Part of our school day routine is to watch an episode of Sponge Bob Square Pants while waiting for Ashley and Ronnie’s school bus. This morning’s episode found Bob very unhappy because he wasn’t normal.
Sponge Bob’s friend, Squidward, yelled at Bob about how abnormal he was, listing all the things that he (Squidward) found to be weird – Sponge Bob’s freckles, the shape of his body, the way he talked, how happy he always was.
Bob was crushed! He immediately embarked on a campaign to become more normal. He bought a book about how to be normal. He engaged a teacher who could help him learn to be normal, and he practiced and practiced being normal.
Once he felt he was normal enough, Sponge Bob headed off to work – all the square edges rounded, his speech more refined, his clothes just so. At first Squidward and Mr. Krabs, Bob’s employer, loved the changes. The kept complimenting Bob for taking the initiative to be more normal, and they complimented themselves on having the foresight to advise Bob that his abnormality was just wrong.
It wasn’t long though before Squidward and Mr. Krabs began to miss the Bob that they knew. The felt he was not just normal but also boring. They truly missed his “Sponge Bobness.” Finally, it was Patrick, Bob’s best friend, who told him that he was best when he was himself. Sponge Bob immediately worked to restore himself to his former fun-loving, shrill-voiced, square-bodied awesomeness, and the episode ended with everyone happy again, even Squidward, the show’s perpetual grump.
I don’t know about you, but I refuse to let my children be “taught’ or bullied into being something they are not. I love their quirkiness, the individuality, the way they look and talk and approach the world, and especially their happy natures. Even their “Sponge Bobness”!!
Thanks for the reminder, Sponge Bob!
We love Spongebob and I remember seeing that episode. We also encourage our kids to be who they are. We are the black sheep. My daughter wants to do a lot of "normal" things and I cringe sometimes but she has to be who she is and not a copy of us or anyone else. The only time I put restrictions on her is with things that are inapropriate like high heals, cloting that exposes her body, watching tv that is too mature for her age, etc. I don't wear make up and things it's horrible that anyone else wears it but she is into it and I bought her some for Christmas. She is only allowed to wear it at home. I pick my battles. I want my kids to learn how to make the right decisions on their own, not just how to live by someone else's rules and follow orders.
ReplyDeleteI worry at times that my son is becoming too dependant on other's telling him what to do and when. Having a child that is very compliant can be harmful to them, especially if they preyed on by someone who wants to hurt them.
We all have the right to be who we are : )