Bluey Helped To Heal My Inner Child

As Bluey's Big Play arrives in Singapore, we asked parents to reflect on how the show has impacted their lives

Image: Darren Thomas
Image: Darren Thomas
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When I became a parent, my Instagram feed soon became flooded with parenting advice, tips, tricks, memes... and a lot of Bluey memes.

This made me curious about the Bluey show, an Australian animated series that started in 2018. Then I happened to watch the episode Camping (Season 1, Episode 43) with my daughter and basically bawled my eyes out. The story, detailing Bluey’s friendship with a visiting dog her age who doesn’t speak English, came with the underlying message that friendships may end but in the moment, they're great, and somehow this really resonated with me.

Bluey for millennial parents Singapore - Camping

"Camping" from Bluey, Season 1, Episode 43

Bluey for millennial parents Singapore - Camping

For kids, the seven-minute episodes (about the Heeler family comprising of dad, Bandit, mum, Chilli, Bluey and her sister Bingo) are easy to digest and offer a world of imaginative, fun play. But for parents, there seems to be some element of emotional release that watching Bluey seems to bring. Case in point: the 28-minute special The Sign (Season 3, Episode 49) – which had parents flooding the Internet with all their feels.

I only had to mention Bluey to my friends to get passionate avowals that the show is a must-watch for parents and children like. In light of Bluey's Big Play showing at the Sands Theatre this month, I spoke to fellow parents in Singapore to find out how Bluey has touched their lives.

"I found myself healing my inner child."

Cam Khalid and her husband Jem Erguvenler with their daughter Zaza. Photo: Cam Khalid

Cam Khalid and her husband Jem Erguvenler with their daughter Zaza. Photo: Cam Khalid

Cam Khalid, a writer and her husband Jem Erguvenler who is in advertising, were first introduced to Bluey by her niece even before they had their daughter, Zaza, now 20 months old. "Oddly enough, the more I watched the seven-minute episodes, the more I found myself healing my inner child," she recalls, adding: "Who would have thought that a blue heeler pup and her family could have such a comforting effect on you?"

She feels that watching Bluey had a real impact on her parenting style and loves how it encourages imaginative play. "Honestly, Bluey is more of a parenting show than a kids' show," she says wryly. "It really encourages you to give your child space to be resilient in the face of failure which is all part of the process to succeed; and to never underestimate a child’s understanding even if they’re not fully conscious yet. For example, Copycat (Season 1, Episode 38) is a great way to discuss death while letting kids process it in their own way."

As a Singaporean, she feels Bluey is a way for Asian families to experience a different dynamic versus the more traditional tough love parenting style she grew up with. She also likes the gender balance in the roles of Bandit and Chilli (Bluey's dad and mum respectively). "We see both Bandit and Chilli on equal footing, even though Chilli is the more sensible one (go Team Mum!). They also forge deeper connections with the kids through emotional exchange. In Yoga Ball (Season 1, Episode 16), Bandit listens and apologises to Bingo instead of telling her to toughen up. This is important to me, as growing up in Singapore, I felt that my feelings were often invalidated by grown-ups including parents and teachers."

Bluey S2E50 Baby Race Singapore Parents

"Baby Race" from Bluey, Season 2, Episode 47

Bluey S2E50 Baby Race Singapore Parents

Favourite episode – Baby Race (Season 2, Episode 47): "It's super relatable as a first-time mum who compares and questions everything. Hearing Coco's mum Bella tell Bluey’s mum Chilli "you're doing great" turned on the waterworks for me. These are words I feel like every parent needs to hear. ​​It is also a great reminder that kids develop at their own pace, and that's okay."

"It puts things in perspective for parents stuck in the Singaporean mindset."

