My family recently stumbled upon a new-to-us kids show and frankly, we are a little obsessed. Bluey, available on Hulu and Disney+, capitalizes on the imaginative adventures and hilarious kid quirks of an Australian blue heeler. If you have or have had preschool and grade-school children, you will belly laugh at how acutely real this show portrays parenthood. Here are a few reasons why I highly recommend adding Bluey to your queue:
It’s hilarious.
I guess this is subjective, but do you ever wonder what it would be like if you were a fly on the wall of your own life? The constant questions, the long-winded toddler stories with no clear ending, the neverending pleas to play, and interrupted conversations typically make you a bit crazy. This show is full of it. They say in humor, timing is everything, and this show is full of wit as well as plain old slapstick. This is G-rated adult humor at its finest.
The parenting dynamic is goals.
There is no “right” way to share parenting responsibilities, but this show features dad in more episodes than not. He is seen appropriately grumbling at housework, while juggling the demands of his children as he tries to sneak in some TV time. Also, dad is fully himself. He is not a carbon copy of a mom. He is a parent with a personality – something not a lot of kids shows seem to highlight. You will often see mom sneak away, head to work or otherwise. Dad is with the kids. A lot. And I think that’s pretty cool.
The characters are always playing.
A lot of kids shows highlight play and imagination, but I’ve never seen it done so well in a TV show. While I appreciate shows that teach social skills in a structured and high intervention way, it’s neat to see the laissez-faire approach on Bluey. Learning happens through play, and play is how children learn. I’m not against shows that teach (my daughter has gleaned a lot that way), but this show is pretty true-to-life in its lessons in passing and an exorbitant amount of make-believe.
I appreciate parenting…more.
Wow, did I just type that? Maybe it’s sad that a kids’ show has made me more appreciative of the little hooligans I am raising, but I’ll take it especially when some days are long and difficult. This show puts parents in a great light. We can be fun, silly, playful AND ourselves. Most of us don’t have clean cars or many quiet moments between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., but we do have the honor of raising human beings – an equally cool and challenging task. Bluey is like hearing a fellow parent say, “Yes, it’s hard. But, it’s also pretty fun and hilarious.”
Needless to say, COVID-19 has increased screen time in our home. I’m not the least bit ashamed or worried about it. However, it’s been so nice to have a show to watch together as a family. With three short stories in each 30-minute episode, it’s easy to turn it on without feeling committed to more than 10 minutes of TV at a time. It’s a show about nothing and everything, all at the same time. It’s a breath of fresh air for us, maybe even a bit therapeutic. I recommend giving it a try.
