As a stay at home mom of 7 years, I’ve seen my fair share of children’s programming. Screen time gets a bad rep, but there’s a lot of good lessons to be found in some of these shows for littles. And, honestly, it has kept me from completely losing my mind more than a handful of times. Usually, I catch snippets of my kids shows in between diaper changes and loads of laundry, but sometimes a special episode comes along, and I get a teensy bit sucked in.
I’m hoping I’m not the only mama who has ugly cried her way through an episode of her kids favorite shows? I mean, it doesn’t happen OFTEN, but here are the top three episodes that absolutely turned me into a puddle of mush.
SPOILER ALERT: The following article contains important Daniel Tiger, Sofia the First, and Blue’s Clues plot twists that may degrade the experience of moms who prefer to remain surprised concerning the outcomes of certain children’s shows. Proceed with caution.
The first time a children’s show made me ugly cry was a scene taking place in the Neighborhood of Make Believe.
However, my feelings for the growing Tiger family are so…SO real. Daniel Tiger premiered just a few months after my oldest daughter was born. It’s actually quite embarrassing how much I adore the Tiger family and how much of my parenting is based on their feline wisdom. I even wrote an entire love letter– I mean, blog post, about Mom Tiger! I was pregnant with my second baby when I heard the news: MOM TIGER WAS EXPECTING, TOO! (Just more affirmation that she is, in fact, my spirit animal.)
We tuned in for the much-anticipated episode. I snuggled my first born, wrestling with the anxiety of how in the world my heart could hold as much love for another child. Furthermore, how would my daughter react to the arrival of her new baby brother? So we watched as the Tiger fam confronted those feelings head on! And, if you know Daniel, you know he sang the SWEETEST most perfect little jingle upon meeting his new baby sister, simultaneously pulling every heart string in my soul.
While the Daniel episode was way too sweet for words, it left me with a full heart, totally encouraged.
However, it was an episode of Blue’s Clues that was an absolute day ruiner.
My toddler had discovered Blues Clues through Amazon Prime. I had no warning when I selected “play next episode” only to be met with the harsh reality that STEVE WAS LEAVING TO GO TO COLLEGE! What?! First of all, Steve….TAKE. YOUR. DOG. Secondly, this episode was just full of sad goodbyes. Sure, they were exchanged between a grown man and his salt and pepper shakers, soap, alarm clock, mailbox and other household items, but boy did it hit home!
Watching a show like that with your baby boy snuggled up close forces you to consider the reality that he may actually grow up to be a productive member of society…outside of your home. Harsh, Nick Jr, reeeeally harsh. (For the record, consequently, this was also the day my son promised to live with me forever. So, it’s fine.)
Most recently, I watched the series finale of Sofia the First.
Sofia is a show beloved by all of my kids. We love the songs, the lessons, and the characters! The series finale is an extra long special. Though the characters are presumably around 8 years old, the series ends with them all selecting their life paths and choices for higher education. They all go their separate ways after a graduation ceremony, including a return of all of the characters and a super sweet speech from Sofia. Knowing this series was ending just made me sad. I guess because Sofia is a show enjoyed by all of my kids, it’s one I strongly associate with their childhood. This was the first time one of “their shows” ended, and I guess part of me associates it with them growing up, too. All I know is, the floodgates were opened. Being a mom, man…it gets you right in the feels.
So, am I crazy, internet friends? Please tell me there are others if you who have watched a children’s show in your pajamas and sobbed into your lukewarm coffee? And, by all means, if there is another heartwarming/heartbreaking episode out there that I have yet to come across, warn me about it in the comments.
That episode of Blue’s Clues absolutely WRECKED me!!!
I watched BC when it first came out, with my (much younger) baby sisters, and it was my “old standby” when my oldest was born. Somehow I missed that episode with my sisters (probably because I myself had gone to college), and it hit me like a ton of bricks when I watched it with my son!!!
Yessss! I totally agree! That was some heavy stuff!
Sophia ending hit me hard as well. I actually watched the last episode myself because my kids were already too old for that “baby show”. I loved Sophia the first. It was one of those rare shows where family was valued, parents were the authority with insight and compassion, and the characters grew up. It was hard that Sophia grew up and my kids did too in the time we had together. Good but bittersweet.
If you watch Bluey on Disney +, the one where they’re camping & all of a sudden time fast forwards like 10 years & she’s a teenager made me sob. Ugh. Those things should come with a trigger warning.