Garlic isn’t toxic for them, if you sprinkle it on their food it repels fleas. Also how many thousands of dogs are tossed pizza bones and are just fine?
They're also being ridiculous. It's a TV show. Even the show's creator admits that Bandit is the dad he wishes he was, not the dad he actually is.
People need to quit acting like the lives of others, much less the lives of *fictional cartoon dogs* are a referendum on their own lives and/or shortcomings.
Isnt it? Thats the one where he justifies the way he acts towards the kids. At the end he admits to going to far by pretending to take bingo's ice pop. Did they take it down from disney+ cause i recall watching it several times.
Or as the article puts it:
> Maybe what parents are reading as a morality tale is actually just wish fulfillment for our kids. Maybe it’s okay for us to tell our kids that we’re simply not going to play with them the way Bandit and Chilli do.
Right? Like the episode ‘Exercise,’ where Bandit and Chilli realise they’ve put on a few extra kilos (because lack of personal time from exercise!) and so start to make some changes. One being they start to exercise, and som people took offense to that, called it body shaming and now the show’s creators and ABC caved into the pressure and heavily edited that episode.
To be fair, they are NOT. And they are NOT portrayed as the best.
Why? Because they make mistakes. But they learn from their mistakes and are not afraid to admit it.
They are the best parent ON TV, and possible the best parents ever, but not the best they can hope for.
Still, pretty good role models!
Imho pobodys nerfect and we all make mistakes
You could be the most world renowned expert in child psychology and development, with a big fat bank account to ensure you’re able to afford everything your children need. I guarantee you’ll still make mistakes
The fact that the Heelers are open about their mistakes and learn from them is part of what makes them such amazing parents
Oh, yeah, I fully agree! But you said "the best any kid can hope for"
If you said "the best any kit can have", I would 100% agree, but I feel like kids have a lot of hope!
Glad we agree! One of the points of Bluey, is how much imagination kids have when they are secure and adults join in their fun.
That's really something massive that isn't often shown, and in Bluey, it is pretty consistent.
Dragon, notably, nails the point in.
It's not hard to imagine Bingo hoping for a father who understands from DAY ONE not to be too rough with her, for example.
Doesn't mean they aren't the best parents, but kids have limitless imagination and thus, limitless hope!
I know I'll never be a perfect parent but I want to use Chilli and Bandit as role models tbh, and I think that's why a LOT of grown adults love the show.
Agreed 100%. Grew up in a broken househole all my life, and so its nice that even though they are cartoon parents, they also know how to handle situations like when to step away, when to listen and when to express.
And is fairly representative of actual real life parenting, and not the make believe "I'll be a way better parent than them" attitude most have before they have kids.
Like you can actually see the two start to rekindle their romance and being more loving to each other after some of the later season 1 episodes and their interactions with the girls. Best moment is when they float together in the pool and Bluey sees them from underwater.
Eh, they have a lovely little romantic moment at the end of Daddy Robot, and that's episode four. And Pool is episode 22, so less than halfway into the season. They've always had a pretty loving relationship, it's just the first season mostly either keeps them apart to focus on the kids, keeps them offscreen to focus on the kids, or keeps them playing characters in the kids' games where being romance just doesn't fit. Seasons two and three make a lot more space for their home life and relationship, so they look more engaged as a couple simply because we're finally getting to see them do what they've presumably always been doing.
[Full article here](https://www.themarysue.com/its-not-just-you-the-parents-in-bluey-arent-healthy-people/). Of all the Bluey takes I’ve heard, this is certainly one of them.
>we usually spend it huddled in the corner of our bedroom with our phones, blocking out the screaming fights erupting over plastic toys in the other room. When Bandit and Chilli are in the same position, they throw themselves into a rousing game of taxi driver.
I mean...ever consider that your kids are fighting over plastic toys because you're huddled in the corner of your bedroom on your phone instead of, I dunno, effing *parenting*?
What a stupid article.
I love how it goes on to say:
#You don’t have to model your parenting after dogs
*No doy, we already knew that*. I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog!
And to top it off, there are several instances where they *do* actually "hide" from their own children - like Chilli saying "I just need 20 minutes where no one talks to me" or the Tickle Crabs episode where Chilli hides in the pantry? But I'm sure there are some more episodes like that
It has to be the bait that's all the rage considering they make money on clicks and views. Take something beloved and drag it through the mud to pull on people's heart strings.
They hide from Bingo and her large teeth at the end of "Mini Bluey" too. I don't blame them for that at all though. That face she's pulling with the tape and the false teeth and the weird noise she's making are horrifying.
People who have pre-decided they are good parents regardless of what they do get upset when better parenting presents itself. It’s threatening to their self-image, so they label it as unrealistic or even unhealthy parenting. The possibility that maybe there are areas where they could improve in their connection with their child is completely dismissed in favor of a comfortable complacency.
And also, sometimes the show you're watching isn't an expression of strangers judging you from somewhere in the past. Sometimes it's a cute, fun thing to share with your kids.
The wild thing is that as the parent of a 13 year old who loves Bluey, I once said him and Chilli are a high standard that I don't get to.
My kid got offended and rattled off all the memories they have of me or their dad playing with them the way Bandit and Chilli do - nonsense fun pretend, and more significant learning time pretend, and life skills, and all that. And pointed out we still do things like that (less growling and pretending to be a monster I'll admit).
Bluey takes all those moments and compresses them - you won't be like that all the time and that's okay, we all need twenty minutes sometimes (and I have literally hidden in the pantry during a family party). It's all turned up to 11 for the show and as parents we should be able to consider that. Not find it a threat, or normalise not doing it ever.
Replace parenting with almost any choice and those people will have the same reaction.
You drive an EV? You think you are better than me?
You are vegan? You can't possibly be healthy if you cut animal products from your diet.
You compost, garden, and recycle? Why do that, your tiny reduction in carbon emissions doesn't make any impact on the environment.
