"As a mother of two young children (ages 6 and 3), Iâve adopted a mindset that screens are the enemy and play is the most important element in my kidsâ development. Itâs unclear exactly how this position came to beâperhaps through osmosis in my community bubbleâor more likely, because parents are warned about the downsides of screens nearly 24/7. We hear about it during our little oneâs doctor appointments, from other parents at the playground, or through ads served to us when we are mindlessly scrolling on our devices.
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I donât necessarily disagree with the thought behind those recommendations: Less screen time means more playtime. Iâd previously limited my kidsâ television consumption to just Monday afternoons and rainy days, which happen less and less often in California where we live. Lately, though, Iâve taken on more work. And, as the parent who works from home, that means Iâm using the television to help entertain my kids. I know Iâm not alone in using this âchildcare toolâ for support. My kids go through regular rotations of watching Gabyâs Dollhouse, Paw Patrol, Bubble Guppies, and most recently, Bluey.
The Kids’ Show That Changed My Mind About Screen Time
Bluey, however, has changed my mind about screen time. If you havenât seen the animated show, it follows an adorable Australian Heeler dog family that includes Bluey, sister Bingo, and parents Bandit and Chilli. The episodes are seven minutes long and highlight the simple joys of childhoodâlike stumbling across an interesting bug in the backyardâand the humorous lengths parents go to teach our kids life lessons. Thereâs also a lot of pretend and physical play between Bluey and her family in each episodeâs plot. Plus, with three seasonsâincluding 10 new Bluey episodes coming to Disney+ on January 12, 2024âwe have plenty of episodes to enjoy watching as a family.
Why I’m Happy to Let My Kids Watch Bluey
Bluey is #goals for how I want my family life to interact and be. (Yes, I aspire to be like a fictional dog family.) And slowly, itâs actually happening. It may sound counterintuitive, but bumping up my kidsâ allotted screen time, specifically of Bluey episodes, has strengthened their playtimeâaway from screens.
It seems like my kids are more likely to play by themselves. And make fewer requests to watch shows and movies overall. Parents have had to turn to so many unconventional options for childcare or support that arenât necessarily âdoctor-recommended,” like consuming more screen time. And I want to let other parents know that itâs OK to say yes to another episode that improves kids’ imaginations. Iâm not a child professional, just another parent trying their best every day.
I want to let other parents know that itâs okay to say yes to another episode that improves kids’ imaginations.
These days, my kidsâ play is inspired by Bluey episodes. And Iâm not mad about it. I catch them dressing up like grannies and calling each other Janet and Rita. Running a fish and chips shop in their play kitchen, and playing gingerbread man on a family walk. Alexa is frequently asked to âplay Bluey soundtrackâ during the play sessions, too. My oldest has also taken to calling me âmum,â which makes my heart melt.
Even my husband and I get in on the fun. We all dance along to the opening credits when watching the show together and my husband loves to play âstatueâ with the kids. You might say weâve gone all-in on Bluey. To which I proudly reply, âYes, and your family should, too!â
Maybe weâre a unique family and my kidsâ response to watching the show is uncommon. But I donât think thatâs the case. Many fellow parents are getting on the Bluey bandwagon because, if nothing else, the show models simple play and healthy relationships to the kids watching it. As Blueyâs mom likes to say, âgive it a go,â and see how it changes your kidâs engagement with play.
