@@cookncrook6902 I’ll agree as it is blatantly stated as such many times. Also, Teddy is an absolute moron who regularly refuses to be self aware and take responsibility and constantly projects on Bob accusing him of the very behavior he’s exhibiting. He and Gale are the two I dislike the most.
I always admired how Bob never really got his family’s eccentricities but he never let his skepticism dull their happiness and at the end of the day he really loves and supports how whimsical they all are. As I’m starting to create my own family (with my own whacky and eccentric fiancée) that’s a trait I hope to have as well.
My favourite moment in the show, while small, was when Gene wrote “Electric love” and Bob said “Wow, Gene wrote this?” Despite Bob not fully understanding Gene, he has no hesitation in acknowledging and appreciating that his son had undoubtable talent. Something a lot of dads and parents in general just don’t do. Really small detail but very nice.
Agreed, and even when the kids do something someone might not traditionally be proud of, (like a far in a jar, trash fashion, etc) he doesn’t discourage them and gets into it.
I think the relationship between Bob and Gene on the show is incredibly well put together. They are the two people on the family with more differences between them and uncomfortable interactions, but their conflicts and resolutions of those never feel forced or exaggerated.
@@guapagrande4789 It's definitely one of the highs of the series. Great song (rhyming Aw, Topsy with autopsy... Gene is a lyrical genius), good historical anecdote, wonderfully-punchable antagonist, Louise getting to be sort-of heroic and sort-of an ass at the same time, the way they get to involve disparate characters in unexpected ways (we get a love duet! Between Fischoeder and Gayle! In a middle school!!)... just, really firing on all cylinders there.
Bob’s Burgers is my comfort show. I grew up in a super religious/judgmental home. I’m raising my son to be accepting and this show has actually been a good example for that. Feeling included in their family helps me assess and process how my childhood shaped me.
This is my comfort show because I grew up in a family that REALLY repressed it's emotions and didn't like to be embarrassed I honestly can't remember my dad ever hugging me or my sister. I wanna be like Linda, fun and encouraging and always singing and my fiancé never hesitates to say I love you or kiss me, or dance with me I know he'll be an amazing dad Bob's burgers is such a wonderful ahow
I love how they are all truly terrible in their own way, but its never malicious or with true ill intent towards each other or with most innocent people. The Belchers are truly saints when compared to 99% of all of the other adult animated families.
I think my favorite part is that you can really tell that Bob and Linda really love each other. It's against the common depiction of married couples in most sitcoms.
i think another factor in the belchers being able to allo-parent is the fact they don’t live in a suburb. while not all, a lot of suburbs isolate the family both by distance from ppl they trust and the fact it’s easier to mind ur own business when you have your own, isolated space.
Yes, exactly this. We moved away from a neighborhood where we were really close with other parents with kids the same age into a suburb-ish area for a bigger house, bigger yard, etc. Instantly regretted it, a year and a half later we moved back to the old neighborhood, losing ~$30k in the process and into a house 1/4th the size of the suburban house. Best decision we've made for our kids, community is far more important than having a castle as a house.
Totally. Also, Bob and Lin are also part of the community and know a lot of people. Bob's block captain I think, and Lin is always part of the school as a volunteer or PTA. And she talks to everyone all the time. Is there anyone Lin doesn't know lol. I lived in a similar area in New Jersey growing up, with the shore and everything, kinda touristy. And businesses like these alllll know each other. A kid can run into any shop if there's trouble and the people there will know who the kid is. In my neighborhood now, if my kid goes three doors down, they don't know who she is. Which is MY fault, but still, it's weird.
I live in a suburb BUT my parents are involved like the other commenter said about the belchers. When I was a girl scout I went around the neighborhood. My parents speak to neighbors. In our cul-de-sac everyone knows each other's kids. So I could go 3 doors down and they'd know who I am... the businesses not so much because gentrification. Now, this doesn't negate the fact that being in the suburbs could be a factor in the cut off of alloparenting in general, I'm just giving an example that it's not the only factor. Seems to be more so the involvement of the parents in the community as the largest contributing factor.
I strive to be the kind of parents Bob and Linda are. Their kids know that they have them and are so open to new experiences, while maintaining a strong moral framework. And an innate sense of protecting their own. Like, Louise, as devious as she often is, will jump if someone hurts Tina or Gene. And they feel so comfortable being open and honest with everyone around them. Top tier parenting. 👌
They remind me of how my childhood went. But I was more of a mix of Gene and maybe Zeke. I was willing to scrap when needed. My sister and I were really close. But when I turned 14, my Dad turned on me over my hair and grades. It would be years before we'd be cool again.
I think the main reason that the Belcher children are so well adjusted, apart from being supported and loved, is because they have been raised with responsibility. They help out in the restaurant and see their parents working hard. They understand that their parents are working hard to provide for them and so I don't think they ever feel neglected. They can also check in with Bob and Linda at work if they need extra support
I grew up with parents like bob and linda minus the poverty. It was the best. My parents and I are still incredibly close and I matured much faster than my peers.
I think at least in the US, the progression to ‘helicopter parents’ occurred in big part to city planning. Kids cannot safely walk around today in most cities and towns without fear of getting hit by a car. Developments are regularly sitting next to a 50mph road, a mile or 2 from the nearest shopping places/hangout spots/parks that kids needs as a setting to have adventures away from parents. The big US cities do provide this but are inaccessible to many Americans due to the high cost of living there (think SF, NYC). Also, very very few places have good public transport. Kids essentially require their parents to drive them around in steel boxes to play dates/activities, thus literally destroying the spontaneity kids need to find them own. Suburbia hell has killed American child development. For more info, I highly recommend the channel ‘Not Just Bikes.’
While I don't think this is THE answer to the "why" and "how we got here"; in regards to the helicoptor parenting style. I DO think it is part of it. All of it. I enjoyed reading your opinion here, and I think you're on to something. Not the whole thing (not to beat a dead animal), but definitely on to SOMEthing. I believe the lack of socialization, discovery, and trust that children of today (and more specifically, children of "helicopter parents") receive is a huge problem. The constant concern of safety (in EVERY form), the constant need for control, and the constant attitude of "they're just a kid" has resulted in a myriad of problems. From a lack of social skills, to a dramatic rise in allergies and emotional issues, to an increase in those growing kids staying home, and on their parents insurance, mortgage, tax returns, etc. into their mid-to-late 20's. All of this is made worse by media (both news/television and social medias), divisions in education, and the constant need to label (and therefore medicate) evvvvery behavior. I work in health care, and I cannot even begin to tell you how many lil' Johnny and Suzy's I see that "have" ADD, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, GAD, ASD, etc, etc, etc... Children today (not all, of course, but many), are oversheltered, overstimulated (with digital babysitters and "friends"), and mistrusted to make their own decisions and discoveries, at a healthy rate/time. It seems a high percentage of North American society is one extreme, or the other: the youngsters are "raising" themselves, or being told how to feel/think and why. They need to go outside. Explore. Problem solve. Make mistakes, and overcome them- without being told how and why. Discover. In other words, LIVE!! And the first, real, sense of freedom and a mode of advancing my ability to explore, came from riding my bike around. I had divorces parents, and lived in a suburb AND on a farm. At one, I made friends and rode my bike, everywhere. At the other, I explored the woods and fell in love with nature (had a bike there, too- just a different kind 😏) and was infused with different forms of work ethic, at both. I didn't realize, until later, how incredibly lucky I actually was. The world is a dangerous AND wonderous place, and the sooner young'ns learn how to navigate it, the better. Just like in the wild. We do our future generations no favors, by pretending otherwise. Anyway, sorry for the book. 😏
@@rolmodel12. No apologies necessary, I totally agree! Yes, so many different factors played into it to create the certain socialization of today. It makes me sad. I’m a doc too and I agree the ADHD/autism dx’s are so much higher today than even 10 years ago when I started clinicals. Absolutely, the media scaring parents and preventing kids from exploring/making mistakes/getting in trouble, the American push to make parents buy into college prep since birth, and of course reliance on like you said digital caregivers. I wonder how my kids’ generation will be, hopefully different since our generation may be the first who understand the perils of everything we have now in the global north with regards to childhood development. I know people who work in tech (google, Facebook) and they have a strict rule of no screens for their kids, cuz they know they are designed to suck you in. We’re not so strict but we do try hard to create an environment like Wisecrack is portraying here. Might have to be in a different country though, not sure the US still offers this.
@@rolmodel12. heya! not sure where you live, but where i grew up, there was a thing called "summer houses". basically most families owned a small house out in the country, ususally a small and uninsulated house near a body of water. effectively, you couldn't live in it in the winter. as soon as school finished for the summer, myself and other kids would be shipped out to these houses, accompanied by grandparrents or other non-working relatives (sometimes friends of the family, but that was rare). these places usuall had poor internet and bad TV reception, so you'd basically spend your days soialisng with people living in their own summer houses nearby, exploring the area and swimming in the body of water you were close to it was pretty fun
@@zilesis1 hi there! Honestly, that sounds amazing. My situation was due to my biological parents being divorced, but - in ways - similar. In that, at the farm, we didn't have cable TV (only public access) nor did we have internet, a video game console, or even central heat & air. We DID have a lot of land, a bunch of animals, a garden that was a square acre, and about 20 acres of woodlands and creeks. And, more importantly, we had freedom. We explored. Climbed trees. Used our imaginations. Built forts. I mean, don't get me wrong, we would drive "into town" and rent movies, and we all read a lot.... especially when it was rainy out and/or chores were done. But, we spent most of our time outside. Another similarity, to your situation: I spent most of my time out there in the summer (as well as every-other weekend and holiday). I miss it. It was a simpler life and time.
