We all remember it - Tommy Pickles and the gang getting into all sorts of crazy baby adventures. It was one of those shows in the 90s that everyone watched and everyone loved. I mean, seriously, talking babies toddling around, breaking out of the crib, wreaking some havoc on the world, and sneaking back into the crib before any parents found out – awesome. As kids, watching it seemed like an ideal situation, having fun with no consequences. As adults, most of us remember it nostalgically. My sister even bought me a shirt the other day, knowing how much I have always loved the show. Rugrats was a huge part of my childhood, and I know many others who feel similarly. For a children’s show, it actually holds some important and valuable life lessons, with each character representing something every person should strive towards and remember. Here is a list of things we can all learn from the Rugrats:
Tommy
Be bold. Be adventurous. Be a leader. – Tommy was always the brave one of the bunch, first to think of a plan and first to jump out of the crib into the great unknown. That screwdriver in his diaper was a key to the outside world, the key to a new adventure that only he could create. Tommy was every child’s hero and idol, and we were all dying to expand our horizons and jump into adventure.
Chuckie
It’s okay to be afraid. – Chuckie was probably the most tragic of the characters, losing his mother at such a young age. His father’s phobias stirred fear within Chuckie, making him the cautious one of the group. But in the end, it was okay. Chuckie had his friends to depend on to get him through the rough times. It didn’t matter that he was a “scaredy-cat;” his friends were there to help him out and push him beyond his boundaries to have a great time.
Angelica
Get what you want. – As terrible as Angelica seemed to all of us as a child, terrorizing the other children and constantly getting in the way of their fun, she really was a sassy girl that I would be honored to become. She took no one’s crap, and did whatever it took to get what she wanted. With her trusty sidekick Cynthia, and the (meaningless) support from her parents, Angelica dominated the kid world. She was an independent toddler that didn’t need no friends.
Lil
Defy gender roles. – Even though she was donned in a pink bow and dress to differentiate her from her twin brother, Lil was in no way a typical “girly-girl.” She got down and dirty with the boys, ate mud and worms, and didn’t think twice about it. It probably helped that her mother was a tomboy herself, knowledgeable about sports and always wearing a baggy sweatshirt and sweatband. Lil was just as bad-ass, and no one even questioned the fact that she was “one of the boys.”
Phil
Be gross. – Even though Lil also ate worms and mud alongside Phil, his grossness far exceeded any of the other babies’. But for the most part, no one really cared. Phil was Phil and that was that. In reality, everyone has their less-than-attractive and more-than-repulsive moments in life, and that’s totally fine. Everyone has them.
Dil
Be weird. – This is along the same lines as Phil. Dil was never disgusting, just odder than the average person. He was super into aliens and conspiracy theories and the like, and it was so becoming of him that he was my favorite character. Sure, these observations are based solely on “All Grown Up,” but still, Dil was just this awesome hippie-like dude who everyone loved and who Tommy lived to protect.
Susie
Stand up to bullies. – Even though Susie was a minor character in the series, her presence was always tremendous. She was another one of my favorite characters, mostly because of how she was never afraid of Angelica. When Angelica picked on the other babies, Susie was always there to defend them. She was just so awesome, and she never cared what Angelica said to try to put her down. Hashtag Susie power.
Kimi
Be patient. – When Kimi first moved from Japan to America to start her new life with her new family, it was a difficult adjustment. Chuckie was unsure how to accept the new people in his life, and Kimi struggled to fit in with her new group of friends. Eventually, Kimi fit right into the gang, essentially as the female counterpart of Tommy, brave, adventurous, and always willing to explore. Although it took a little while to get there, Kimi was patient enough to wait until things turned out all right and she found herself a true home.
Rugrats was an awesome show filled with extraordinary characters. Although most people see it as a simple show for children that people can look back on, I see it as an opportunity to learn about how to live life. Children are innocent creatures, filled with wonder and desire, and they have a lot they can teach adults. The Rugrats are no different.