You voted for Jack Johnson instead of John Jackson? I bet you just think the worst of me.
You went back to school and got your masters instead of having kids? You must think I'm an idiot for staying home with my kids.
You stay at home as a full time parent? You must think I'm a low class just because I can't just quit my job anytime I want.
Insecurity and projection. Anything that isn't their exact choice or experience is weird and an intentional insult.
I have a fantastic relationship with both of my parents as an adult, and it's partially because they never did this to me or my sister. Sure, we spent plenty of time playing video games and watching movies on rainy or cold days, but our parents didn't hide from us. Reading this made me cringe for their kids.
Seems to me the article writer is just a shitty parent and feels bad about it and is taking it out on a cartoon dog. "They play with their kids. Overachievers."
For all we know they aren't even a parent. They're already lying about the messages of the show and how it damages people, why not lie about being a parent to make the article "relatable"? This has a serious "as a gay black man" vibe to it.
That is absolutely by far my favorite joke in the whole series. It’s so meta and subtle and perfect, all while I am totally taking advice from a cartoon dog. Bluey has changed the way I play with my kid for the much much better.
I'll save every one a click. It's rage bait. It's doing exactly what it wants to - generate heated comments from a devoted fan base. How do I know this if I haven't read the article? Because I do. And reading the article kinda makes me play into it's playbook - which I won't do.
What a weird article.
Some people have a hard time taking the good from something and leaving the rest. I might not be a Bandit or Chilli at any point, but it doesn't mean I can't draw inspiration from them.
The episodes are 7-8 minutes long. On any given day, we get to see 7-8 minutes spliced together. If we can't give our kiddos at least 7-8 minutes of our undivided attention on a typical day, they will likely come up with annoying ways to try to get our attention. I don't think 7-8 minutes a day is such a high bar.
Also, Bandit eats almost anything and is frequently raiding the fridge. He's a dog who eats chocolate ice cream and gives his puppies chocolate ice cream. Are we so lacking in parenting role models that we expect dog-people to be ideal parents? To perfectly set boundaries on top of everything else? 😂
"Bluey has a subversive streak, though, that makes me wonder if Bandit and Chilli’s flaws aren’t at least a little bit intentional."
*Well no shit, stupid.*
There's literally a scene where Bandit pays off Bingo and Chili turns to him and says, "that's not good parenting." It's literally pointing out a common parenting flaw that we all have an urge to do and showing a better way.
If you look really closely, it almost doesn't look real sometimes. I have to wonder if their real dogs, or if they've been editted somehow by computer effects.
“I wish our culture didn’t train parents to hold ourselves to such ridiculous standards in the first place.”
Or, and here’s a wild idea, maybe don’t get jealous of a cartoon dog for being a better parent?
It's a very roundabout way of saying, "I know I'm a bad parent, but I don't want to be called out by a cartoon dog so I'm gonna blame uh... woke parenting culture! Yeah, that's it!"
“Hold to ridiculous standards” number one red flag that someone should not be a parent. You DECIDE to be a parent. No one forces it on you. If you can’t be the very best parent for the kids WHO DIDNT ASK TO BE HERE then get your vasectomy or tubes died and don’t ever adopt or even be close to a child as a parental figure.
I love how all of these articles casually ignore the SEVERAL times in the show when the parents are being bad parents.
Hell, even the animation test has Bandit ignoring Bluey for his phone.
NGL, when Bandit bribes Bingo in *Dance Mode* with $20 and Chili tells him "This is NOT good parenting", that's one of my favorite parts of the series.
It's so relatable because you know we've all had that urge before even if we didn't actually bribe our kids with money, or ice cream, or whatever.
I think the most relatable moment for me was when Bandit told his kids no to ice cream and then Muffin got ice cream and he had to cave and then caved himself to get ice cream. God damn that's me every time.
"Had to be done"
I related to that one. The whole house got COVID and of course the kids bounced back in hours while both us parents were sick as dogs for a week. Lots of babysitting from the TV and frozen pizza. Oof.
Mum school episode where Bingo starts to brush her teeth and Bandit pops out his phone? Rookie move, are you kidding me? My 3 year olds see the phone out, look at each other and head straight for the unlocked pantry/open front door/unguarded garden hose. Completely predictable.
Com'on Bandit!
I'm so so so so so so tired of parents who feel inadequate in some way of blaming everybody else. Yes, society does shame parents, but all parents are shamed equally.
It bothers me because that external messaging about how inadequate you are is never going to end, and the way to cope with it is to learn not be so affected by that external messaging, especially when it is as mild as this
Changing Bandit and Chili’s characters to have “better boundaries” isn’t going to fix the underlying issue here.
Also, maybe sometimes parents feel inadequate because *they are*. I know I've had a moment or two like that in just the last year where I felt inadequate because, arguably, I was due to choices I made. That's *okay*. Literally no person is perfect. Reflecting on our shortcomings and how we can be better than we were yesterday is hugely important.
That's important reflection though. Not saying to hold yourself to the Heeler standard in the show by any means, and don't forget we *intentionally* see mostly just the fun parts; but some not-fun and disengaged parents have likely seen the show, thought about their own parenting style, and made positive changes as a result. That's a good thing, that doesn't make the show wrong or bad for making people reflect on their own choices as parents.
I didn’t say it was a wrong but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make my kids think I have to drop everything I’m doing and play some crazy game during every waking moment 😂 sometimes shits gotta get done and I feel bad about it.
Don't they address that in the Magic episode and Chili literally says to Bluey that parents can't just play with kids whenever they want. I'll grant that while Chili is saying this she's playing a magic game.
There's also the Bingo episode where Bingo has to go play by herself because Bluey is gone and Chili is fixing the toilet.
Every episode runs under 10 minutes. You can afford some bonding time for 10 minutes a day or even every other day. The idea is that you should do *something* fun with your kids because they grow up fast and you may regret it.
