I miss Mr. Rogers
Recently I watched the Mr. Rogers documentary; Won't you be my neighbor with my 14 year old daughter and 17 year old son. Those of you familiar with Mr. Rogers would have particular memories that stand out. I always took comfort when he would come inside and change his shoes and jacket. He would put on his indoor shoes and sweater leaving the outside firmly where it belonged. This was also an indication that he was settling in and spending some time with me. As I learned watching the documentary, that was deliberate. Mr. Rogers loved children and was intent on making them feel safe in a world that was often chaotic and scary.
Fred Rogers was an ordained minister. He believed that television could be a medium through which children could be positively influenced. He carefully crafted a world where make believe and real life were distinctly different. The puppet shows were fantasy and he never physically went in to that world. Wherever he was, physically, was the real world. That was clear to the children and was meant to establish trust. He believed that children deserved honesty. Not only did they deserve honesty but that they were capable of handling honesty if it was communicated clearly and carefully. The show was designed as a platform targeted to convey to children that they matter. That every child is special just the way they are because they are themselves.
I think kindness is in short supply these days. Perhaps I am being sentimental but I think I had the luck to grow up in a slower, gentler and more forgiving time. Boredom allowed for creative play and personal space. I think Mr. Rogers embodied that with his show. The documentary explains how he loved moments of silence. He would take time on the show to build a pyramid with brightly colored paper cups, set an egg time for a minute and wait for it to finish quietly or feed his fish. As a child, I remember those moments and feeling like time was unlimited. I couldn't give that to my children. Technology was always hovering in the background. They had a good childhood but it was more invasive and fast paced. External gratification gradually crept in and even though I stayed home for six years I had trouble keeping out the rest of the world.
My kids were riveted by the documentary. They were too young to watch Mr. Rogers. They clearly understood this was a special man. There was some laughing and snickering because initially his voice and the puppets can make people feel awkward. Ultimately he had a profound impact on both of them, my son took great pride in being alive before Mr. Rogers passed in 2003. The producers of the documentary asked his wife what she thought Mr. Rogers would have made of the world today, she was at a loss for words. She thinks he would have tried to bend to help children. I'd like to think so too. Mr. Rogers made my childhood feel safer and sometimes I was scared. There was great comfort in feeling understood in a world that often confused me. Mr. Rogers understood that children are vulnerable and need to be protected. He is missed.
Recently I watched the Mr. Rogers documentary; Won't you be my neighbor with my 14 year old daughter and 17 year old son. Those of you familiar with Mr. Rogers would have particular memories that stand out. I always took comfort when he would come inside and change his shoes and jacket. He would put on his indoor shoes and sweater leaving the outside firmly where it belonged. This was also an indication that he was settling in and spending some time with me. As I learned watching the documentary, that was deliberate. Mr. Rogers loved children and was intent on making them feel safe in a world that was often chaotic and scary.
Fred Rogers was an ordained minister. He believed that television could be a medium through which children could be positively influenced. He carefully crafted a world where make believe and real life were distinctly different. The puppet shows were fantasy and he never physically went in to that world. Wherever he was, physically, was the real world. That was clear to the children and was meant to establish trust. He believed that children deserved honesty. Not only did they deserve honesty but that they were capable of handling honesty if it was communicated clearly and carefully. The show was designed as a platform targeted to convey to children that they matter. That every child is special just the way they are because they are themselves.
I think kindness is in short supply these days. Perhaps I am being sentimental but I think I had the luck to grow up in a slower, gentler and more forgiving time. Boredom allowed for creative play and personal space. I think Mr. Rogers embodied that with his show. The documentary explains how he loved moments of silence. He would take time on the show to build a pyramid with brightly colored paper cups, set an egg time for a minute and wait for it to finish quietly or feed his fish. As a child, I remember those moments and feeling like time was unlimited. I couldn't give that to my children. Technology was always hovering in the background. They had a good childhood but it was more invasive and fast paced. External gratification gradually crept in and even though I stayed home for six years I had trouble keeping out the rest of the world.
My kids were riveted by the documentary. They were too young to watch Mr. Rogers. They clearly understood this was a special man. There was some laughing and snickering because initially his voice and the puppets can make people feel awkward. Ultimately he had a profound impact on both of them, my son took great pride in being alive before Mr. Rogers passed in 2003. The producers of the documentary asked his wife what she thought Mr. Rogers would have made of the world today, she was at a loss for words. She thinks he would have tried to bend to help children. I'd like to think so too. Mr. Rogers made my childhood feel safer and sometimes I was scared. There was great comfort in feeling understood in a world that often confused me. Mr. Rogers understood that children are vulnerable and need to be protected. He is missed.
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