The Blechers is my all-time favorite animated family because all of them are difunctional in a wholesome way. Bob and Linda are not the best parents out and that's okay. They love and support their kids' weird hobbies and want them to be happy. I love this show so much.
The important part is the love. If kids grow up unsupervised in a family where love is absent or just vaguely implied they're likely to kill eachother.
Let's not forget individual personality and the culture you grew up in, also are important parts of who you are therefor different kids have different reactions and let's not forget that trial and error can be both helpful or damaging because judgmental people won't give second chances
I feel you there! Strongly agree. My siblings and I are a lot like Tina, Gene, and Louise. Same birth order, grew up in a family business, even similar personalities and interests in line with the birth order, I'm the Louise. We certainly had accidental and intentionally pissing each other off moments, but the love ran deep. We were more dysfunctional than the Belchers, but similarly eccentric, and as we talk now we realise how similar our love levels were and are to this family. Without that intense love and mutual protectiveness, we really wouldn't have the awesome Belcher vibe I feel we ended up with. 😂
I think how Mr Frond reacted in the Bobs Burgers Movie when Louise's hat fell off her head was beautiful. Shows how much he cares for the students and the Belchers. Louise especially
Bob's Burgers is progressive in all the good ways that count: they get rid of the 'bumbling fool husband and lousy father' stereotype, they open up to overdue ideas without preaching or pushing an obvious politicial message. They just offer something refreshingly new.
I think the question "Are traditional parents useless?" misses the mark. The real underlying question is something like "how can one best provide a stable environment for children to live in while also providing them freedom explore the world?". Because what is "best" or even "useless" is highly relative. Even the question of whether to divorce or stay married is largely dependent on the individual circumstances. I would argue that the reason why the children are able to go around town and explore is because of the stable home environment they have: no matter how crazy a day, they can have something to return to and establish a baseline. The nuclear family is perhaps the smallest stable family unit, but that comes with the assumption that it can support itself, much like asking "Are houseboats useless?" it has to come with the assumption that the houseboat is actually going to be in the water and near land. Not on a mountain. Not in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Evaluating the "useless" is highly dependent on the environment. It seems to me that this Wisecrack episode takes the negative stereotypes associated with traditional parenting as the definition of traditional parenting, and confuses traditional parenting with the nuclear family. For instance, at 12:14 you say "Bob's Burgers couples its celebration of a sort of apolloparenting by frequently critiquing your typical nuclear family relationships" and then use an example of a dysfunctional relationship between a father (figure) and son, something that is not exclusive to the nuclear family or even the traditional family. The phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" is true, however, that works as long as the village is itself, a functional unit.
I don’t think it’s relative. There is a bit to support that the way kids were raised in the past with greater freedom is a bit better. You’ll find a lot of examples where parents monitor their children like in traditional homes with their kids eventually not wanting anything to do with them when they grow up.
I think I see your point, but I have to wonder if stability is all that important, or even necessary at all. I guess we all probably need to define what "stability" means though, this probably isn't something that can be argued about just by using these terms. It should probably please most people to say that either putting your child inside a protective bubble or kicking it into the forest to be raised by lions are not really good ideas, and the best answers lie somewhere in the middle.
@@edumazieri The middle doesn't always hold the answers, that tends to avoid nuance. Kids do need a greater degree of freedom to explore and not be treated like they don't understand what's going on.
In addition, this case study is a piece of fiction. It cannot realistically serve as a good example of how this kind of situation works for the better when it frequently suspends the reality of the dangers they get themselves into.
I was kinda confused on that too and wondered a few times if they'd actually seen some of the episodes they're talking about.. Cos Jimmy Junior isn't even from a traditional nuclear family. His parents are divorced and he rarely mentions visiting his mom. Also, their whole assessment of Mr. Frond just seems off. He does not take the mental well-being of his students all that seriously lol. He's just nosy and seems to have a bit of a hero complex when it comes to his role as a counselor, even though he's a *terrible* counselor. He didn't teach the kids about the nuances of perfectionism, at least not directly. Tina made a great point about kids feeling safer to talk to him if he was more open about his flaws, and he proceeds to cut that down with the kind of things no one in a psychological field should ever say. They learned the lesson they learned in that episode by ignoring Frond and using the example of his sad life as a way to redirect their own behavior.
