upworthy

bluey

Kids

Mom swaps out her baby's modern cartoons for 90s classics and the results are fascinating

The biggest surprise? His sleep improved.

Photo credit: Canva

It's not just nostalgia. Our childhood cartoons were better.

Nobody needs convincing that the cartoons of yesteryear just hit different. They are miles away from the noisy, ultra colorful, fast-paced (read: overstimulating) shows that a kid might watch today. And, it turns out, those classic cartoons might just be superior for getting kids to actually relax.

This was a discovery made by one mom (Lauren, aka @mamasandmesses) when she introduced her toddler to old school shows like Bear and the Big Blue House, Arthur, Dragon Tales, and more. Her grand experiment led to some pretty fascinating results.

For one thing, she noted that while her child enjoyed watching these programs, there was no adverse reaction when she turned them off. “He didn’t fight me or get upset, he just went back to playing!”

But perhaps even more importantly, she noticed that his sleep improved. That’s right, parents with tough-to-put-to-bed kiddos, listen up.

Lauren attributed this to the fact that, generally speaking, 90s shows had much lower stimulation, but also more heavily focused helpful lessons and creative exploration. Sure, there are still shows that do that, like Bluey, but nowadays having a slower pace, softer color palette, and more subdued soundtrack is certainly no longer the standard.

In fact, experts have long warned against the drug-like “dopamine rush” of contemporary cartoons, which might offer endless amounts of quick entertainment, but don’t allow for kids to actually process what they’re watching and continuously leave them wanting more. Almost like the creators of these shows are more interested in getting views and earning money than by actually serving a need? Nah, that’s crazy.

@drjoe_md

Did you know that shows like Cocomelon are engineered to keep your baby hooked by triggering their brain’s reward system? #Cocomelon #parentingtips #childdevelopment #screentime #kidslearning

Adding to the problem is that, now, anything with a screen can suddenly turn into a TV. This heightened accessibility means that a once seemingly innocent, totally mundane pastime can turn into a problem. But luckily, parents can control what their children are seeing their TVs, tablets, phones, and whatever else. Since many 90s classics are available to stream, these less-stimulating yet more-engaging shows are always on hand, and Lauren was kind enough to share a master list:

📺 Bear in the Big Blue House – Disney+

📺 Out of the Box – Disney+

📺 Little Bear – Paramount+

📺 Franklin – Prime or YouTube

📺 Arthur – PBS Kids or Hulu

📺 Rolie Polie Olie – Prime

📺 Clifford – Prime

📺 Magic School Bus – Netflix

📺 Berenstain Bears – Prime

📺 Dragon Tales – Prime

📺 Wishbone – YouTube

📺 Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood – PBS Kids, Hulu, or Prime

As a bonus, the following show was only a book when we were kids, but it's 90s roots make it count:

📺 If You Give A Mouse a Cookie – Prime

- YouTube youtu.be

Besides the fact that these shows might overall be better for our kids, there’s also something special about rewatching these beloved shows from our childhood and seeing the positive effects that they continue to bestow. It’s one of those times where we can say, “They don’t make them like they used to!” and it truly carries some weight. So, you know, bragging rights.

High-octane kid’s shows probably aren’t going anywhere, but it’s nice to know that we have options when it’s time to really wind down and soothe little nervous systems.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, there are a few seasons of Arthur calling my name…

This article originally appeared in March.

From Your Site Articles
parenting
KidsFamily
Family

People kept telling me to watch 'Bluey.' I still was not prepared.

Some adults say it's healing their inner child, but there's something in the popular Australian kids' show for everyone.

Bluey—Official Channel/YouTube

"Bluey" is popular with all ages, despite being aimed at kids.

I have a confession to make. I'm 48 years old, my youngest child is in high school and I can't stop watching "Bluey." For the uninitiated, "Bluey" is a kids' cartoon from Australia aimed at 5 to 7-year-olds. It's been nearly a decade since my household has seen that demographic, so when people kept telling me I should watch "Bluey," my reaction was basically, "Yeah, I've already done my kiddie show time, thankyouverymuch."

Then my almost-15-year-old started watching it just to see what the fuss was about. And as I started tuning in, I saw why people love it so much. I figured it was going to be a wholesome show with some good lessons for kids, and it is. But it's also laugh-out-loud hilarious.

As I got sucked deeper and deeper down the "Bluey" hole, I also saw why so many adults say the show is healing their inner child. It doesn't just have good lessons for kids; some episodes are a masterclass in creative, engaged, positive parenting. Now I'm hooked, along with the rest of my family of 40-somethings and young adults. We even have favorite episodes that we rewatch, for goodness sake.

So what is it that makes "Bluey" such a beloved show for all ages?

The kid actors are fantastic. Seriously, so darn funny.