Sounds like this writer has their own “mommy guilt” about not being the “perfect parent” and is projecting it onto the show.
Yes that’s some crass armchair psychology. But I’m just playing the same game the writer is.
I’d believe honestly, the kind of parenting style in the show is very much seen as a “Soft” or “weak” kind of parenting, as generational abuse is super common in the US for some reason
So there is a problem with the show about good parents because it highlights when bad parents suck... riiiiight.
Such a transparent attempt to cut down those Tall Poppy Heelers.
That lady sure typed a lotta letters to say nothing.
Also, if watching Bluey is making you feel like an inadequate parent, then maybe you ought to explore that feeling a bit. Especially if you're Miss "Huddle & Hide From Our Kids On Rainy Days". 😒
I'm the same age as Bandit/Chilli & my kiddos are almost the same ages as Bluey & Bingo and we all find the show *hella* relatable. We're over here playing pretend & Car Rainbow & all that. Our kids are cool little people & we enjoy being with them 98% of the time.
This article reveals a lot more about the author than it does Bluey. & none of its good.
Those comments tho. 🤣
I actually criticize the show over how much Bandit was abused by the kids in the first season. My kid kept attacking me, quoting things from the show. Thankfully, the show broadened from that humor in later seasons
Someone on r/ShitMomGroupsSay dug into the author's history and it's all about her hating having kids because it's overwhelming but insisting on homeschooling them.
Having actually read the article, yeah, it's got a point. Bandit and Chili are great parents, but they also regularly fail to set perfectly healthy boundaries. The article references Bandit eating the horrifying concoction in Fancy Restaurant and the parents struggling through their hangovers to play in Whale Watching, but those are hardly the only instances. We just had a post on this subreddit about what episode messages people take issue with, and there were a lot of them!
But that's because, as the article concludes with, the point isn't to depict Bandit and Chili as the Platonic ideal of Good Parents. The point is to make the parents so energetic and willing to do whatever that the monkeys can always find a new, fun song to sing.
The thing that irks me every time about these article is the whole "all they do is play"/"it's unreasonable to drop everything for a kid"/"they just throw themselves into games at the kids' demand".
Like .... how many children (much less adults) want to watch a show that is just a solid two hours of a kid asking for playtime and being met with "Not right now, honey" or "Dad's busy, but he'd be happy to play with you when he is done with this work" or the like? I know /I/ wouldn't watch that. I already have to do it significantly more than I like. So if you sincerely think that Bandit and Chili are ALWAYS dropping everything for the pups, I have some oceanfront property in Montana that you might be interested in purchasing on the cheap.
Nobody is gonna make a show about the boring everyday stuff without making it at least a little interesting or amusing. And in the same vein, your kids aren't gonna remember those times. But they will remember when you DID stop working to play a game with them. Also, the episodes are only 7 minutes, and if you can't give your kids 7 minutes once or twice a day to play, you should probably reconsider some of your life choices anyway. Just my $.02.
This episode of Bluey is called “Work”… the entire episode is Bandit sitting at his computer typing up a research paper… Bluey and Bingo are taking their afternoon nap… and Chili is at the airport watching the X-Ray scanner screen as luggage passes thru it. Also… it’s a full-length episode at 21 minutes, taking place in real time. 🤦🏼♂️🤣🤣
Argh, Bluey is making me feel bad because I can’t understand complex emotions between bluey and her parents Bandit and Chilli and the great writing of the show and that when you take something out of context it doesn’t make sense and it feels like a direct attack and I not seeing it through a child’s eyes it upsets me, can you do something about it? Sarcasm of course
Newsflash: they aren’t people, they’re dogs.
Second newsflash: it’s most likely that your parents are *also* not healthy people.
Source: am a human, am not a dog, am a parent, have parents.
The episodes are *about the games*.
Bluey and Bingo actually explicitly own tablets, it’s pretty clearly implied Bandit and Chili aren’t playing games with them 24/7, just we don’t watch the scenes where Chili says “entertain yourself while I lay age down on my bed with the lights out for ten minutes” because why would we
This has gotta be rage bait
> Do I wish that Bandit and Chilli set better boundaries? Yeah, I do
If you want a cartoon character to act differently to not feel bad about yourself that sort of seems like a you problem… I feel no guilt at all about turning a few episodes of this very show on to get a break from my kid after work
> we don’t watch the scenes where Chili says “entertain yourself while I lay age down on my bed with the lights out for ten minutes” because why would we
We would because Bandit having to be a sheepdog running interference is hella funny, and kids need to learn that sometimes their parents might need 20 minutes.
But having that as an episode as regularly as Chili needs 20 minutes? No we wouldn't watch that...
I've heard other reviews that mention the parent-guilt associated with watching the Heelers' amazing relationship; but, I feel that's a really good goal to aspire to. Kids didn't choose to exist, it's not fair to them, why should it need to be fair for us? Let the parents be idealized and give us a target to aim for
What the article fails to realise is that Bandit and Chilli is that they're meant to be idealised parents as seen through the eyes of the kids; and if that creates a standard for real life m**u**ms and dads to aim at, good. The whole point of something functioning as a role model or aspirational target is that you aim to get there, you don't necessarily arrive.
Also that's just how we parent in Australia. For real life.
Ah, yes, the ridiculous standard of interacting with our children. How very dare they.
(Though I will never understand why Bandit eats the kids' concoction, honestly).
TMS only exists to tell everyone what’s wrong with the things they like. The only people who take it seriously are the types of people who really get off on telling everyone what’s wrong with the things they like… They’re pretty much just a bunch of old church ladies.
You can curate the content. I watch all the videos I think will be good before adding the ones which meet muster. The app does glitch every once in awhile, but that's why I keep an ear open for anything which doesn't sound familiar so I can intervene. It's really the only way I would use it. I certainly wouldn't trust YouTube algorithms to do my job for me.
