This little rascal sure keeps me on my toes between asking for a new pet everyday (right now it’s a horse, in case you can’t tell) asking us what school is going to be like when she starts in September and so much more. I remember when she was little people consistently warned me that as they get older the challenges get a bit harder, the questions get much more in-depth and they get bored waaaay more easily. Terrible twos, trying threes, fournagers… they all come with tons of fun – and a lot of energy!
We discovered pretty quickly that between me working two jobs, a two hour commute each day and daily house work that we needed to work out a system… mommy time, mommy livvy time, and just livvy time. Mommy time was when I needed time to clean, work or breathe, mommy livvy time is dedicated just to her, and livvy time is when she needs time just to herself. She had an attachment to her “smallpad” and often requests that as her livvy time – and we’re pretty okay with it! She earns some time on her iPad daily, and we encourage her to watch shows that teach self-worth, music, conflict resolution with friends and so much more. And there’s no shortage of options streaming right now!
Truth is, if Livvy is watching some of her favourite shows on Netflix, we can rest assured knowing that we’ve removed any shows we don’t want her to watch (just set your parental controls for their age group), and that she is contained in the kids only section. We don’t have to worry about her wandering out and finding any inappropriate shows or asking any non-age appropriate questions – like, hey why is that man bleeding with the knife!? (Thanks cable!)
From tackling peer pressure to learning to achieve five whole minutes without a cell phone in hand, addressing tough topics with your kids head-on can be hard. Even with the littlest ones, it’s not always easy to explain why you can’t get them that cute puppy and why they need to be nice to their sister. But with Netflix, your kid’s favourite shows can open the door for these tricky, sometimes awkward (hello, parents of tweens and teens!) conversations.
Netflix has a wide array of family-friendly shows for all ages, from infants to preteens and beyond, and many of them explore a range of real-life issues and challenges with equal measures of humour, angst and heart. No matter what stage your kiddos are at right now or what challenges they might be facing, chances are there’s a show and episode that can kickstart a dialogue around the topic just by watching it!
Watch Ep. S1E6: Stormy Weather/ Baba’s Adventure/ Rock Music
Mama tells Oona and Baba to stay close with a storm approaching. After ignoring her advice, Oona and Baba get stuck in a seagull nest during the heavy thunderstorms.
ResponsibilityWatch Ep. S1E1: Puppies & Guppies/Sorry We’re Closed Today
Larry and Laura Carrot want to adopt puppies, but quickly learn it takes responsibility in order to watch over and care for a pet of their own.
Watch Ep. S1E1: Babee’s Room
Buzzabee and Rubee compete over who Babee (their new sibling) gets to room with. Mom and dad must explain to Buzzabee and Rubee that Babee needs to grow up before she can share a room.
One of our favourite shows to chat about as a family isn’t a series though, one of Livvy’s all time favourite movies is Tangled – it’s easy to see why. Pretty princess, fun jokes, lots of action… but we really enjoyed that Rapunzel was determined to pursue her dreams, met and overcome her challenges along a very trying route and made some lifelong friends (even if one of them got the frying pan!).
Fact is, as parents we can’t be everywhere all the time, and it’s important for us to let our kids soak up all the lessons we can and encourage that healthy dialogue! Don’t be afraid to ask your kids questions, and make sure they know they can ask you any as well.
These are just a small sampling of the episodes and shows available for preschoolers, but there is even more! We encourage you to take a peek through your kiddos “suggested” list and see where you can strike up a conversation. You don’t always have to watch the shows with them, but stay interested and chat about which episodes are their favourite and you might be surprised – most of Livvy’s favourites are ones where a deeper lesson is within!
What’s new and streaming on Netflix?
{Disclosure: We’re part of the Netflix Stream Team and receive special perks for sharing what we’re currently Streaming with our readers – all show faves are our own.}