4:35 is such a great example of how true community should be as well. While Edith and Harold strongly dislike Bob and his family, Their community of art over looks that and can be accepting of them within the community. I see this neglected in a lot of communities (car community, Gaming community, Etc) where one disagreement, can lead to a bunch of people in the same community not accepting of one another and disrespecting each other.
This is also why I get so frustrated with how openly and eagerly people shit on kids. I am purposely childless but it drives me nuts how many childless people openly resent children FOR EXISTING. I love moments where I can help a mom/dad who is exhausted and just needs a break. I love being the childless adult who therefore has the time/energy/$$$ to help out family/friends/strangers with their kids. Imagine how much easier parenting could be if communities understood that kids are kids and parents need HELP sometimes, if people were sympathetic and helpful to parents in public situations instead of being irritated to SEE children exist. I wish people could just enjoy these obnoxious mini-humans (all the way through their awkward teen phases, too!) and be a community that guides them and teaches them. Kids deserve respect and kindness, too (even when they're sticky and loud); do people not remember being young and just needing a kind word or a helping hand? You don't have to be a parent to impact a kid's life for the better.
@@koruscott6514 children raised by parents and a community actually produces an upstanding people person and sociable too but it's 50/50 depending on the community
Bob's burgers is my favorite show and has been for almost a decade. My wife and I watched it opening weekend, but ever since then I can't help but be impressed with how they got a premise that fits the show so well while also feeling big enough for movie.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and in many ways this is true, as it is a massive undertaking to give a child the attention and guidance it needs to grow into a a confident and well-grounded adult. Humans are inherently tribal and sharing the burden is something is a good thing. Yet the parents are the ones that should always be there, an emotional center for the child, someone they can always rely on, someone that loves them unconditionally, and also the ones to teach them empathy. Often in modern scociety children and parents dont get to spend nearly enough time together as work and school keeps them apart, and in cases like school the child lacks a grounding presence, as they are only one among upwards of hundreds of other children with teachers streched far too thin. So I genuinely believe that time with the family is a cornerstone in the development of any child.
@Thisis Gettinboring What you have described sounds more like a dysfunctional family, and the same logic can be applied to a society at large. I would for instance not want my child to be affected by society if they grew up in Germany around 1933-45. So for the sake of argument lets assume that both the family and community is wellfunctioning, then parents are still the most important people in the development of a child. Being present is not the same as being overbearing, or not letting the kids out of their sight, but rather its about giving the child some stability and letting the child know they are loved, that the parents are always there to support them.
Gotta love how Bob not only allows his kids to grow in their own way. Tina showing promise as some kind of Writer, Gene showing talent in music, Louise showing talent in schemes and manipulation. But he also has the patience of a saint with all of them.
I think Bob and Linda are great parents. My mom and dad both worked fulltime, and I had a lot of time by myself, but also with other relatives and friends of family. As an adult, I also appreciate that Bob & Linda are honest about the reality of being parents: that you don’t have personal life, you have to schedule sex and date time, that you are never alone and have to hang out with your kids, but it’s not too bad :)
i’m not really big on kids.. at all... but seeing the way bob and linda raise the belcher kids over the years has encouraged me to step up my game at being a good aunt for my niece, and i’ve never been happier :-) her parents work full time like bob and linda, so i look after her whenever i can, and i don’t know if any show has helped me better myself the way bob’s burgers has (outside of acting as a comfort show) ^_^
I love how their parents never react extremely. All of them by not reacting extremely build a safe environment for one another to be themselves. I'm so dazzled by this family specially how Bob behaves towards every childish thing his kids do and say. Before watching the show I didn't know living like this was possible. I'm so into how Bob and linda and even kids but specially bob don't judge one another. It's just so calm and safe to live in this family.
growing up with parents who own a restaurant where we live above it, i love bobs burgers. i never rlly find shows where i can relate to not only the characters but also their situation.
Always found it amusing that the Belchers were arguably the most well-adjusted animated TV family, despite the intentional absurd idiosyncrasies of the Belcher children. One could do far worse than using the Belchers as a model for highly functional family units.
I learned the phrase “It takes a village” during my childhood. Yes, you need a certain amount of guidance and discipline, but allowing kids the freedom to explore the world and people around them. Finding a balance between the two is, in my opinion, is extremely important.