The children who play 6-year-old Bluey, her 4-year-old sister, Bingo, and their various cousins and friends are outstanding. Their voices are cute, but they're also top notch comedians.

One of my personal favorite bits on the show is when the kids pretend to be grannies. Here's a clip with Bluey, Bingo and their cousin, Muffin, pretending to be grannies at their neighbor's yard sale.

It gets even funnier when the "grouchy granny" encounters an actual, real-life grouchy granny who wants to buy the granny mobile and haggles with her. (We've watched this episode four times. It only gets funnier.)

The parents teach lessons through imaginative play

The clip below shows how Bandit (Bluey and Bingo's dad) creatively uses a unicorn puppet to drive home the importance of good manners and personal care habits when Bluey won't stop chewing with her mouth open.

Using characters that struggle with whatever a kid needs to learn is a great way to help drive home a lesson. And doing it with silliness and creativity makes the learning process both enjoyable and effective.

Also, the parents' love for each other shines through in the show in adorable ways.

The parents share their own learnings along the way

Bluey episodes are short—the full episode below is less than 7 minutes—and it's amazing how much they can squeeze into them. Here, Bluey's mom teaches Bluey not to compare herself to others by sharing her own comparison story from when Bluey was a baby, which also includes a lesson for the parents who may be watching as well. It also tugs right at the heartstrings at the end.

I'm just consistently amazed at how well the show executes on every level.

It's therapeutic—literally.

For folks with positive childhoods, the show is nostalgic and comforting. For those with tough childhoods, the show can feel healing. And for people who raising their own kids, it can be a resource to help them be better parents.

My colleague (and Licensed Clinical Social Worker) Jacalyn Wetzel says she recommends "Bluey" to clients who are having a hard time with parenting.

"When parents of young children mention that they're struggling with being able to emotionally regulate through their child's tantrums, outside of talking to them about ways children express unmet needs, I often recommend the cartoon 'Bluey,'" she says. "Bluey behaves very much like a typical preschooler, which sometimes means she accidentally pushes buttons or does something wrong. The way her parents interact with her in those moments are great examples of acknowledging a child's emotions and responding with kindness, understanding and age appropriate terms."

The show includes real-life parenting moments that can be hard to navigate, so she encourages parents to watch how the parents interact with Bluey and Bingo. "Parenting doesn't come with a handbook but 'Bluey' is helping those that maybe didn't have the best example of it growing up, and that's special," she says.

It's just a near-perfect show in almost every way. There's even some silly potty humor if that's your jam. (See what I mean? A little something for everyone.)

You can watch full seasons of "Bluey" on Disney + and find clips and some full episodes the "Bluey" YouTube channel.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

From Your Site Articles
parenting
FamilyKids
Joy

People are convinced an Australian's cheeky little neighbor is a 'Bluey' character

It's seriously uncanny.

Representative photo by Gustavo Fring/Pexels

What do you do when your kindy-age neighbor challenges you to a bake-off?

It's been six years since "Bluey" debuted in Australia, and since then, the show has grown into a global phenomenon. Though it's aimed at kids, the series has created a passionate following among people of all ages who adore the heart and humor the Blue Heeler dogs from down under have to offer.

And it's been just over seven years since an adorably cheeky little girl, Harper, made her way into the world, and she has also grown into a viral Aussie phenomenon.

Harper lives next door to Brandon and Jordan Nolan, the twin music duo Take Two, in Sydney. Her interactions with their family seem like they come straight out of an episode of "Bluey," right down to the uncanny similarity between Harper's voice and the young "Bluey" cast members (whose identities remain anonymous).

Many of the interactions take place through the fence between their yards and Harper is never shown fully (a wise choice). The neighbors will share things over or under the fence, with Harper pranking the guys more than once with something that looks like food but contains dirt.

In a particularly hilarious video, Harper shares the "legit" cheesecake and ice cream she made as part of their bake-off competition. Seriously, 5-year-old Harper sounds just like Bluey's little sister, Bingo, with the quick wit to match.

Watch:

@alwaystaketwo

Replying to @Zoe_heem My 5yr old neighbour challenged us to a bake off.. here is her cake!! Is it safe to eat but?? 🤷🏼‍♀️🍰 (Part 3) 👩‍🍳♥️ #foryou #fyp

Harper also met Brandon's baby boy, Grayson, when she was 5, and that video is also an instant classic.

@alwaystaketwo

Replying to @46username Part 2 of my 5yr old neighbour meeting my son for the first time 😆♥️👶🏻 she loves him but still hates us.. 🤷🏼‍♀️ #foryou #fyp

When she was 6, Brandon went for a walk with her and talked to her about him moving 10 minutes away. Her reaction is perfect.