Danial Cheah with wife Margaret Tan, daughter Leila and son Adam. Photo: Danial Cheah

Danial Cheah with wife Margaret Tan, daughter Leila and son Adam. Photo: Danial Cheah

Danial Cheah has found watching Bandit (Bluey's dad) a humbling experience. "He definitely burst my bubble thinking I was a great dad," says the beverage store owner who shares four-year-old daughter Leila and one-year-old son Adam with wife Margaret Tan, a nail technician. Both parents feel the show has a fresh approach to common parenting techniques in this era. "Most importantly, it's always about focusing on having fun with your kids by being your inner kid."

He doesn't think the show's values really apply in a Singapore context but feels this is a good thing. "This is exactly why it's great," he explains. "It puts things in perspective for a lot of Singaporean parents stuck in the Singaporean mindset. It reminds us of the things that should truly be important in life versus the things we’ve been taught to value." 

And he sees how watching the show has affected his two children. "The older one has definitely started being more creative and into imaginary play. They’re still too young to contextually understand the meaning of each episode. But there are habits that she has learnt, like touching my arm to get my attention while I’m engaged in a conversation with someone else."

Bluey_S3_Granny_Mobile_004-scaled

"Granny Mobile" from Bluey, Season 3, Episode 33

Bluey_S3_Granny_Mobile_004-scaled

Favourite episode – Baby Race and Granny Mobile (Season 3, Episode 33): "I love Granny Mobile because it’s true how kids are more capable than you think. And Baby Race because it reminded us that every kid grows at their own pace."

"It showed me that parents aren't perfect."

Emmerie Wong and her husband Adriel Gwee with their son Joash. Photo: Emmerie Wong

Emmerie Wong and her husband Adriel Gwee with their son Joash. Photo: Emmerie Wong

Emmerie Wong, who works in research, stumbled on Bluey through Instagram when her friend posted a Bluey-themed birthday party in Australia. She and her husband Adriel Gwee, an assistant product manager, who both studied and met in Australia, felt the show brought back fond memories of the country. They now have son Joash, who is three-and-a-half.

For them, one of the key takeaways from Bluey is that parents aren't perfect, and that "parents and children can learn from each other". Emmerie adds: "Not everything in life will be smooth-sailing so we all learn to deal with our circumstances and improvise as we go. Most importantly, when we are fully present for our children, we raise emotionally secure and healthy kids."

With that in mind, she is seeing more of Bluey's ideals in Singapore these days. "Bluey encourages a lot of imaginative play," she says. "Parents in Singapore are coming to the realisation that kids thrive this way. There are more parents initiating play dates and encouraging kids to go outdoors. In some childcare centres, you see teachers taking the kids outdoors more often to play, and they have so much fun outside with their friends. I think more centres are adopting play-based learning." For her son, she hopes watching Bluey helps to build resilience and teach him that "sometimes life isn't fair, but at the end of the day relationships are still what matter most."

Bluey Pass The Parcel Singapore Parents

"Pass The Parcel" from Bluey, Season 3, Episode 14

Bluey Pass The Parcel Singapore Parents

Favourite episode – Pass The Parcel (Season 3, Episode 14): "I have too many favourites! But one of them would be this, because it teaches that life is not always going to be smooth-sailing and that you will not win every time. It also highlights getting good at losing which is an important skill to learn."

"It discusses issues that are swept under the carpet."

Isabel Tromans Singapore Parents on Bluey and Parenting

Isabel Tromans and her son Ilya. Photo: Isabel Tromans

Isabel Tromans Singapore Parents on Bluey and Parenting

As a speech therapist, Bluey is one of the shows that Isabel Tromans recommends to clients due to its slower pace of story and graphics, which allows children to sit and absorb the story's message better. "One day I decided to sit down and watch it with my son," she recounts. "And I loved how it discusses many issues that are often swept under the carpet in the parenting world (e.g. caregiver burnout, infertility, single-parent households) in a way that appeals to both children and their parents." She also believes it champions healthy family dynamics and normalises open discussion of feelings and development of self-advocacy skills. 