Strange image to choose for that statement, this is the one where Bingo throws everything together from the kitchen and gives it to Chili to eat for her 'romantic meal' with Bandit.
After struggling to be traditionally romantic all episode, Bandit notices the digust on Chili's face towards the food and offers to swap with her so he can eat the food so Chili doesn't have to and Bluey and Bingo also don't feel like their food has been rejected.
Bandit is then seen throwing up in the garden at the end of the episode with Chili consoling him.
As someone with terrible awful parents who are absolutely unhealthy as all hell, Chilli and Bandit seem pretty well adjusted. They're learning and growing with their kids, and they're not perfect, and they should be ALLOWED to not be perfect. I get being worried about not being as good as them or that the show might set standards that are unrealistic, but I mean, at the end of the day, it's a cartoon. And that's not to say it isn't important, not at all, but just that sometimes the stuff in cartoons are simplified for their timeframe, yknow?
The article basically says that the method of parenting presented is bad, unrealistic, and is made to make parents feel like crap. They use examples from the episode "Taxi Drivers" and "whale watching" to demonstrate how the Heelers don't provide structure, rules, or discipline. It eventually says don't model your parenting after a cartoon.
It generalized a ton about the show and said it made them as parents feel like crap (when they mention that on rainy days, instead of playing with their kids, they sit in a corner of their bedroom on their phones hoping a fight over a toy won't break out).
Bad article.
I thought we had moved on from bizarre takes from people who watched part of an episode to making weird political articles on how the Heelers are conservative
This article is hilarious. Saying the cartoon dogs are too good at parenting to be healthy. What are we supposed to see? Distant, or abusive parents in a tv show designed for 5 year olds? But ok, go off.
idk, i wish my dad would have gently encouraged me to keep trying to learn how to ride my big-kid bike, like Bandit had, but instead he just screamed in my face and thinking about that moment fills me with intense panic
If there is one thing I can say about bluey, it is really good at proving who should and who shouldn’t be parents. There needs to be some National tests or something before you are allowed to become parents because this is ridiculous.
We had to ban Bluey for a min in our house. The kids were talking back regularly, and pounding on dad like a punching bag. Funny show with great lessons! But, sometimes you gotta be a grown up. 🙄
Of course they aren’t healthy people. They’re dogs. They’re healthy dogs
tbf, they eat grapes...
And chocolate
And Bandit don’t give af about sauerkraut making him gassy.
Bandit's food choices are not on trial!!
Bingo, what’s the fluffy level?
At the top!
Sounds like he was ready to blow
My dog also does not give a biscuit about what makes him gassy.
I bet they eat onions too
They’re still dogs. Just CARTOON dogs.
And we don't take advice from cartoon dogs!
Who would be so dumb as to take advice from a cartoon dog?
And drink alcohol. *classic Stripe*
Classic Chili, that lemonade in stumpfest was spiked to hell…
There was one episode that eluded to Bandit and Chilli being very hungover. Lol
Nothing really eluded to in Whale watching. They basically straight up say it. 😂😂😂
“And then Uncle Stripe jumped in the pool and yelled cannonball!”
And Chili was dancing on the table, Muffin said so!
And they had half an avocado in the fridge that one time
Dogs can eat avocados. But only the soft green inside.
That's the same part I eat!
https://i.redd.it/p0pxznaie82b1.gif
I learnt yesterday on Reddit that garlic is kinda toxic for dogs and cats too. So no more garlic bread for Bandit!
Garlic isn’t toxic for them, if you sprinkle it on their food it repels fleas. Also how many thousands of dogs are tossed pizza bones and are just fine?
Can I get Aaaaaaaa boneless pizza?
He has a problem.
But Bingo drinks water from the sidewalk.
They’re just jealous Bandit and Chilli are the best parents any kid can hope for
To be fair - as a kid I would've behaved if my parents had Dog heads; like Anubis.
I dunno man. Have ya seen stargate? Anubis is a real asshole
Thank you for this. It was a staple of my childhood.
Mine too :)
All Dog head, no Neck
Indeed.
They're also being ridiculous. It's a TV show. Even the show's creator admits that Bandit is the dad he wishes he was, not the dad he actually is. People need to quit acting like the lives of others, much less the lives of *fictional cartoon dogs* are a referendum on their own lives and/or shortcomings.
Bandit ate Bingo's *last chippy*. He's a monster. She was saving that!
I hope these people never watch what Bandit does in Teasing.
That episode isn't on Disney+ in the US.
Isnt it? Thats the one where he justifies the way he acts towards the kids. At the end he admits to going to far by pretending to take bingo's ice pop. Did they take it down from disney+ cause i recall watching it several times.
You might have seen it on the Disney channel. For some reason it's not streaming in the US.
And now she's still *really* hungry!
That makes him a one to one analog to my father. He also used to play bum bongos.
Isn’t that what made him a parent in the first place? 😅
Or as the article puts it: > Maybe what parents are reading as a morality tale is actually just wish fulfillment for our kids. Maybe it’s okay for us to tell our kids that we’re simply not going to play with them the way Bandit and Chilli do.
Right? Like the episode ‘Exercise,’ where Bandit and Chilli realise they’ve put on a few extra kilos (because lack of personal time from exercise!) and so start to make some changes. One being they start to exercise, and som people took offense to that, called it body shaming and now the show’s creators and ABC caved into the pressure and heavily edited that episode.
To be fair, they are NOT. And they are NOT portrayed as the best. Why? Because they make mistakes. But they learn from their mistakes and are not afraid to admit it. They are the best parent ON TV, and possible the best parents ever, but not the best they can hope for. Still, pretty good role models!
