingo process that hard emotion. By validating the emotion instead of reacting with frustration, they embody the concept of gentle parenting.
“So often, children are punished for being human. They are not allowed to have grumpy moods, bad days, disrespectful tones, or bad attitudes. Yet, we adults have them all the time. None of us are perfect. We must stop holding our children to a higher standard of perfection than we can attain ourselves.” – Rebecca Eanes
Life Lessons
The parents do a great job of taking on hard topics with honesty, love, and transparency. They break down hard topics into bite sized pieces. This opens the door for communication in the future and makes it the norm in the parent child relationship.
Great Parenting Hacks
This show feels like it is a show that is just as much for the adults as it is for the kids! They have excellent hacks on how to navigate different situations.
Bandit: “If I’m talking to a grown up and you want me, you just come up and put your hand on my arm. Now I know that you want to talk to me. Then I’ll do this (puts his hand on hers) to show that I know you’re there and that you want to talk to me. What do you think?”
Bingo: “Yeah!”
Humor
The humor is spot on for both the kids and the parents! The show depicts the ups and downs of parenting with so much accuracy that you cannot help but laugh.
