Mister Rogers taught us about managing our feelings
During our years of viewing, Mister Rogers taught us many lessons about being a good neighbor, but perhaps none as important as managing our feelings. Mister Rogers told us that
Mister Rogers taught us about managing our feelings
it is okay to have and experience emotions; it is how we handle those emotions that counts. In one episode, Mister Rogers says, “I hope you are able to grow
As a child, few of us thought twice about Punky Brewster being cared for by Henry. Looking back now, it’s sad to think about Punky being abandoned by her parents
and the gravity of Henry going to court for custody. As an adult, we realize that the good guy doesn’t always win, which makes us even more thrilled (and relieved
On 'Family Ties', Steven Keaton was a caring father figure. In one episode, Steven decides to go on a jog that results in chest pain. We later find out that
Steven had suffered a heart attack, and, for some of us, the possibility of losing a parent became all too real. Whether this episode served as a reminder that parents
Jack and Kevin didn’t always have an effortless, happy relationship. In fact, in several episodes, the two seemed to be at odds. At one point in 'The Wonder Years', though,
we catch a glimpse of the unconditional love between the two. After a devastating breakup with Winnie, Kevin finds himself in the condolences of Jack. As an emotional Kevin hugs
Big Bird teaches us about mourning the loss of a loved one
Children’s shows don’t often acknowledge death, but when Mr. Hooper (Will Lee) passed away, Sesame Street did just that. Rather than writing him off the show, Sesame Street made the
Big Bird teaches us about mourning the loss of a loved one
brave decision to acknowledge the loss. At first, Big Bird has a hard time dealing with his loss. Although he is still sad, Big Bird learns ways to remember his
'Saved by the Bell' was full of laughs and high school drama, but we will never forget the time that Zack saved Jessie from her caffeine pill freak-out. Originally, producers
intended for Jessie to be addicted to speed, but the censorial department turned this idea down. Rather than tossing the episode all together, producers decided that caffeine pills would suffice.
the show, has his fortune read (or misread). Beauregard fears the apocalypse is coming and the end is nigh. Perhaps Beauregard’s panic made us laugh or taught us not to
'Home Improvement' was a popular sitcom from this era. Full of corny jokes, a splash of family drama, and the top of Al’s head, this show usually kept us laughing.
Things made a turnaround when Randy found out that he might possibly be dealing with thyroid cancer. The heaviness of this news came as a shock for viewers, and, as
'Fraggle Rock' holds a special place in our hearts. This show was full of sweet moments, but on one episode Gobo gave us some profound advice. He said, “You know,
'Tiny Toon Adventures' is not the first show that comes to mind when you think of life lessons, but, surprisingly, it gave us some. In 1991, in a segment called
“One Beer”, Buster, Plucky, and Hampton decide to try a beer. After drinking the beer, the threesome end up driving a stolen police car off of a cliff. The revived
'The Smurfs', a staple in many of our houses, were usually happy-go-lucky and rarely riddled us with heavy content. But in the Christmas special, the Smurfs were battling a sorcerer
in order to save two children and Gargamel. The Smurfs end up defeating the sorcerer by singing him death. When you look at the big picture, what does this episode
ThunderCats’ Snarf wasn’t necessarily one remembered for his wisdom, but in one episode, he gave us a glimpse into our future. Snarf said, “Life’s no fun anymore. The ThunderCats are
'Captain Planet' was actually a show that was pretty full of life lessons. After all, Captain Planet and the Planeteers taught us the harms of pollution on our planet.
took education to an even deeper level when they addressed AIDS. In the episode, Verminous Skumm starts a rumor that an HIV-positive basketball player has AIDS. Captain Planet leaves us
'Dungeons and Dragons' was the Harry Potter of its time. Full of mystical dragons and castles, this show also gave us some real world advice. Merlin may not have known
'Winnie the Pooh' is a classic. Winnie provided some sweet moments in our childhood and taught us how to be a good friend. As children we have an idea of
what love and friendship are, but Winnie the Pooh stated it clearly when he said, “You know, Piglet, sometimes people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
We grew up with Mike and Carol Seaver, and we laughed and sighed at their never ending spats. When Carol’s boyfriend Sandy died, however, we were crying with her instead.
'Full House' had a unique mixture of humor and heart, and it taught us several life lessons. The dismay we felt when Steve kissed his ex-girlfriend, however, was a look
On the 'Doug' Christmas special, Doug is enjoying ice skating with his family. As Beebe skates town thin ice, Prokchop grabs her with his teeth to save her. Beebe thinks
that Porkchop is biting her, and sends him to the dog pound. Eventually realizing that Porkchop was trying to save Beebe, nothing brought out our inner-dog lover quite like seeing
During our 'Rugrats' viewing years, we had wondered where Chuckie’s mom was. On the Mother’s Day episode, we found out that, sadly, she had passed away. Seeing poor Chucky heart-broken,
we couldn’t help but feel this answered a lot of questions about Chuckie’s outlook on life. As an adult, the impact of a child going through the loss of a
Watching 'Recess' as a kid, there were a lot of real life scenarios that went over our heads. For one, the jurisdiction of the playground was a lot like real
government. When Gretchen advised King Bob about leadership, we probably didn’t realize how her statement would hold true. Gretchen said, “Great leaders aren’t remembered for things they build. They’re remembered
One of the most memorable episodes of 'The Magic School Bus' is when the class shrinks down and goes inside Ralph’s body. I don’t know about you, but that was
'Boy Meets World' is a classic. There are so many times that this show made an impact on our emotions, but perhaps none more than when Shawn lost his dad.
