15 Lessons Adults Can Learn From Daniel Tiger

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Chances are if you have a toddler or preschooler in your home, you know him, too.  Who am I talking about?  Daniel Tiger, of course.  I have a certain boy who just turned three who can’t get enough of Daniel Tiger, and I have a two year old nephew who is exactly the same.

Daniel Tiger is a creation of Mister Rogers.  Those of you who are ancient, like me, may remember how he had some puppets, one of which was a tiger named Daniel.

Before he died, Mister Rogers created much of the series we now know as Daniel Tiger.  You may notice that many of the puppets that were in his original show are part of the cast of Daniel Tiger.  Prince Wednesday, King Friday, O the Owl, and probably many more, these just happen to be the ones I remember firsthand.

Daniel Tiger really is great.  He is full of life lessons that are all accompanied by catchy tunes that help kids cope with a variety of things.  We have several that are favorites among two of my younger kids, and to be honest, we all sing these songs at times when they are needed including me and my husband.  In fact, on a day when I was having a particularly rough day my sister sent me one of his songs in a YouTube video, and I did the same for her on one occasion when she was down in the dumps.

Interestingly, the lessons Daniel Tiger teaches are not just important for kids to learn, at times they are important for adults to be reminded of, too.  Following are the major lessons that I have been reminding myself of at times when I find myself feeling a negative emotion of some kind.  It’s quite funny, really, but these really are great reminders for us all, as long as you can get past the fact that you are learning them from a preschool show 😉

These are the songs that I feel can remind us all of a thing or two:

 

1. “Everyone’s job is important, we all help in different ways.”  This one is a great reminder that sometimes when people in my family help in a way that is different from how I would do it, they are still helping, just in a different way, which doesn’t make their help wrong.
2. “It’s okay to feel sad sometimes, little by little, you’ll feel better again.”  Of course this one is a great reminder that when hard times come, they don’t last forever, even though it can feel that way sometimes.
3. “If you’re feeling frustrated, take a step back, and ask for help.”  Sometimes walking away from something that is frustrating me, like techy computer things, walking away and/or asking for help really allows the urgency of the situation to be diffused.
4. “When you feel jealous talk about it, and we’ll figure something out.”  Remember when I posted How to Tame Your Green Eyed Monster?  This is a good example of when I need to apply this lesson.
5. “When you’re sick, rest is best.”  This is a great reminder because I am not usually one to rest.  Sometimes my kids or husband sing this song to me LOL. Here are some great tips for Getting a Good Night’s Rest.
6. “Keep trying, you’ll get better.”  Of course a good reminder to not give up when the going gets tough is always a good thing.
7. “Find your own way to say I love you.”  This is intentional living at its finest.  Finding new and creative ways to tell my loved ones that they are loved, especially when I have blown it, is so important.
8. “I can be anybody, anybody that I choose.”  Even we as adults all need to be reminded to never let go of our dreams from time to time.
9. “If something seems hard to do, try it a little bit at a time.”  This applies well for me when I feel overwhelmed by something and need to just take one step at a time.  The classic idea of just putting one foot in front of the other.
10. “See what it is, you might feel better.”  From this song we are reminded that things are not always what they seem.  Some things need to be investigated before responding in some way.  I actually sang this song to myself this morning when I faced a challenge that got my emotions going.
11. “Think about how someone else is feeling, maybe you can help them feel better.”  Empathy at its best.  Don’t we all need to judge a little less and be a bit more empathetic?  I think so.
12. “Close your eyes and think of something happy, if you think about something great you won’t be as afraid.”  I guess this is going to our happy place.  I think we all could spend a bit more time in our happy place, can’t we?  Mine is on a beach somewhere with a fruity drink in my hand.
13. “When something seems bad, turn it around, and find something good.” Even when things seem entirely devastating, there is always good that can be found if we look for it hard enough.
14. “When you feel so mad that you want to roar, take a deep breath, and count to four.”  Adult time-out, anyone?  Yes, we all need them at times.
15. “Saying I’m sorry is the first step, then, how can I help?”  As wives, as moms, as adults, we sometimes need to be reminded that only good things can happen when we apologize first.  Even if we feel we were offended, there is always some wrongdoing by each person in a conflict.  Then, we need to figure out how to move past the issue, which can always begin with something we can do for the other person.

If you don’t know Daniel Tiger, I think you really can benefit from getting to know him.  Timeless lessons, timeless wisdom, and living intentionally in everything we do.  Once you hear the songs a few times, it is nearly impossible not to have them pop right into your head when you need them…of course this can be good and bad 😉

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Wondering about Daniel Tiger? This is our favorite disc Daniel Tiger s Neighborhood: It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood