Daniel Tiger Reversion
Over the last few months, my kids have been getting some exploring done with Disney+ content. They have walked the line on a few things that I normally wouldn’t let them watch, but made some exceptions here and there in dire times. I didn’t think it influenced their behavior much because it led to more creative play at first. Over time though, things shifted and they were hitting, arguing, and fighting more than usual…especially during periods over winter break.
Some of the shows they were watching I included Spidey and his Amazing Friends and PJ Masks, which always included fighting “bad guys.” At times, the heroes would also display bad behavior, such as whining, not following the plan, and arguing with each other. If heroes can’t even be counted on to act correctly, how could my kids? They don’t really understand the nuances of the hero’s arc in the episode to the point where they learn the lessons (and not the behaviors that led to the lessons). At ages 4 and 6, it’s still to early for them to watch that (at least it’s my conclusion going into 2025.
I ended up implementing a new rule for the year - they could only watch Daniel Tiger until their behavior changes. I don’t want to see any hitting and I need less arguing. Within a few sessions of Daniel Tiger, I noticed an immediate change where my 4 year old son C and 6 year old daughter E were trying to talk things out. Daniel Tiger is well produced and comes from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, which I grew up on. It definitely teaches everyone to be kinder to one another and to work through things productively. Apparently, Daniel Tiger is also tested rigorously with audiences to ensure the lessons and undertones all land well. There are childcare experts involved in producing each episode and that gives me confidence that it’s the best show out there for kids learning how to make better choices and understanding their emotions.
After the change, it wasn’t perfect all the time (and there were some hitting incidents), but overall, it had been noticeably better recently. When things are trending in the right direction, it’s up to parents to try and shake things up in a positive way. Over time, I’ll let them watch other things when they are consistently making good choices, but for now, it’s all Daniel Tiger on tv for the foreseeable future!