To watch Shawn tell his dad everything he is feeling is almost difficult to watch. When watching this episode, the reality of losing a loved one becomes all too real.
Nothing expresses the feelings of adulthood quite like Buttercup from 'Powerpuff Girls'. In one episode, Buttercup becomes exhausted while cleaning the house and says what we are all thinking. “Aw,
Being an adult definitely comes with its downfalls. Dieting is definitely one of those. On 'Rocko’s Modern Life', Heffer’s philosophy on dieting sounds all too familiar. Heffer excitingly tells Rocko,
In life, there are those we don’t get along with. On 'Garfield and Friends', Garfield couldn’t stand Odie most of the time. After watching a horror movie together, Garfield taught
us how important it is to show others that you care every now and then. Garfield’s cold demeanor dissolved when he let a scared Odie sleep in his bed with
On the 'Transformers’ episode, “The Golden Lagoon” , we are reminded of the importance of natural resources. In this episode, Beachcomber finds a lagoon and surrounding land filled with plants
and animals that are untouched by man. Even after defeating the Decepticons, the Autobots cannot celebrate their victory because the plants and animals are gone. This may have gone right
Pokemon’s Pikachu and Ash remind us just how painful it is to lose a friend in “Pikachu’s Goodbye”. In this episode, Ash decides Pikachu is better off in the wild
with his friends. Pikachu is heartbroken over losing Ash, and eventually decides to stay with Ash instead. This heartbreaking journey of friendship is all too real after seeing how adulthood
If you pay attention, 'Rocket Power’s' Uncle Tito is full of some pretty good, real world advice. Whether comical or serious, his Hawaiian proverbs tend to leave us thinking. As
adults, we have to create our own happiness and contentment. As Uncle Tito said, “He who is on the canoe is responsible for the journey, whether he has a paddle
In an episode of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', Master Splinter advises us, “The path that leads to what we truly desire is long and difficult, but only by following that
'Animaniacs' was probably one of the silliest cartoons of our day, but it incorporated some pretty advanced humor as well. As a child, I didn’t understand some of these quirky
little tidbits, but, as an adult, the 'Animaniacs' keep me laughing. One tidbit of advice they gave that is still relevant today: “Early to rise and early to bed, makes
In 'Hey Arnold!', there were none quite as annoying as Helga G. Pataki. However, when Helga visits a therapist, we find out the reasoning behind all of her punches and
jabs. As Helga talks with her therapist, we realize that she was neglected as a child. As an adult, it’s easier to realize that not all behaviors are as they
When we think back on shows with worldly advice, 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is probably not the first to come to mind. However, Sonic gave kids some difficult, real-world advice in
a segment called "Sonic Says". Sonic tells kids that they shouldn’t let anyone touch them in a way or place that makes them feel uncomfortable, and, if this happens, to
There may not be another show quite as exemplary of adulthood as the concept of 'Brotherly Love'. Joe Roman, the oldest of three, has separated himself from his family. When
his dad passes away, Joe is forced to move home to take care of his father’s business. On this journey, Joe finds himself loving and connecting with his family. The
In an episode of 'Talespin' called “My Fair Baloo”, Rebecca plans to attend the Business Man’s Ball. Initially, Rebecca is embarrassed of Baloo because he isn’t as polished as she
'Family Matters' was full of relationship lessons. Carl shows us the impact of guilt and forgiveness when he visits the grave of a man killed in a hostage situation. Carl
felt guilty about the man’s death because he wasn’t able to save the man. While at the grave, the man’s wife arrives. After talking to Carl, the lady admits that
she has felt guilty, too, because she had sent her husband on the errand that left him in that situation. After forgiving each other, the two are able to carry
In 'Dexter’s Laboratory', Dee Dee is the typical, annoying sister. She usually hates Dexter’s projects and labs, but she shows us what sisterly love is about in “Way of the
In the finale of 'Dinosaurs', we were all pretty surprised at how things ended. Unexpectedly, the family ends up freezing in a harsh winter that ends the Jurassic period. As
'Care Bears' was a happy, innocent show. The content was pretty easy-going most of the time. Every now and then, though, the Care Bears would discreetly give us some words
In 'Arthur’, Buster Baxter experiences the realities of being a child whose parents have divorced. After spending a summer with his dad, he returns home to realize that his friends
have carried on without him. For a little while, Buster struggles with getting his friends back. This episode was all too real for those of us with divorced parents.
'Rainbow Brite' was a cute cartoon from the '80s. It might surprise you to see how quickly this cute little character could put some real-world advice on you. In one
episode, Rainbow Brite said, “Hey, Glumface! Next time there’s a rainbow, look up! You’ll feel better, and you might see me too!” Maybe Rainbow Brite needs to sit on my
For those of us lucky enough to grow up in the '80s and '90s, television was a staple of our childhood, and this era brought the best variety of programming for children to date. Our generation was unified by our TV sets, and whether we watched out of love or boredom, our Saturday morning cartoons and weeknight sitcoms were usually accompanied by virtue and innocence.
Looking back as an adult, however, these shows weren’t always lollipops and rainbows.
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