I’m not personally a regular viewer of Bluey, but the show is a big hit in our household. The other day my daughter and I watched an episode entitled “Grandad” which captured the family dynamics and transitions that our loved ones experience as they grow older. It offers insights into the evolution of family roles as our parents age.
For those of you that don’t have young children, Bluey is an animated television series that follows the adventures of a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy named (wait for it) Bluey.
The Story (Spoiler Alert!)
In the episode, Bluey and her sister, Bingo, visit their grandfather, Grandad. When they arrive, they’re immediately off and running on an adventure with Grandad, but beneath their laughter lies a deeper narrative about aging, memory, and intergenerational connection.
Chili, Bluey’s mother, wants Bluey to eat her pumpkin seeds so that she grows up big and strong. She also wants Grandad to rest as he is recovering from heartworm. However, neither of them complies. They provide the same response - “shouldn't it be up to me?” It looks like a complete role reversal between Chili and Grandad until Grandad realizes that Chili isn’t questioning his judgment (as she is with Bluey), she’s just afraid to lose him.
The episode concludes by a lake where Grandad finally takes a rest and inspires Bluey to eat her pumpkin seeds. Sitting next to Chili on the dock, Grandad says that it feels like it was just yesterday that he was taking her swimming there as a kid. This moment captures the evolution of Chili and Grandad’s relationship, the wisdom of age, and experiences that bridge the gap between generations.
Life Transitions as Parents Age
As our parents age, we all face various transitions that often shift family dynamics along a continuum that can initially arise in subtle ways and become more pronounced as time goes on. This episode addresses the following aspects of these changing family dynamics:
It highlights new worries about a parent’s health that arise as they age.
It suggests that the emotional aspect underlying what superficially looks like a “role-reversal” between an aging parent and their child isn’t always that simple.
It reminds us that, despite the challenges of aging, maintaining strong emotional connections between generations can enhance everyone’s quality of life by providing a sense of purpose, belonging, and joy.
Through its storytelling, the episode touches on the theme of using shared memories to create connections that enable different generations to share their experiences, wisdom, and values.
Recognising the Journey Ahead
I was struck by how this episode highlights the beginning of Chili’s journey of helping her aging father. In the early years, an aging parent is self-sufficient, but as the journey progresses, they often become more dependent. Chili’s journey will probably be filled with a range of emotions, decisions, and unexpected turns. Understanding intergenerational dynamics is a good place to start, but it’s also important to recognise where the journey may go.
What starts as ensuring that your parents are getting enough rest can become unexpectedly complicated and require an understanding of their medications, health issues, insurance, and more. Recognising this and being proactive while a parent is in good health is key to ensuring that you are prepared for what may come.
These practical matters are often overlooked, but doing so results in additional stress and costs, which is the last thing you need in a crisis. You can avoid this by understanding what information you might need and working with your parents to ensure that all of the necessary information is available when needed.
I don’t normally look to Bluey for inspiration on how we can better support our aging parents, but this episode really struck a chord with me. It reflects my personal experiences and the problem that we’re looking to solve at Stronghold. By making it simple for you to organise your parent’s essential information while they’re in good health, we’re not only providing peace of mind, we’re making sure that you can fully be there for them when it counts. I applaud Bluey for touching on these important dynamics and recognising the journey that so many families are on today.