Life Lessons from Andy

Well, we sit here with the whole family on the couch gathered around the TV. There aren't many shows on the TV these days that we can all watch together without Mike or I looking at each other sideways and cringing. But we found something good.

Shane can laugh at the antics of the main characters and learn life lessons at the same time. Kyle already quotes it before the line comes on the show and I always cry at the end, especially when the young boy on the show understands life better. Mike can even sing along with some of the songs and imitate the funny misfit character. Sure is a good thing we have such good family programming these days (thanks to TV Land and TIVO). Too bad the color versions are so awful. Black and white will just have to be it since there are no more of these shows being made.

What is this wonderful show you ask? Well, only the Andy Griffith Show can make Shane ask, "Awww, can't we watch another one? Please?" I guess even a 6-year-old knows what's good... "extree good" that is.

I always felt guilty about sitting my kids in front of the TV while I did the dishes or made dinner, or maybe even just had 20 minutes to read a book or something. All these studies show such terrible things will happen to children who watch too much TV. Well, in our house, thanks to Andy, there are only a few things that might happen:

* The boys will learn that acting like a spoiled brat and throwing yourself down on the floor all for the sake of getting your way will only earn you a trip to the wood shed.
* They will learn that if you make a mistake, you will have to pay for that mistake by taking care of three baby birds until they are old enough to fly on their own. And that even though the cage seems empty after they have gone, at least the trees sound full.
* Or they might find out that taking up for your friends, even after you have done them wrong by blabbing all their faults to a reporter, is always the right thing to do.

All of those things are great for the kids to learn, but even we parents can learn a lesson from Andy. And one of the best parent lessons he has ever taught us is that, even though your children's worlds are very different from your own, you just have to listen to what they are saying. You have to find a way to get into their world and experience what it may be like for them. We don't need to find the Mr. McBeevee who wears a silver hat and jingles when he walks through the trees. We just need to believe that he does exist and look forward to shaking his hand when we meet.