What Bluey can teach us about feeling valuable
Jan 2025
Written by Noel Macnamara
The big wins—like smashing an exam or bringing home a shiny sports trophy—are easy to celebrate. But today, in this brief blog, I want to shine a light on one of the little moments that, in my experience, hold the power to transform relationships between children and their carers. These are the connections that pave the way for those big milestones.
This thought was sparked by an episode of Bluey that I watched with my granddaughter (Series 3, Episode 49 on iView—highly recommend!). In it, one of 6-year-old Bluey’s fridge pictures gets covered up by her younger sister Bingo’s artwork. It’s a simple storyline, but it’s amazing how much children reveal about their inner worlds when we pause and really listen.
The fridge: the centrepiece of most kitchens, the heart of the home. Think about how many times you walk up to it, even when you know what you want isn’t inside! Beyond its role as a food keeper, the fridge often doubles as a family noticeboard, a memory keeper with travel magnets and photos, and—most beautifully—a cherished art gallery.
At CETC, we often talk about Therapeutic Parenting—the kind of parenting that fosters deep connections and helps children grow, even heal, through Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy (PACE). Children’s fridge art is a shining example of this philosophy in action.
It’s playful—there are no trophies, just joy. It’s accepting—every scribble, splash of paint, or wobbly cut-out is proudly displayed. It’s an everyday celebration of a child’s creativity, emotions, humour, and individuality, pinned up in the most frequented space in the house.
These tiny moments of acknowledgment might seem insignificant, but they send a powerful message: You matter. What you create matters. Who you are matters. And in that recognition lies the foundation for the bigger achievements to follow.
So, the next time you walk past your fridge and catch sight of a crayon masterpiece, take a moment to smile. You’re witnessing something remarkable—connection in action.
