Bluey’s special episode and its impact on military families

Dear Bandit,

What an honor it is to write to you. We are long-time fans—you don’t know us, but you, Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo have been part of our family for years. My husband and I have watched your parenting skills in awe (and sometimes envy) as you and Chilli demonstrate hands-on parenting and teamwork. You have found the balance of fun and life’s lessons, and you have given all of us permission to feel tired, be cheeky, make mistakes, and squabble occasionally. One of the most important teachings we may have learned from you is how to “Floss,” but, I digress…

We just watched your latest episode, “The Sign.” Social media has been abuzz with the emotion, complexity, and humor that was packed into 28 minutes. Truly impressive.

As you and your family prepared for an upcoming move, I couldn’t help but appreciate how this will resonate with military families. Long story, short: April is the Month of the Military Child and hundreds of thousands of military families are preparing to move this spring and summer. In the season three finale, your four-legged family harnessed the emotions military families feel just about every other year around goodbyes and the anxiety of the unknown. And, as a parent, I felt Chilli’s struggle to put on a happy face when it seemed impossible. The message landed, and then, it didn’t.

The Heeler Family (Ludo Studio/Disney)

As parents, sometimes we don’t have a choice, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to be the hero we envision for our families. Sometimes we must bend. Sometimes we must move. This is especially true for parents who serve in our Armed Forces. As I watched Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo smother you in a gleeful game of pig pile, my heart hurt for military parents who want to give their children everything, just like you do — and the military kiddos who are too young to understand why their mom or dad can’t decide to stay, too.

Change is hard, like you taught us. We will remember the checklist: have a cry, pick myself up, dust myself off, and keep going. The show must go on.