My mother and I are not really into football and only tune in occasionally. Although we didn’t watch the Super Bowl, we did watch the Puppy Bowl and the Kitten Bowl – boatloads of cuteness.
This is not a new thing for Mom – TV programs that highlight cuteness are big winners with her. She is charmed by all things baby and is delighted to watch animal stories, particularly those that feature animal families and their struggles to survive. I mentioned her enjoyment of Nature in a prior post (finding an educational message). She also enjoys several shows on Animal Planet, including Too Cute! What is it about these shows that are … a little on the saccharine side?
I think it is partly about the simplicity of the message – the babies are adorable and the parents (of all species) want to give their kids the best chances for survival. We have watched these kinds of shows for years, since I was a child. There is something nice about the continuity. Perhaps, on some level, she remembers that we used to watch animal and nature programs together.
Just as it is wonderful to hear Mom laugh at our mutual teasing and wonder at the amazing advances in science and technology we see everyday, watching her appreciate the simple relationships between mothers and their babies makes me smile. Whether engaging in entertaining antics, displaying survival skills or finding down time to sleep and cuddle, the animals on these shows make us think about life and sacrifice. They struggle and find their way, a concept with which Mom and I identify.
my mother, my cat and me 