As a parent who's located across the continent from the rest of their extended family, there's a lot of alloparenting that I miss out on. Lots of my peers can bring their kids to grandparents' houses for the day, or can spread out the duties with siblings in the same boat. I wish I had that kind of support, so I wasn't always stuck with having to pay for it (babysitters, daycare, et al.).
I'm in the same situation - My parents are across the country and my wifes parents are literally on the other side of the world - but we found a neighborhood with other families of kids around the same age (5-6) and they're always running between five different houses. You can count the number of times we've gotten a babysitter on one hand. My wife and I both are flexible in our work hours, which makes it easier, but I highly recommend finding like minded parents and living near enough your kids can walk there. Alloparenting is still possible.
I grew up during the 90s in Europe and here it was pretty normal for the parents not to interfere too much. My parents didn't keep tabs on me all the time, all they needed to know was my exact academic record, and they expected excellence in that field in return for giving me a lot of freedom. It was awesome, it gives you a lot of confidence, self reliance and experience, all the while making sure you can still effortlessly navigate through the highest academic achievements available.
child development shows that young children, between the ages of 7-12 need their parents less than teens. Bobs burgers proves this well, kids at gene and louise's age need independence to develop social and emotional regulation and learn about managing risks, which is great since you pointed out there are plenty of people in the community to keep an eye on them when they are out doing just that. Older teens, 14-18 actually need their parents more, but not in an active parenting role, rather than a passive presence in which they can explore their own emotional rollercoaster of developing personality/sexuality and risk management behaviors- and have a parent there when they need help, which for teens usually has much bigger consequences than a young kid hurting themselves playing, if you get my drift. being "with" your kids isnt always the best, ever witnessed a parent glued to their phone in the presence of their kids? Anyway linda and bob are doing awesome, and theres lots of excellent family units shown on this show, including regular rudy who is a latchkey kid
hmmm yes i think i've just found yet another argument for the commune i want to start… also this made me remember this time when i was a kid where we visited a nearby public school for some reason, and it had a mural above the entrance that said "it takes a village", and my dad was weirdly upset by it
2:42 I love the various adults in the neighborhood no matter their relationship with bob & Linda, they all take turns teaching or helping the kids. This is a healthy community.
Watching this show over the years had helped open my own eyes to how I even I was raised as a child. Being born in the early 90s at around the time when news was circling that children where being kidnapped or taken away in public places (there was a whole 60 minutes segment on it) would scare the hell out of middle class families especially people like my mother. I do recall how much my own mom would basically handle everything in my life from what day-care I went to, camp's I'd go, the taxes and groceries, etc while my father worked most of the time. My mother hated shows like South Park and Family guy and I never had a tv in my room till I was in high school so I never really got to watch those shows while much of the my friends would talk about those shows constantly. Gen Z kids don't know that before we had memes and phones we would just quote Anchorman or Family Guy at each other till one of us would laugh. My parents and especially my mother where great and loving people but I never got over how much it felt like they where shielding me from much of culture my generation was growing up in. It becomes just hard to stay connected with those same friends when you feel this out of the loop. As an adult I have great job a loving girlfriend whom I plan to get married with and great friends I can rely on. I don't think I couldn't have done it all with out the support my parents provided me even if it wasn't always perfect in my eyes.
Here's the thing, parents are never going to know what their kids are up to, unless the kids say something. I feel like thats part of being a kid and it's not up to the parents half of the time. kids are gonna do whatever until they need their help. I will say that the Belcher children are never alone and when Linda and Bob eventually know what's happening they come rushing or (if not too dangerous) trust their kids enough to handle it themselves. I do like how they kids can't help themselves in telling their parents what happened and I do like that at the time that they do hide from their parents, they get caught and like I said before the parents come rushing to help each their children.
Bobs burgers reminds me a lot of my own childhood. Growing up with parents in the restaurant industry and the freedom to roam around town. Times are different now.
Definitely a better example of how parenting effectively has to be done among the working class. I think I could aspire more to this type of parenting in the future. It's wonderful for parents to want all the best advantages for their children and yet a decreasing amount of them will likely have the resources to do such without involving friends, family, teachers, etc...
Centralized power destroys most institutions. This is especially true with families when as many people as possible have influence influence on the people that surrounds them they become a lot wiser than if given information from one group or individual
I think I can trace back my happiest moments as a child, and my best qualities as a human being to some of the similarities between how the Belchers raise their kids and how my parents raised me. I had this kind of freedom in my small community, this sort of alloparenting provided by neighbours and local shop owners, I had the full support of my parents for my interests and I was never told I wasn't allowed to do something without a sensible explanation as to why, besides their unquestioned authority. I gives you so much and helps you so much in navigating the world. I can't imagine not having had all of that and I feel very sorry for the younger generations being raised in modern cities where this kind of practice is getting harder and harder to find.
