For the Love of Kids Shows

Once upon a time, I shared the above meme on our Facebook page and social media stories. A reply to the story comes into our inbox saying (paraphrasing here) "Pokemon is made for kids, get a job." When Joe saw the message, he got into a "discussion" with this fellow. Let me tell you, it's pointless to argue with Joe. It's not productive for you and it's not productive for Joe.

That conversation happens months ago, but I still think about it sometimes. I try not to get frustrated about the guy or the conversation. But I think about why I watch "kids shows" and why I'm okay with that.

With my 18-month-old daughter running and playing and watching, my wife and I have become increasingly aware of how much she catches when we watch TV. Do we feel comfortable watching Agents of SHIELD with Daisy fighting this villain and that (and getting bloody sometimes)? Are we okay watching Friends with the adult jokes? She may not be able to speak in complete sentences, but our little girl understands more than we realize.

I wrote previously that as a young adult I once thought I had to forget about my childhood interests. Digimon, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh. Everything. I thought I had to let go of it all for the sake of being an adult. You can read more about that in my Digimon Kizuna post, but the fact of the matter is that I still enjoy them (except maybe some of the Yu-Gi-Oh sequels...).

And I'm okay with that. What's wrong with enjoying wholesome content about kids on an adventure? In the Bible, Paul says "when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11). Take "childish" to mean what you will. To me it's childish to throw tantrums and to be selfish. Is it childish to have the desire to go on an adventure, to experience something fantastic, or to have lifelong friends? We might be experiencing it vicariously through Ash, Tai or Snow White, but it's no different than living it through the Doctor, Captain America, or Han Solo. Just made for a different audience. 

It may be made for kids, but it's also made for me (even if the writer didn't know it at the time). And personally I like that I can pull up an episode of Digimon or Power Rangers in the morning and it's appropriate for my daughter to watch with me. (Also there's the fact that, ever since we moved to Texas, my nephew wants to play against me with his Pokemon cards)

So if you'll excuse me, my little girl and I are going to enjoy some Power Rangers and I'll play Pokemon with my nephew. And I hope you enjoy what you love too!