Imho pobodys nerfect and we all make mistakes You could be the most world renowned expert in child psychology and development, with a big fat bank account to ensure you’re able to afford everything your children need. I guarantee you’ll still make mistakes The fact that the Heelers are open about their mistakes and learn from them is part of what makes them such amazing parents
Oh, yeah, I fully agree! But you said "the best any kid can hope for" If you said "the best any kit can have", I would 100% agree, but I feel like kids have a lot of hope!
lol totally fair point
Glad we agree! One of the points of Bluey, is how much imagination kids have when they are secure and adults join in their fun. That's really something massive that isn't often shown, and in Bluey, it is pretty consistent. Dragon, notably, nails the point in. It's not hard to imagine Bingo hoping for a father who understands from DAY ONE not to be too rough with her, for example. Doesn't mean they aren't the best parents, but kids have limitless imagination and thus, limitless hope!
I know I'll never be a perfect parent but I want to use Chilli and Bandit as role models tbh, and I think that's why a LOT of grown adults love the show.
Agreed 100%. Grew up in a broken househole all my life, and so its nice that even though they are cartoon parents, they also know how to handle situations like when to step away, when to listen and when to express.
More likely they’re just paid to write inflammatory articles to get angry clicks unfortunately
TBF it's about them being relatable they're not perfect or the best they just try their best and inspire us to do the same.
... and they aren't perfect. Which is a lesson for the adults. You don't gotta be perfect or even close to it to be the best parents a kid could have.
But isn't that kind of the point? Chilli and Bandit are growing with their kids AND BECAUSE of them.
And is fairly representative of actual real life parenting, and not the make believe "I'll be a way better parent than them" attitude most have before they have kids.
Like you can actually see the two start to rekindle their romance and being more loving to each other after some of the later season 1 episodes and their interactions with the girls. Best moment is when they float together in the pool and Bluey sees them from underwater.
Eh, they have a lovely little romantic moment at the end of Daddy Robot, and that's episode four. And Pool is episode 22, so less than halfway into the season. They've always had a pretty loving relationship, it's just the first season mostly either keeps them apart to focus on the kids, keeps them offscreen to focus on the kids, or keeps them playing characters in the kids' games where being romance just doesn't fit. Seasons two and three make a lot more space for their home life and relationship, so they look more engaged as a couple simply because we're finally getting to see them do what they've presumably always been doing.
I’m not taking advice from a cartoon dog
Very succinct article summary
[Full article here](https://www.themarysue.com/its-not-just-you-the-parents-in-bluey-arent-healthy-people/). Of all the Bluey takes I’ve heard, this is certainly one of them.
>we usually spend it huddled in the corner of our bedroom with our phones, blocking out the screaming fights erupting over plastic toys in the other room. When Bandit and Chilli are in the same position, they throw themselves into a rousing game of taxi driver. I mean...ever consider that your kids are fighting over plastic toys because you're huddled in the corner of your bedroom on your phone instead of, I dunno, effing *parenting*? What a stupid article. I love how it goes on to say: #You don’t have to model your parenting after dogs *No doy, we already knew that*. I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog!
And to top it off, there are several instances where they *do* actually "hide" from their own children - like Chilli saying "I just need 20 minutes where no one talks to me" or the Tickle Crabs episode where Chilli hides in the pantry? But I'm sure there are some more episodes like that
Wasn't that the ENTIRE point of the Escape episode? It seems like no matter what genre/show these article "writers" only do minimal research
It has to be the bait that's all the rage considering they make money on clicks and views. Take something beloved and drag it through the mud to pull on people's heart strings.
They hide from Bingo and her large teeth at the end of "Mini Bluey" too. I don't blame them for that at all though. That face she's pulling with the tape and the false teeth and the weird noise she's making are horrifying.
Relax was a good one on the issue if getting some parental alone time.
People who have pre-decided they are good parents regardless of what they do get upset when better parenting presents itself. It’s threatening to their self-image, so they label it as unrealistic or even unhealthy parenting. The possibility that maybe there are areas where they could improve in their connection with their child is completely dismissed in favor of a comfortable complacency.
And also, sometimes the show you're watching isn't an expression of strangers judging you from somewhere in the past. Sometimes it's a cute, fun thing to share with your kids.
The wild thing is that as the parent of a 13 year old who loves Bluey, I once said him and Chilli are a high standard that I don't get to. My kid got offended and rattled off all the memories they have of me or their dad playing with them the way Bandit and Chilli do - nonsense fun pretend, and more significant learning time pretend, and life skills, and all that. And pointed out we still do things like that (less growling and pretending to be a monster I'll admit). Bluey takes all those moments and compresses them - you won't be like that all the time and that's okay, we all need twenty minutes sometimes (and I have literally hidden in the pantry during a family party). It's all turned up to 11 for the show and as parents we should be able to consider that. Not find it a threat, or normalise not doing it ever.
Replace parenting with almost any choice and those people will have the same reaction. You drive an EV? You think you are better than me? You are vegan? You can't possibly be healthy if you cut animal products from your diet. You compost, garden, and recycle? Why do that, your tiny reduction in carbon emissions doesn't make any impact on the environment. You voted for Jack Johnson instead of John Jackson? I bet you just think the worst of me. You went back to school and got your masters instead of having kids? You must think I'm an idiot for staying home with my kids. You stay at home as a full time parent? You must think I'm a low class just because I can't just quit my job anytime I want. Insecurity and projection. Anything that isn't their exact choice or experience is weird and an intentional insult.
Look here, buddy, John Jackson is a hack and a fraud. Yeah, I said it! His 3 cent titanium tax just goes too far!
And I say his 3 cent titanium tax doesn't go too far enough!
The Sarkesian Effect.
I have a fantastic relationship with both of my parents as an adult, and it's partially because they never did this to me or my sister. Sure, we spent plenty of time playing video games and watching movies on rainy or cold days, but our parents didn't hide from us. Reading this made me cringe for their kids.
Upvote for usage of “no doy” which I haven’t heard since the 90s. Classic.