I did NOT have a good childhood so I really appreciate bobs burgers and other kids shows that had a weird but loving family and yes I still watch them all so 🤷🏻♀️
They're great parents! They never make their kids feel bad about being who they are but still try to give them the ability to make decent choices, and keep them safe enough. It's fine to get in some trouble, as long as no one's life is going to be ruined by it. Also, the Belchers allow themselves to learn from each other, and that's a rare and valuable trait
I keep on saying to my kids that I can never be a perfect father to them but I can only try to be a good father. Parenting is not as easy as others would assume to be.
The point is not how much time you spend with your parents as a kid, but how empathetic they are towards your needs during your upbringing, and the sense of security they are capable of conveying you. I grew up in a pretty neglectful alloparental situation. My best friend has had an elicopter mom who watched her every move instead. Opposite situations, but we both grew up to be very insecure and couldn't find our path before we hit 30, because nor my parents nor her mom were willing to truly connect with us. If Bob and Linda were true people, I would say they are great parents, because yes, they often have somebody else take care of their kids, but they made their kids confident, before they sent them out into the world. They did so by making whatever amount of time they can spend with them count and making them feel seen. They know what their kids like and need, their dreams and aspirations, they are busy but they are still there to correct the course when needed (like in the "Thelma & Louise Except Thelma is Linda" episode). This is how you make an alloparental upbringing work, otherwise it's just a way to get rid of your kids, potentially putting them in danger in the process.
Wisecrack is growing up! Obviously the staff has hands on experience with raising kids. We have a built an ad-hoc alloparenting group in our neighborhood, over years of getting to know the families and building trust. Our kids are 5-6yo and run freely between five different houses on the street. I didn't even know there was a word for it - alloparenting - it just felt natural and the kids are thriving under it. Pretty excited to tell the other parents there's a name for what we're doing
Started watching these show couple years ago and I love it the more I see it❤ I love the belcher kids and how true it themselves they are. How the adults in the neither are all there for everyone else kids. (And how awesome an uncle teddy is) the community is honest with who they are with themselves and all there for each other.
they seem to live in a small town, and they have a network of trust worthy adults. they always have someone to go to, and bob and linda always at least think they know where they are
Thank you for giving me one more reason to love this show... not that I can love it more than I already do, but it's good to know there's always one more reason ☺
Before even watching this video, I have to say I think Bob’s Burgers is one of the best representations of a loving family. Everything isn’t perfect, the family doesn’t always get along, but everyone in the family loves and supports one another. It’s difficult to find this sort of thing on TV anymore. Regardless of anyone’s opinions, the only show I can think of that showed a realistic and functional family would be Roseanne. Usually there are too many tropes in shows, the biggest one being the imbecile father figure who is portrayed as both the protagonist and the antagonist. Shows animosity towards his wife and children while also being a doofus (think Homer in The Simpsons). I was very late to Bob’s Burgers. After the first episode I saw, I binged every episode. No one in the family is condescending, mean or dysfunctional. Also, no one in the family is a martyr or truly exceptional. They’re all just regular, eccentric but normal people. They support each other in adversity, they accept one another, they may tease each other but ultimately they are a loving family. It’s SUCH a great show.
I mean Bob and Linda did have issues with the nude beach incident, the Topsy thing, Linda had an issue with Bob inviting his "Night-time friends" to Tina's 13th birthday party, etc. The lesson we need to take from them is how they deal with these things. They stay proud and level-headed about things because they tend to trust their kids to figure things out for themselves to the point where their kids know they'll need an adult's help. They don't pry and they don't hover over them. Sure Linda reads Tina's diary, but Tina doesn't seem to care as much about it as we would think a sheltered helicopter child would freak out if they knew their parents did that. The Philosophy of Bob's Burgers, I think, is Trust. Trust that your kids can figure the world out on their own, and trust that they'll come to you for help if they don't. Trust that the people in your life can enrich you and your family's lives by not judging them too hard. Trust that no matter how hard life seems to feel, and how overwhelming it all can be, at the end of the day you'll always have people around you that you can rely on, regardless if they're family or not.
if i ever have kids i want them to grow up like the belcher kids i think that how bob and linda have raised them should be a model for all families as much as possible
this video told me more about you guys than it did about the show, because i never even perceived their parenting that way... maybe it's because of our cultural gap, but i always saw the Belchers as a very basic normal representation of a normal everyday family, that didn't need an entire philosophy video essay written about.. so that whole intro about nuclear families and neglect and all that other stuff that never even crossed my mind watching the show, really really confused me and made me watch this video through an outsiders perspective lens..