@alwaystaketwo

Today I had to tell my 6yr old neighbour I’m no longer going go be her neighbour anymore.. *NOT CLICK BAIT* 😭💔🏠 ##foryou##fyp(Like for Part 2)

Now that she's 7, her voice sounds a bit more like Bluey than Bingo, and still just as surreal to hear in real life asking questions like, "Have you been achieving much in life?"

@alwaystaketwo

My 7yr old neighbour’s dad is a doctor👨‍⚕️😡👊🏻 and he couldn’t fix my shoulder after I paid him.. here’s my argument with her #foryou #fyp

It's hard not to hear the resemblance to the "Bluey" characters, as evidenced by the comments.

"Is that bluey and bingo on the other side of the fence!? 😅"

"Literally thought 'how could bluey and bingo are their neighbors?'"

"There needs to be an episode of Bluey where they get new neighbors and the girls befriend them like this."

"Bluey and Bingo living next door is wild."

"Please tell me that we all think the same thing because we are parents? It took me one second to say Bluey!"

"Omg I’m not the only one that thought omg BINGO!!!"

You can follow @alwaystaketwo on TikTok for more fun with Harper and her neighbors.

From Your Site Articles
humor
JoyCommunity
Pop Culture

'Bluey' creators put full 'Dad Baby' episode on YouTube so Americans can finally see it

People are trying to figure out what triggered Disney's decision to censor the hilarious 7-minute episode.

Bluey - Official Channel/YouTube

The "Dad Baby" episode of "Bluey" hasn't been available to American audiences until now.

American "Bluey" fans have enjoyed nearly full access to the entire lineup of the popular Australian kids' show since it started streaming on Disney +, with one notable exception: Season 2, Episode 13, also known as "Dad Baby."

The "Dad Baby" episode has attained legendary status in the "Bluey" world, with U.S. audiences wondering what could possibly have caused Disney to choose not to include it on its streaming service. Now, thanks to the official "Bluey" YouTube account sharing the full episode for free, we can all find out.

The 7-minute episode, which you can view below, was uploaded to YouTube on May 1, 2024 and has received more than 6 million views in five days. Comments on the video are turned off, but people have been discussing the censorship of "Dad Baby" on social media with a resounding reaction of "Huh? Why?"

While childbirth might be seen by some as a touchy subject, most viewers agree that there's nothing in the "Dad Baby" episode that feels questionable or inappropriate for young children.

In short, the kids are playing pretend with their dad, Bandit, who puts on a baby carrier and carries Bluey's younger sister around as if he were pregnant. There's an ongoing bit with Bandit acting as if being pregnant is a walk in the park, while actually feeling the strains and pains of carrying an extra person around. Ultimately, he ends up "giving birth" with the help of a neighbor, in the family's backyard blow-up pool. It's all very silly and quite hilarious.

It's also an accurate portrayal of how kids actually play in the real world. One of the things fans love about "Bluey" is the way the parents go along with their kids' imaginary play, sometimes going to ridiculous lengths to act out their make-believe storylines. This episode might stretch those lengths a tad bit, but not more than some other "Bluey" episodes.

Watch and judge for yourself:

The comments are turned off on the YouTube upload, but people have been discussing it on social media with comments such as these:

"That was an absolutely adorable episode thank you for sharing it with us. Idk why it’s banned, but I’m glad I got to watch it."

"I cackled so hard at this episode. I couldn't believe they kept it off disney plus."

"i work in a nursery every day for my 10 year + career i have seen all children play pretend pregnant boys and girls ... its just something kids do(it aint a new thing i promise you xD) n this episode is just a dad joining in his kids play!"

""One of my family’s favorite episodes! My 10y/o to 4y/o were in tears laughing the first time we saw it thinking of when I was pregnant with their little sister/brother (who are now 3y/o and 1y/o)."

"America is so backwards, it sensors/removes/bans things on a children’s program that are nothing to worry about but then they allow guns in real life!!! How does that make sense?? This episode has aired on cebeebies (a toddlers tv channel in the uk) many times and is on the uk disney+. I honestly don't see the problem with this episode."

Disney has apparently never explicitly stated why "Dad Baby" was censored from the lineup, so people naturally gravitate toward their own theories. Perhaps it's a tad too close to sex education? Maybe it's showing a man being pregnant? Maybe it's the visual of a dog lying with its legs spread in a pool while "giving birth," even though no body parts are even shown? Maybe it's our societal squeamishness about childbirth in general?

Whatever the reason, people seem to disagree that there's anything worth censoring in this episode and are thankful that they're now able to see it. As one of the top streaming shows, "Bluey" has built an enormous loyal fan base of all ages, and for them (ahem, us), even one missing episode is one too many.

From Your Site Articles
bluey
Pop CultureTelevision
Trending Stories