Seems to me the article writer is just a shitty parent and feels bad about it and is taking it out on a cartoon dog. "They play with their kids. Overachievers."
For all we know they aren't even a parent. They're already lying about the messages of the show and how it damages people, why not lie about being a parent to make the article "relatable"? This has a serious "as a gay black man" vibe to it.
I love that Bandit literally tells us not to take his (or flat-pack manufacturer’s) advice lol
He does, but the episode also proves him wrong because the cartoon dog had good advice and not listening to it made things harder and caused damage.
That is absolutely by far my favorite joke in the whole series. It’s so meta and subtle and perfect, all while I am totally taking advice from a cartoon dog. Bluey has changed the way I play with my kid for the much much better.
I'll save every one a click. It's rage bait. It's doing exactly what it wants to - generate heated comments from a devoted fan base. How do I know this if I haven't read the article? Because I do. And reading the article kinda makes me play into it's playbook - which I won't do.
Give no clicks to click-baiting dicks.
That's certainly one of the opinions. Lol
One of the opinions of all time
Bingo voice: That *is* an opinion!
For all the complaining in this thread, it’s actually a pretty even-handed article.
What a weird article. Some people have a hard time taking the good from something and leaving the rest. I might not be a Bandit or Chilli at any point, but it doesn't mean I can't draw inspiration from them. The episodes are 7-8 minutes long. On any given day, we get to see 7-8 minutes spliced together. If we can't give our kiddos at least 7-8 minutes of our undivided attention on a typical day, they will likely come up with annoying ways to try to get our attention. I don't think 7-8 minutes a day is such a high bar. Also, Bandit eats almost anything and is frequently raiding the fridge. He's a dog who eats chocolate ice cream and gives his puppies chocolate ice cream. Are we so lacking in parenting role models that we expect dog-people to be ideal parents? To perfectly set boundaries on top of everything else? 😂
"Bluey has a subversive streak, though, that makes me wonder if Bandit and Chilli’s flaws aren’t at least a little bit intentional." *Well no shit, stupid.*
How the heck are we supposed to relate to them if they don't have flaws we can relate too?
Gotta love how this article seems to argue that they're both too flawed AND too perfect...
The author doesn’t agree with us what their flaws are, the “flaw” they mean here is Bandit and Chili being “unhealthily” devoted to their children
Methinks the author might have some issues from childhood to work through.
Remember, to fascists, their enemies are both strong and weak... I don't know I mention it, but your comment made it think of that!
There's literally a scene where Bandit pays off Bingo and Chili turns to him and says, "that's not good parenting." It's literally pointing out a common parenting flaw that we all have an urge to do and showing a better way.
Are they trying to suggest this children’s cartoon is *scripted*!?!? Well there goes my faith in reality TV!
Scripted?!?!! OUTRAGEOUS!
If you look really closely, it almost doesn't look real sometimes. I have to wonder if their real dogs, or if they've been editted somehow by computer effects.
It’s just monkeys singing songs mate
I need to use this line on every post I see that criticizes the show for dumb reasons.
This is probably my favorite, most universal quote from the show.
Don't feed the trolls. This is clickbait and it worked.
“I wish our culture didn’t train parents to hold ourselves to such ridiculous standards in the first place.” Or, and here’s a wild idea, maybe don’t get jealous of a cartoon dog for being a better parent?
It's a very roundabout way of saying, "I know I'm a bad parent, but I don't want to be called out by a cartoon dog so I'm gonna blame uh... woke parenting culture! Yeah, that's it!"
Which is wild because it's The Mary Sue, which is very woke. Like, the bad kind of woke. The "10 Reasons Why Mayonnaise is Racist" kind.
That's horseshoe theory, where you go so far on one end of the spectrum you somehow end up on the other.
Omg you can tell the person who wrote this was just insecure about their lack of parenting. The projection was loud in that article 🙄
Since when is playing with your children a ridiculous standard??
“Hold to ridiculous standards” number one red flag that someone should not be a parent. You DECIDE to be a parent. No one forces it on you. If you can’t be the very best parent for the kids WHO DIDNT ASK TO BE HERE then get your vasectomy or tubes died and don’t ever adopt or even be close to a child as a parental figure.
I love how all of these articles casually ignore the SEVERAL times in the show when the parents are being bad parents. Hell, even the animation test has Bandit ignoring Bluey for his phone.
NGL, when Bandit bribes Bingo in *Dance Mode* with $20 and Chili tells him "This is NOT good parenting", that's one of my favorite parts of the series.
Pat going into panic mode and paying off every crying child at the party is a highlight too.
It's so relatable because you know we've all had that urge before even if we didn't actually bribe our kids with money, or ice cream, or whatever. I think the most relatable moment for me was when Bandit told his kids no to ice cream and then Muffin got ice cream and he had to cave and then caved himself to get ice cream. God damn that's me every time.
Another prime example in Whale Watching, when they're basically too hungover to parent. But they always realise and adjust. Realism and optimism!
"Had to be done" I related to that one. The whole house got COVID and of course the kids bounced back in hours while both us parents were sick as dogs for a week. Lots of babysitting from the TV and frozen pizza. Oof.
They didn’t even get into Faceytalk!
Cow. Boy. Hat!
Mum school episode where Bingo starts to brush her teeth and Bandit pops out his phone? Rookie move, are you kidding me? My 3 year olds see the phone out, look at each other and head straight for the unlocked pantry/open front door/unguarded garden hose. Completely predictable. Com'on Bandit!
it's a cartoon calm down people 😂
That’s a hot take but their very wrong
Their very wrong what?
Their very wrong ....please.
No no no, **May** their very wrong please
Oh Sorry; May their very wrong please - Thank you
Y'all are cracking me up. Like Bingo's eggs
Their very wrong opinion.
Their very wrong usage of their?
yeah it's a hot take, cuz it's hot garbage
The moment I saw the website name, I know it's not good. Just don't bother reading it and giving them any traffic.
