They're missing out on an experience, but I'm also making sacrifices for the sake of having children. I'm not someone who thinks that those who choose to remain childless are missing out on life. I'm not a proponent of everyone being a parent. In Sleepytime, they not only manage to blend it together seamlessly, but make it enjoyable to watch for both kids and grown-ups. That's a lot to cover in not much time, and a lot of other kids shows would pick just one of those things as the focus for the episode. Seriously, the swelling strings and horns of the Jupiter movement make my throat catch anytime I hear them!

It's a great emotional note to cap off the episode, with the warmth of the sun paling in comparison to the warmth of a mother's love. I think that any parent will feel something when Chili says 'Remember I'll always be here for you, even when you can't see me'. If we haven't been there exactly, we've done something similar, because sometimes it just ain't worth it.

That moment when Chili comes back from getting the glass of water, sees her kid asleep and her bed taken, and just gives up and goes to sleep in the other bed. Also, when she's had scary dreams it's helpful to demonstrate 'your dreams are just your brain putting together your memories for the day, just like Bingo was putting together the hatching chicken, Floppy, and the planets'.

My 5yo has had trouble going to sleep the last few nights and it's good to point to this episode and say 'try having a glass of water, having a cuddle, singing a song, going to the toilet, cuddle your bunny toy' just as things for her to try. Showing that Bandit accommodates Bluey with a song, while making it clear that you don't need to be at your best in the middle of the night, can feel comforting for overwhelmed parents - sometimes all you need is to just show up and go through the motions. The ways that Chili reassures & comforts Bingo can be really helpful for a kid that is starting to want independence. They cover most of the solar system and actually have a recognisable Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, instead of just generic 'planets'. That, and they've managed to condense the highlights of a roughly 45-minute orchestral suite down to 7 minutes. After watching this episode I played the actual orchestral piece for my 5-year-old, and she recognised it and enjoyed listening to it. 'The planets' is one of the best pieces of classical music of the last ~100 years, and this is a great introduction to it without being overly intrusive. There are times to help them learn, and there are times to just go along with it, up to and including singing to them in the toilet in the small hours of the morning.įor me, it's the range of things they pack into a 7 minute episode. Bluey is desperate to avoid having to go back to bed, and Bandit is trying to parent while half asleep. It's like a comforting hug.īandit singing to Bluey in the toilet. I want that to give them confidence to do whatever they want to do, and reassure them that they're never facing anything alone. I can't be there for them all the time (and nor should I be), but I want them to know that my love goes wherever they do. Because I love you.' The world is huge, and my children will go out into it more and more every day, discovering so many wonderful things. 'Remember I'll always be here for you, even if you can't see me. This mirrors Bingo's own journey towards independence, and the feelings parenthood can evoke. It clearly breaks Bingo's heart, but she realises it's the right thing to do. The moment Bingo realises she needs to let Floppy go to be with the other bunnies. I could ramble on about this episode indefinitely, but instead here are a few of the moments that I love best about it:

Bluey sleepytime book