Yeah I’m late but I agree, this video is kinda BS. He’s leaving out the fact that the show paints getting divorced in a very negative light. Also the Belchers aren’t carefree parents, they literally spend so much time with their kids who don’t have any activities or friends and just hang out at home/in the restaurant
My parents owned a Townie restaurant in MA and Bob’s Burgers literally feels like my life, I had to work a lot, but I had a lot of freedom and would also take the subway downtown alone @ 12 and go to gay pride when I was figuring some things out. My parents weren’t perfect, but they always trusted me, and I can handle a lot of social situation better than a lot of other people I met
14:27 I don’t think they’re as important, at the ages of the kids from the show, as they are during the first years. From birth to like six, parents are pretty important, but their importance diminishes as the kids grow up and discover society.
Sad I missed this video until now... Bob's has become my favorite family sitcom. I originally thought it lost the thread around 5 seasons in, but I later went back and realized that no, it just steers into the sincere and I had to adjust. So good you guys.
It’s 100% true it takes a village to raise a child, it’s good for the kid. Different perspectives, livelyhoods, and new solutions to weird situations. They even made people better! The Addams family and the Belchers are my favorite families. I have seen anti nuclear families create the best children!
I had a weird childhood. I had both my parents who were emotionally and mentally neglectful, but I was also given a helicopter parent mother. So I'm doubly screwed up :D
Bob and Linda are not bad parents when in a unfair society they have to work twice as hard just to make ends meet. Where they will drop workbgor there kids. Both parents are there for their kids. So while they were usually by thrmselves the Beltcher kids have a loving and supporting family. True neglect is having a parent that doesnt care and one streched trying to raise 3 kids by herself
Even though Bob and Linda don't raise their children in a nuclear-family kind of way, ironically they're the only main/frequently recurring middle-aged adult characters in the show who are not single.
growing up in a small town in the '70's, it was expected that everybody looked out for everyone else, so someone was always watching us. 🤗 having said that, we were often told to "go outside and play", which simply meant to go amuse yourself somewhere else, which we did. 😈 the belchers live in a small town like that, where everyone knows, and looks out for, each other. that's what today's world is missing..... a sense of community. how many people even know their neighbors anymore? and how many communities are that open-minded and accepting? but parents are absolutely still necessary. they are the ones responsible for providing their child's basic physical needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc), as well as their emotional foundation, which should be based on the security of unconditional love, but often isn't. it really does take a village to raise a well-rounded child.... 💕
Best, concise vid on a great show building up the world of 'unconventional' family lives, 1 I know myself along w/countless others, many who are show fans, many others not. Beautiful family, & a very positive vid on a criminally underrated show. Thanks man, made my day honesty
Alloparenting is part of the appeal for some polygamist relationships. I came from a religious background and the church helped raised me when my single mom couldnt always be there. I can say it helped me a lot knowing i have a large group of people to go to and not overload my mom
I think in today with so many kids because sexually assaulted, and abused in all ways that’s the reason parents may disagree with Bob and Linda. Also Linda’s constant bailing them out doesn’t teach them consequences
The challenge with communal parenting in the form Bobs Burgers uses is law / government intervention and “Karens” of all flavors interfering. In the middle to upper middle class neighborhood I live in (being able to afford a home to begin with), there are people constantly intervening with other peoples kids eg call the cops or complain vs attempting to communally raise them. Add into that the exceedingly disparate political views and how those influence interactions, where 1/3 of the block doesn’t interact with another 1/3 because of it, communal parenting becomes even less of an option. Only when I was growing up in low to lower middle class did communal parenting really happen, because parents couldn’t afford not to participate. So, to the point from that one source quoted, I think it’s an economic separation driven by ideology. At least for historically American born families of all cultures. Cultures from some countries where communal / extended family parenting is still common they exhibit that irrespective of economics from what I have seen.
My ex lives in the same home as her ex, and they coparent their disabled child. She and he are not partners anymore, but are partners in raising their children. She's a strong person, and a person who's strength I envy. She doesn't like him, but he's a good dad, and she's a good mom.