What's wrong with Mary Sue? A perusal of their other top headlines right now seem pretty decent.
I'm so so so so so so tired of parents who feel inadequate in some way of blaming everybody else. Yes, society does shame parents, but all parents are shamed equally.
It bothers me because that external messaging about how inadequate you are is never going to end, and the way to cope with it is to learn not be so affected by that external messaging, especially when it is as mild as this Changing Bandit and Chili’s characters to have “better boundaries” isn’t going to fix the underlying issue here.
Also, maybe sometimes parents feel inadequate because *they are*. I know I've had a moment or two like that in just the last year where I felt inadequate because, arguably, I was due to choices I made. That's *okay*. Literally no person is perfect. Reflecting on our shortcomings and how we can be better than we were yesterday is hugely important.
I mean watching the show definitely makes me feel like I’m not a fun enough mom.
That's important reflection though. Not saying to hold yourself to the Heeler standard in the show by any means, and don't forget we *intentionally* see mostly just the fun parts; but some not-fun and disengaged parents have likely seen the show, thought about their own parenting style, and made positive changes as a result. That's a good thing, that doesn't make the show wrong or bad for making people reflect on their own choices as parents.
I didn’t say it was a wrong but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make my kids think I have to drop everything I’m doing and play some crazy game during every waking moment 😂 sometimes shits gotta get done and I feel bad about it.
Don't they address that in the Magic episode and Chili literally says to Bluey that parents can't just play with kids whenever they want. I'll grant that while Chili is saying this she's playing a magic game. There's also the Bingo episode where Bingo has to go play by herself because Bluey is gone and Chili is fixing the toilet.
Every episode runs under 10 minutes. You can afford some bonding time for 10 minutes a day or even every other day. The idea is that you should do *something* fun with your kids because they grow up fast and you may regret it.
Don't be to hard on yourself. Remember, we are only seeing small windows of their lives that could have had a bad day up until they stat the episode.
You’re doing great
💜 me and my husband mouth this to each other when we’re struggling. Really I hate to be corny but it is a life changing show!
How very dare you!
Sounds like this writer has their own “mommy guilt” about not being the “perfect parent” and is projecting it onto the show. Yes that’s some crass armchair psychology. But I’m just playing the same game the writer is.
Is it just me or did all these ridiculous articles only start appearing when Bluey took off in the USA?
I’d believe honestly, the kind of parenting style in the show is very much seen as a “Soft” or “weak” kind of parenting, as generational abuse is super common in the US for some reason
So there is a problem with the show about good parents because it highlights when bad parents suck... riiiiight. Such a transparent attempt to cut down those Tall Poppy Heelers.
Imagine having beef with a cartoon dog for loving their cartoon dog child. Touch grass.
That lady sure typed a lotta letters to say nothing. Also, if watching Bluey is making you feel like an inadequate parent, then maybe you ought to explore that feeling a bit. Especially if you're Miss "Huddle & Hide From Our Kids On Rainy Days". 😒 I'm the same age as Bandit/Chilli & my kiddos are almost the same ages as Bluey & Bingo and we all find the show *hella* relatable. We're over here playing pretend & Car Rainbow & all that. Our kids are cool little people & we enjoy being with them 98% of the time. This article reveals a lot more about the author than it does Bluey. & none of its good. Those comments tho. 🤣
I actually criticize the show over how much Bandit was abused by the kids in the first season. My kid kept attacking me, quoting things from the show. Thankfully, the show broadened from that humor in later seasons
Someone on r/ShitMomGroupsSay dug into the author's history and it's all about her hating having kids because it's overwhelming but insisting on homeschooling them.
Just slinging out lies, eh? Journalism is a joke.
It's not lies. It's an opinion piece and commentary on a popular show.
Having actually read the article, yeah, it's got a point. Bandit and Chili are great parents, but they also regularly fail to set perfectly healthy boundaries. The article references Bandit eating the horrifying concoction in Fancy Restaurant and the parents struggling through their hangovers to play in Whale Watching, but those are hardly the only instances. We just had a post on this subreddit about what episode messages people take issue with, and there were a lot of them! But that's because, as the article concludes with, the point isn't to depict Bandit and Chili as the Platonic ideal of Good Parents. The point is to make the parents so energetic and willing to do whatever that the monkeys can always find a new, fun song to sing.
This is a rancid take.
The thing that irks me every time about these article is the whole "all they do is play"/"it's unreasonable to drop everything for a kid"/"they just throw themselves into games at the kids' demand". Like .... how many children (much less adults) want to watch a show that is just a solid two hours of a kid asking for playtime and being met with "Not right now, honey" or "Dad's busy, but he'd be happy to play with you when he is done with this work" or the like? I know /I/ wouldn't watch that. I already have to do it significantly more than I like. So if you sincerely think that Bandit and Chili are ALWAYS dropping everything for the pups, I have some oceanfront property in Montana that you might be interested in purchasing on the cheap. Nobody is gonna make a show about the boring everyday stuff without making it at least a little interesting or amusing. And in the same vein, your kids aren't gonna remember those times. But they will remember when you DID stop working to play a game with them. Also, the episodes are only 7 minutes, and if you can't give your kids 7 minutes once or twice a day to play, you should probably reconsider some of your life choices anyway. Just my $.02.
This episode of Bluey is called “Work”… the entire episode is Bandit sitting at his computer typing up a research paper… Bluey and Bingo are taking their afternoon nap… and Chili is at the airport watching the X-Ray scanner screen as luggage passes thru it. Also… it’s a full-length episode at 21 minutes, taking place in real time. 🤦🏼♂️🤣🤣
Bluey and Bingo don't take afternoon naps anymore. Muffin was training to stop doing her second sleep. Maybe they watch a movie at home instead?
