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Guest Article: A
Good Resource for Pagan Parents
This weeks article comes to us from Aimee Owen,
a Pagan and mother of 5-month-old Lilly. Aimee has been searching
for some media resources to help introduce her daughter to her faith and
reinforce the ideals of Paganism. She's happy to report that she
has found just such a television show.
 As
a Pagan, I'm interested in how I can teach my daughter about my faith
with out alienating her from her peers. I've stumbled on a children's
program that is everything I could ask for and more. Bear
in the Big Blue House is a show produced by Jim
Henson Productions and is only shown on the Disney
channel. It's not as popular as some shows but it's fun and very educational.
For Pagan parents it's a spell come true.
| Bear in the Big Blue House
Official
website - the official home of Bear, Ojo,
Luna and more on the Internet.
Bear
Goodies - sonnds, pictures and more from BITBBH - even a screensaver.
Fan Club
- the official BITBBH fan club.
Pagan
Recommended - Gaia likes Bear, too!
More Pagan Parenting
Pagan
Mothers.com - Website dedicated to "providing pagan mothers
with information on creating pagan traditions."
Pagan
Parenting - from Mamawitch. A site designed to help parents
raise their children in their faith.
Pagan Parenting
Page - excellent site providing useful information for pagan parents. |
Bear, the 7-foot-tall main character of the program, is warm and friendly.
While he doesn't come out and mention Paganism the morals and ideas in
the show express it very openly. Two of his dear friends are Luna
the moon and Ray the sun - two names used very often in Pagan society to
identify the Goddess and the God. Ray greets him in the mornings
with a song and conversation. And at the end of every show Bear goes up
to the attic of the house where he tells Luna all about his day and sings
The
Good Bye Song with her.
There are many other characters in the show, most of which have nothing
to do with Pagan ideals. But just the appearance of such meaningful
deities in a children's program is a real showing that Pagan ideals are
slowly creeping into main stream television. Many
of the themes of the shows are Pagan related. The latest episode featured
an Autumn Pumpkin Pie Party. This could easily be explained as Samhain.
In the same show Bear conveys the sense that all in nature is in balance
by telling one of the other characters that the leaves falling is natural
and part of the cycle of the seasons.
In all Bear
in the Big Blue House may not be an openly Pagan show and it may
not be as well known as it could be, but the ideas and morals in the show
are worth of any Pagan's seal of approval. If you have children from infancy
to around kindergarten age I would strongly recommend letting them view
this show. It's a good tool to reinforce what you are already trying to
teach them. And it's fun for children of any faith.
Bear in the Big Blue House airs everyday
at 7:30-8:30am EST on the Disney Channel, as well as mornings in the UK,
Ireland, Canada and Australia. Check here
or in your local listings for time and channel. Videotapes of episodes
discussing thanksgiving harvest festivals; winter holidays including Christmas,
Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Winterberry; and other subjects are also available.
Have a comment on this article? Contact
Aimee
Owen or Me, your Guide.
TV Graphic copyright 2000 by Tammy
Todd.
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