For Isabel, whose son Ilya is three-and-a-half, she has found Bluey useful as both a personal and professional resource. "Bluey has made me more aware of how my behaviour impacts my child and is otherwise very much in line with the style of parenting I try to provide. I’ve also found it a very useful tool to spark discussions with some of my clients around how to introduce difficult topics to their children or to develop self-advocacy skills."

She feels the style of parenting in the show resonates strongly with a younger generation of parents in Singapore. "As more research comes about the negative impacts of authoritarian or top-down parenting, there's a shift towards more responsive parenting styles," she says. "Bluey’s ideals and values embrace the idea that our children learn best through kindness and natural consequences – our job as parents is to be good role models and help them understand the consequences of their actions without using fear as a scare tactic." Most importantly, she believes that modelling respect in the form of holding space when they're overwhelmed or talking things through when they are calm, teaches them how to behave in society.

Bluey S2E50 Baby Race Singapore Parents 2

"Baby Race" from Bluey, Season 2, Episode 50

Bluey S2E50 Baby Race Singapore Parents 2

Favourite episode – Baby Race (Season 2, Episode 50): "Ilya is autistic and when he was a young baby, I was very anxious about him not meeting his milestones on time. I didn’t know it at the time but I was suffering from severe postpartum depression – I often had great feelings of inadequacy as a first-time mum, and anxiety around him not seeming to develop along the same trajectory as his peers. In Baby Race, Chilli goes through the same worries and eventually is comforted by a more experienced mum who assures her that she’s a great mum and that Bluey will walk when she is ready. This really resonated with me and it was so comforting to see it reflected in a children’s show. For Ilya, who was watching it together with me, it introduced the idea that not all children develop at the same pace. It helps him understand that in many ways he’s ahead of his peers and in others, he is behind – and that is okay! What matters most is that he has fun with his friends and that they form meaningful relationships."

"It made us more empathetic towards our children."

Vanessa Yee Singapore Parents on Bluey and Parenting

Vanessa Yee and her husband Woo Sheng Ong, with their sons Asher and Evander. Photo: Vanessa Yee

Vanessa Yee Singapore Parents on Bluey and Parenting

For Vanessa Yee who works in logistics and her husband Woo Sheng Ong who is in finance, they got hooked on the show's energy and realism after it was recommended by a friend. They found that Bluey has helped them relate to their sons Asher, three-and-a-half, and Evander who is one, in new ways. "The show has definitely made us feel more empathetic towards our children's desire to explore the world around them in their own way," says Vanessa. "This has made us more patient when the kids seem to be behaving in a way that we initially perceived to be less than ideal."

She notes that in Singapore, it's common to push kids to be more competitive, result-oriented and goal-focused, "in order to win the rat race". But the show encourages children (and parents) to take things a bit slower. "We could definitely learn from Bluey to let our children enjoy the learning journey through play and self-exploration, while also making this journey a two-way conversation to understand what our children want to achieve."

Ultimately, she hopes her kids become more confident to express themselves, and try out new things even if they sometimes fail. "And see that having a sibling makes life more fun, even if they may not see eye to eye."

Bluey Obstacle Course SIngapore Parents

"Obstacle Course" from Bluey, Season 3, Episode 3

Bluey Obstacle Course SIngapore Parents

Favourite episode – Obstacle Course (Season 3, Episode 3): "Most parents probably dislike this episode for Bandit's over-the-top trash talk and competitiveness, but I appreciated this element for acknowledging that parents do have flaws, so we have to work together to overcome them. Kudos to Chilli for being the positive force in this episode and encouraging Bluey to persevere and to do things with integrity even though winning through cheating might have given Bluey some initial boasting rights."

Catch Bluey's Big Play at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands from 13 to 23 June, 2024. Ticket prices range from $38 to $108, excluding booking fee. The show is approximately 50 minutes long. Buy your tickets here.

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