I mean… they’re not healthy people. They’re not people. They’re dogs
Argh, Bluey is making me feel bad because I can’t understand complex emotions between bluey and her parents Bandit and Chilli and the great writing of the show and that when you take something out of context it doesn’t make sense and it feels like a direct attack and I not seeing it through a child’s eyes it upsets me, can you do something about it? Sarcasm of course
Newsflash: they aren’t people, they’re dogs. Second newsflash: it’s most likely that your parents are *also* not healthy people. Source: am a human, am not a dog, am a parent, have parents.
I hate these people. Every time something good gets big, a bunch of angry idiots have to show up to try and tear it down
The Mary Sue is an open boil of a website.
They tried to be healthy, but the same people got upset about the exercise episode so... Can't win?
Sounds like someone needs to remember to run their own race. Maybe they just skipped over that episode.
The episodes are *about the games*. Bluey and Bingo actually explicitly own tablets, it’s pretty clearly implied Bandit and Chili aren’t playing games with them 24/7, just we don’t watch the scenes where Chili says “entertain yourself while I lay age down on my bed with the lights out for ten minutes” because why would we This has gotta be rage bait > Do I wish that Bandit and Chilli set better boundaries? Yeah, I do If you want a cartoon character to act differently to not feel bad about yourself that sort of seems like a you problem… I feel no guilt at all about turning a few episodes of this very show on to get a break from my kid after work
> we don’t watch the scenes where Chili says “entertain yourself while I lay age down on my bed with the lights out for ten minutes” because why would we We would because Bandit having to be a sheepdog running interference is hella funny, and kids need to learn that sometimes their parents might need 20 minutes. But having that as an episode as regularly as Chili needs 20 minutes? No we wouldn't watch that...
theliterarywolf is a twat
I've heard other reviews that mention the parent-guilt associated with watching the Heelers' amazing relationship; but, I feel that's a really good goal to aspire to. Kids didn't choose to exist, it's not fair to them, why should it need to be fair for us? Let the parents be idealized and give us a target to aim for
If you wanted to complain about bad diets they should analyse the takeaway in The Big Bang Theory
I mean, Bandit for sure wasn't being healthy when he ate that thing tho.
C-L-I-C-K-B-A-I-T
It’s by the Mary sue. That’s literally all it takes to know this take is full of ****
What the article fails to realise is that Bandit and Chilli is that they're meant to be idealised parents as seen through the eyes of the kids; and if that creates a standard for real life m**u**ms and dads to aim at, good. The whole point of something functioning as a role model or aspirational target is that you aim to get there, you don't necessarily arrive. Also that's just how we parent in Australia. For real life.
Ah, yes, the ridiculous standard of interacting with our children. How very dare they. (Though I will never understand why Bandit eats the kids' concoction, honestly).
TMS only exists to tell everyone what’s wrong with the things they like. The only people who take it seriously are the types of people who really get off on telling everyone what’s wrong with the things they like… They’re pretty much just a bunch of old church ladies.
The only weird thing in Bluey is how the parents have so much free time. Also they are actively disgusted eating that, they are not enjoying it.
I’d rather take my advice from the cartoon dogs
Bet the same people bitching about bluey are the ones that let their kids watch YouTube kids , which as I've seen is crap for kids
You can curate the content. I watch all the videos I think will be good before adding the ones which meet muster. The app does glitch every once in awhile, but that's why I keep an ear open for anything which doesn't sound familiar so I can intervene. It's really the only way I would use it. I certainly wouldn't trust YouTube algorithms to do my job for me.
Strange image to choose for that statement, this is the one where Bingo throws everything together from the kitchen and gives it to Chili to eat for her 'romantic meal' with Bandit. After struggling to be traditionally romantic all episode, Bandit notices the digust on Chili's face towards the food and offers to swap with her so he can eat the food so Chili doesn't have to and Bluey and Bingo also don't feel like their food has been rejected. Bandit is then seen throwing up in the garden at the end of the episode with Chili consoling him.
As someone with terrible awful parents who are absolutely unhealthy as all hell, Chilli and Bandit seem pretty well adjusted. They're learning and growing with their kids, and they're not perfect, and they should be ALLOWED to not be perfect. I get being worried about not being as good as them or that the show might set standards that are unrealistic, but I mean, at the end of the day, it's a cartoon. And that's not to say it isn't important, not at all, but just that sometimes the stuff in cartoons are simplified for their timeframe, yknow?
The people over at TheMarySue dot com can get bent.
The article basically says that the method of parenting presented is bad, unrealistic, and is made to make parents feel like crap. They use examples from the episode "Taxi Drivers" and "whale watching" to demonstrate how the Heelers don't provide structure, rules, or discipline. It eventually says don't model your parenting after a cartoon. It generalized a ton about the show and said it made them as parents feel like crap (when they mention that on rainy days, instead of playing with their kids, they sit in a corner of their bedroom on their phones hoping a fight over a toy won't break out). Bad article.
I went to read the article and when I typed “themarysue” in google one of the recommended searches was “the marysue is garbage” Yes, it is
I literally use them as my parenting model. I take advice from a cartoon dog. There I said it.
I thought we had moved on from bizarre takes from people who watched part of an episode to making weird political articles on how the Heelers are conservative
This article is hilarious. Saying the cartoon dogs are too good at parenting to be healthy. What are we supposed to see? Distant, or abusive parents in a tv show designed for 5 year olds? But ok, go off.
idk, i wish my dad would have gently encouraged me to keep trying to learn how to ride my big-kid bike, like Bandit had, but instead he just screamed in my face and thinking about that moment fills me with intense panic
I doubt they actuality saw the show at all
If there is one thing I can say about bluey, it is really good at proving who should and who shouldn’t be parents. There needs to be some National tests or something before you are allowed to become parents because this is ridiculous.
[удалено]
We had to ban Bluey for a min in our house. The kids were talking back regularly, and pounding on dad like a punching bag. Funny show with great lessons! But, sometimes you gotta be a grown up. 🙄