Dear SpongeBob,
It’s been a year since we’ve been “seeing†each other, and I thought I’d mark our anniversary with this love letter to you in my new blog. You see, during this past year, you have probably helped to demonstrate the changes in me more than anything else. I just want to say thank you. Some background…
My son has loved you for a long time.
I despised you.
I thought you were just another “nonsense†cartoon whose image is everywhere, over-merchandised throughout my local department and toy stores. To me, you represented the epitome of everything ridiculous in our society that got in the way of my raising my son “right.†I had also never watched an episode.
Things changed after I read the education book, “Teach Your Own†by John Holt. I got so excited about the wonderful homeschooling ideas he wrote about! I hosted a discussion group about it on January 5, 2007, and that’s when I began to get to know you, and my son, in a brand new way. It marks the beginning of my conscious focus on following Declan’s lead about his interests which, of course, included you.
As a result of his passionate interest in you, we lifted the TV restrictions in our home and ended up watching lots of your shows. After a while, I found myself laughing at your crazy encounters with Squidward, cracking up at Patrick’s jokes, appreciating Sandy’s Texas spunk, smiling at Mrs. Puff’s classroom management techniques, giggling at Mr. Krabs’ extreme frugality, and wondering what Plankton would do next in his quest to take over the Krusty Krab.
Of course you portray the ridiculous in your show – we’re talking about conversing crustaceans and their underwater lives, complete with restaurants and motorboats. But to consider you as something negative, irrelevant, or even evil? Never again. I regret that my past negative feelings about you could have led my son to feel like he was shallow, or worse, a bad person, for enjoying you. I judged you based on false assumptions. Exactly what I strive not to do. And something I hope my children would never do.
I adore you, SpongeBob. I relate to your enthusiasm and openness when pursuing new ideas, interests, and adventures. I’m inspired by your boundless optimism and enchanted by your bright, happy outlook on the world. To me, you represent a lifestyle that embraces a zest for living, the way I want life to feel in our home. But most of all, I appreciate the connection you’ve helped me to establish with my son around something he loves. It has been a valuable gateway to countless other interests.
Thank you for providing me with an amazing opportunity to connect with Declan at his level, on his terms, not filtered through my own likes and dislikes. I don’t want him limited to choices within a range of what I like or am familiar with. The world is bigger than me and my experience. He is here to walk his path in his own way. I am here as a loving guide helping him to access and navigate this world.
Sure, I share with him my ways and views about life. So why wouldn’t I be open to his? In his own unique way? Even if we don’t share the same tastes. I don’t have to like everything he likes. But to ignore or not take seriously his deep interest in something? Not to learn more about something that’s important to him? That feels wrong to me.
We watch you together now, SpongeBob. I love hearing Declan’s reactions to what happens with you and your friends. Now that I’m a regular viewer, I know what’s going on in your life “down, down, down at the bottom of the sea,†and can offer context to my son’s spontaneous, seemingly random comments or questions about a scene he saw. This mama now considers you her favorite cartoon. Here’s to many more years of happiness together!
Love,
Erica