Growing up in the 2000s, I spent my time watching whatever was on Disney Channel, whether it was one of the 80 Disney Channel Original Movies that came out before 2010 or TV shows like Lizzie McGuire, That's So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and Hannah Montana. While the plots were sometimes cheesy and always predictable, they meant well. Here are 10 of the many life lessons that Disney Channel taught kids growing up in the 2000s.
1. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes
In the That's So Raven episode "That's So Not Raven," Raven models one of her dresses for a magazine but is horrified to learn that the editors replaced her body with a thinner model's body in the picture. She stands up for herself, showing everyone that you do not have to be stick skinny to be beautiful.
2. Family is the most important thing
All Disney Channel series feature tight-knit families that support one another. Shows like The Proud Family and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody show family members that are very different from one another but love each other despite their differences.
3. Nobody can or should be boxed into a single stereotype
The 2006 Original Movie High School Musical is about breaking stereotypes to be who you want to be. The smart girl can get the popular guy, the popular basketball player can star in the school musical, the skater dude can play a classical instrument, and another basketball player can be a baker. They shake up their high school, and inspired millions of preteens in real life to accept themselves.
4. You should have control over your own life
Hannah Montana is about a teen pop sensation who is not interested in living the celebrity life, so she doesn't. It may take a lot of effort, but Miley shows that you really can have the best of both worlds.
5. Best friends are valuable
Most Disney Channel shows feature best friend duos and trios like Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo; Miley, Lilly, and Oliver; Raven, Chelsea and Eddie; Louis, Alan, and Tawny; Alex and Harper; and Phil and Keely. They get each other out of sticky situations and always provide a shoulder to cry on.
6. Don't be afraid to ask for help
In the Lizzie McGuire episode "Inner Beauty," Miranda develops an eating disorder because she suddenly feels fat and out of control of her own life. At the end of the episode, she finally talks to Lizzie about it, and Lizzie convinces her to be comfortable with her body.
7. Life doesn't always go as planned, and that is okay
This life lesson is pretty general, but specifically applies to That's So Raven. As a psychic, Raven constantly gets visions of future events that seem bad. Raven freaks out, thinking that she has to stop them from happening, but they always work out better than she first expected. Even though sudden changes in life may seem scary, they tend to work out for the best.
8. Technology should not replace humans
In the 1999 Original Movie Smart House, the Cooper family wins a computerized house named Pat. Pat behaves like a mother for the mother-less family, but things get out of control when she takes the form of a hologram woman and becomes too overbearing. The protagonist, Ben, realizes that a computer could never replace his late mother.
9. Your gender does not determine what you can and cannot do
In the 2001 Original Movie Motocrossed, protagonist Andrea loves motocross, but her father does not want her to do it because she is a girl. When her twin brother gets injured, she pretends to be him, proving that she can motocross regardless of her gender.
10. Nobody's perfect
Enough said.
