Unforgettable Cartoon Shows That Taught Us Life Lessons

Childhood is incomplete without cartoon shows. We can never go back to our younger selves but we can always look back to the cartoon shows that defined our youth. As a grown-up, I realized there that there is more than the joy that cartoons give us. There are also valuable lessons we can learn from them.

Unforgettable Cartoon Shows That Taught Us Life Lessons

Spongebob Squarepants

Who could forget this happy-go-lucky yellow sponge who resides underwater in a pineapple-shaped house?

I’m pretty sure most of the 2000 babies are familiar with the cartoon show Spongebob Squarepants. This show played a major part in my childhood, and the memories of watching it every day have a special place in my heart.

Spongebob Squarepants has a unique style of humor in each of its episodes. And, to be honest, the bubbly and childlike character of Spongebob was the main reason why children fell in love with the whole show.

Of all the characters, he is the most peculiar. Spongebob’s neighbors in the sea are all animals, with him being the lone exception. Aside from the physical characteristics, it was Spongebob’s personality that stood out for me.

“BE WHO YOU ARE.”

Dramatically speaking, Spongebob somehow taught me to embrace myself. His carefree way of expressing his fun and childlike personality gave me some realizations. There is no need to get my peers’ approval; instead of trying to change who I am to fit in, I would rather find joy in being who I truly am.

There were times that I decided to blend in, and it hurts because it made me bury a small piece of who I am. Thus, causing me to deny who I truly am. Spongebob, on the other hand, follows his path.

He doesn’t conform to the status quo and never stops expressing his cheerfulness and optimism, even to the people who dislike him. As long as I am not being a pain in the ass, I believe it’s okay to unleash the child in me. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

“Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he’s ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.”

-Katara

Avatar: The Last Airbender is based on the themes of love, duty, redemption, and honor. Unexpectedly, this 2005 cartoon show redefined a whole generation of kid-friendly animation and revolutionized the possibilities of children’s television.

I remember my younger self watching Avatar because of its fight scenes as well as Aang’s enjoyable personality. But recalling it as a young adult, I began to recognize Aang’s perseverance to save the world despite being a 12-year-old boy. His incapacity to perform airbending perfectly did not prevent him. In every episode, he showed his desire to master all four elements.

“PERSEVERE FOR YOUR DREAMS.”

Similarly, in real life, achieving dreams requires perseverance. It doesn’t matter what my dream is or how long it takes me to achieve it. It is my ability to continue and persevere that will have a significant impact on my success.

I’m confident that if I maintain my perseverance long enough, I will accomplish my ambitions. Whatever we dream of may be accomplished, as long as we put our heart, mind, and actions into it.

Doraemon

I believe we have all secretly wished for a friend like Doraemon. This cartoon show brings to my mind Doraemon’s helpful nature and Nobita’s problematic personality. Every time Nobita causes a problem, Doraemon is the one to find a solution for him. Still, Nobita’s faulty character is vital because without him we wouldn’t see Doraemon’s amazing gadgets.

As I recall the cartoon show, I noticed how dependent Nobita was on Doraemon. In most of the episodes, we see Nobita crying and begging Doraemon to give him a gadget that would get him out of trouble. Truth be told, that setup was kind of annoying. But, I think some of us have had that phase wherein we were so dependent on someone. What I learned from this cartoon show is the importance of responsibility.

“BE RESPONSIBLE.”

Being able to take responsibility is vital because it reveals a person’s moral character. I believe that responsibility comes from making rightful decisions and acting in ways that seek to better myself or others. Most importantly, as responsible people, we must recognize the consequences of our own choices and actions. 

Keep in mind that we are never too old to rewatch the cartoon shows of our childhood. Adult life is stressful, and sometimes, the best escape is to do what we used to when we were young—those times when we were still naive and carefree.