Is Bluey Backed By Research?

I once heard of a drinking game for watching the children’s TV show Bluey : you take a drink every time the parents, Chilli and Bandit, stay calm in situations where most of us would lose it. Obviously I would never recommend playing a drinking game around your children—but the idea highlights just how impressive the parenting on this show really is.

If you haven’t heard of the show Bluey , here’s a quick run-down— it is an Australian show about a family of dogs with the main character being a 6-year-old girl named Bluey. The episodes are typically only 7 minutes long which is ideal for parents who want to limit screen time and still reach a natural ending point. Bluey is consistently ranked as a top 10 TV show for children. It is not only funny and realistic but also demonstrates positive parenting skills. One of my favorite experts on screen time, Dr. Jacqueline Nesi, has praised Bluey for promoting creative play, parenting skills, self-regulation, and healthy emotional processing . So is the show Bluey really “good” for children and does it really promote the development of social-emotional skills?

The Research Study

A recent study conducted on the show Bluey can help us to really evaluate the merits of this show. In particular, the researchers examined whether Bluey actually demonstrates resilience. This is a really interesting study because it is not only relevant to an everyday parenting decision (“What should my child watch on TV?”) but also can help us to better understand resilience and the role of screens in children’s lives.

What is Resilience?

Resilience is a buzzword, but what is it exactly? Resilience is the ability to face difficult life situations and not only survive them, but maybe even be positively transformed because of them. It is the ability to thrive in the face of all of life’s challenges. We all want this for our children, but most of us are not sure how to teach this important skill.

Let’s break down resilience a little bit further. Researchers have developed something called the Grotberg model of resilience . This model involves three different aspects of resilience:

1. I AM: the strengths, values, and personal qualities that help a person to overcome negative life situations. Examples include self-confidence, grit, and optimism.

2. I HAVE: the resources and social support available to a person that gives them strength. Examples include strong relationships with family, going to a high quality school, and having a church community.

3. I CAN: the ability to use coping skills, emotional regulation, and problem solving to handle difficult life situations. These skills are typically learned and can be a great target for intervention if you want to improve resilience.

The Research Findings

The researchers analyzed every episode of Bluey (150 episodes). They found that nearly half (48.7%) of episodes included resilience as a storyline. Creative play was also a primary or secondary theme in 48% of episodes.

Nearly all storylines about resilience in Bluey featured the I HAVE aspect of resilience (98.6%) which means they showcased how using resources and social support can make a child more resilient. Many episodes also featured the I CAN aspect of resilience (86.3%) and the I AM aspect of resilience (72.6%), meaning they demonstrated how a child can use personal qualities or coping skills to be more resilient.

Resilience was often shown in the context of the family unit in Bluey (in 86.3%). In particular, the parents often modeled and supported the development of emotional regulation. The researchers stated that: “Our findings suggest that Bluey not only models resilient behaviors in children but also demonstrates how caregivers can actively foster resilience through everyday interactions. “

So How Can You Encourage Resilience in Everyday Interactions like the Parents in Bluey?

We as parents can learn a lot about how to encourage resilience in our children from the show Bluey . If you don’t want to watch all 150 episodes like the researchers did, here is your cheat sheet:

1. Reassure your children that you are always there to help them if needed. For example, in one episode Bingo is trying to sleep in her own bed and her mother tells her: “You do your best, honey. But remember, I’m always here if you need me”.

2. Encourage children to first express emotions and then use their coping skills. After Bingo accidentally drops Chilli’s Mother’s Day breakfast, Chill models coping skills: “I have a little cry, I pick myself up, dust myself off and keep going””

3. Encourage independence. Chilli encourages Bingo to learn to play independently when she doesn’t want to :“Sweetie, you are just not used to it, just give it a go”.

4. Teach kids how to communicate needs. Chilli tells Bingo to use her “big girl bark” and says “Sometimes you play too rough with me. I am only four” when others are playing roughly with her.

5. Use positive reframing. When Bluey and Bingo are playing with a balloon and it pops, their mother reminds them that balloons don’t last forever and that’s what makes them special.

Other Ways To Enhance Resilience

1. Coviewing really enhances learning. Watch Bluey with your child to really see the benefits for resilience. Research finds that coviewing TV shows can enhance learning, particularly when parents ask children questions about what is happening on screen and relate it to their own lives (for example, “How did Bingo help herself to feel better? When might you do the same thing yourself?”)

2. Use books to build resilience. TV shows aren’t the only way to build resilience, research finds that stories and books can build these skills as well. My new book What To Do When You Feel Like Biting has many research-backed strategies for emotional regulation (even if biting is not an issue for your child, you might still find these strategy helpful) and you can pre-order it here . Other books that I recommend for building resilience include: The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes, The Rabbit Who Listened, and I Can Do Hard Things.

3. Check out Sesame Street resources:The Sesame Street website also includes many free resources related to resilience . These include free videos, songs, and books to build resilience. These resources are based on research and developed in consultation with experts on child development.

Overall Translation

The children’s show Bluey offers thoughtful examples of how to encourage resilience in kids, providing valuable lessons not just for children, but for parents too. While more research is needed to determine whether watching Bluey directly improves resilience, the show can serve as a great conversation starter. With or without Bluey’s help, parents can support their children by helping them identify sources of support, recognize their own strengths, and develop coping skills to handle life’s ups and downs.

And if all else fails, just ask yourself: what would Chilli and Bandit do?