This all feels like a really long winded way of saying "It takes a village". And assumes that there is even a village. Not everyone wants to hang out with kids. Attractive nuisance laws frankly makes them a liability
I love your view on this, I kind of had some of the same thoughts and while watching the show I kind of wished I had more freedom as a child because I feel like just recently I have been starting to explore myself and never really got to think much about what I wanted when I was younger.
see! this is the kind of video i like. we see your face, you sound excited to talk about the show and not like u were just given a script to read quietly above faint music. thanks for this dive into my favorite show
I watch/fall asleep to bob’s burgers every night. Can’t without it. They are so wholesome in a relatable way without being corny. I can even tolerate the show tunes, John Roberts really hits the mark. The epitome of them being well adjust was when bob really he had a bad childhood then fired the kids only to have them not have fun and beg for their jobs back 🤣🤣
I grew up with parents rather similar to Bob and Linda, so much so that my mom shares a name with Linda, and (although my parents were a little more disciplinary) I got to explore all kinds of weird phases in my life and express said phases, I got to explore pop culture (to an extent) as I pleased, I had and have internet friends even though my parents disapproved (stranger danger and whatnot) etc., but most importantly, I got to make my own decisions (this goes without saying, but to an extent) even though some decisions were generally disapproved by OTHER parents to kids by age (example, I didn't have a confirmation which is still rare NOT to have) my parents always supported it. It is due to their support and not FORCING anything upon me that I have been able to grow into my own person and that is the best thing they could have done- which is also what Bob and Linda do. Gene, Tina and Louise are going to grow up so well, and I am proof ✌🏻 Great video!
I stopped the second you asked "are nuclear families the best for kids" cause its so well known with hundreds of studies saying yes that u might as well have asked "is the sky blue"
care to list those studies? also, no. nuclear families are often fraught with abuse and control. it’s not natural whatsoever. humans are tribal. nuclear families are forced and often extremely detrimental
There are plenty of bad parents who are helicopter parents, kids need some degree of autonomy in order to grow and learn. I think the important thing is that they're not *neglectful* parents. They're still very invested in their kids lives and very supportive.
Great video. We all need community. The dilapidation of family, culture and community is directly proportional to the fall of western civilization. I would say though that marriage is not bad for kids. Bad marriages are bad for kids. So I don't think nuclear families are bad, they can actually be an asset if done right. Over parenting is also an increasing problem too, true dat.
As someone who always felt like society has a problem seeing kids like me at the time as people but just projects their own prejudice on them on a condescending way. Even though they've been children themselves and should know better. I really appreciate Bob's Burgers. I also appreciate the radical empathy for outsiders in society.
16:22 I do think you are right overall but it’s not proof, it’s a show. A show where the children’s independence plays a key roll in the story telling.
I split with my ex when my daughter was 2.. and ever since then, I have taken her on pretty much every weekend and whenever someone wanted to spend time with her (sister, dad, mom, occasional grand parent from the other side) I happily allowed it. My mom especially would take her for a week at a time to either a trailer park or a resort and her grandparents on the other side would take her in for a week at a time during summers as well. Now that she is a teenager and wants to spend more time with her friends, I stopped the planned weekends in favor of a more flexible schedule she makes. I realize many people may see this as a negative but I see it as letting her do her own thing. I will always be here whenever she needs me.
As person how grow up in tirbal traditional arabic Muslim society I feel that a lot of people helped to shape my charchter it's not onley my parents who was involve in my childhood but a lot relatives family friends teachers and thanks to them I fell I can be a better person with all their advices and wisdom whether it was to who want to be but most importantly who I don't wanna be
Me and my sister are the products of both parents working (happily, we are an upper middle class family so not exactly worrying about keeping the lights on, rather what elite university we were gonna end up in), but as now 30-somethings, we both lament people we work with who seems to just be morons and idiots and I can wager this is because they never had to "fend for themselves." There is a certain confidence, competence and know-how in being latchkey kids that overprotected and coddled children just do not have. I think that leads to dysfunctional, or just plain not functional, adults.
When I have kids, I want to raise them like how Bob and Linda raised their kids, unconditionally supporting all they're quirks even if i don'tt understand them. It seems like a pretty basic trait for a parent, let alone human being to have, but so many people don't have that decency and that makes me so sad. It's so refreshing to see a happy and functional family in adult animation :)
I grew up in a nucular family with narcissistic and emotionally abusive parents, with a misogynistic father who (for about 7 years now) subscribes to every conspiracy theory he hears from some dude on the internet while making fun of ppl who believe mainstream media. It took some pretty shitty and shameful encounters with so many other ppl and other families for me as a kid to realise that what is normalised in our home is not normal! Luckily I realised that at 13 and made an effort since to not become like my parents. But that doesn't erase the damage that was already done. So, I'm definitely for a child raising approach that comes closer to that in Bob's Burgers because these kids have every chance to see and accept different things different ways of being different social dynamics, and thanks to that are able to create and follow their own (e.g. moral) compass. Watching this show is so nourishing for my inner child. I absolutely love it.
