Spongebob Squarepants- Yes or No?

I watch Spongebob with my kids, probably because I remember the original Muppets. Spongebob, like the original Muppet Show, was designed to make both the kids AND parents laugh (and get them to sit and watch together). And much of what makes the parents laugh is completely missed by the kids.
My daughter, who is now 10 and has watched Spongebob for as long as I can remember, loves to watch The Brady Bunch, Full House, Night Rider and The Cosby Show (all of which I loved as a kid). And I would much rather watch Spongebob than some of the complete junk on TV now-a-days!

I even remember roaring laughing watching reruns of the original Muppet Show in college. Man, I miss the Muppets . . .

:)

Some people need to lighten up. Spongebob is hilarious :) My son is 8 and not too into it anymore, but he was for a couple years. He never repeated anything inappropriate except to say "Tarter Sauce!" when he was really upset by something. It is way better then Tom and Jerry or The Looney Tunes that I grew up watching, and I have yet to run off a cliff or cut of someones tail with a butcher knife.

YES, we dont have cable but i let them watch it on netflix on occasion, My oldest prefers arts crafts and outdoors, and my baby likes sesame street mostly but i am exhausted by the pickiness of people these days.

Sorry to disagree with you, but children will pick up bad habits if they arent corrected, or punished. Ive noticed that making something taboo makes it tempting, but explaining a thing can alter bad behavior.

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Personal decision. Personally, I LOVE Spongebob.

M.,
My boys are 16,12, & 8 and they have watched Spongebob for since it came out (10 yrs ago). I have found that left alone boys will resort to butt crack jokes even without Spongebob. It's what they think is funny. Do they say those things in church or to their teachers or to Grandma? No, they don't.

But if it offends you, then turn it off. I would rather have my kids watch Spongebob than just about any Disney or Nickelodeon show with real kids. Drake & Josh, iCarly, Zeke&Luther, Suite Life of Zack &Cody, Hannah Montana. Those shows celebrate kids' rudeness and the stupity of adults.

Good luck.
~K.

Always have, including my husband. I think he is annoying but I see nothing wrong with it - butt cracks and all. In the big picture, Sponge Bob is low on my radar...I have way more important things to worry about than a cartoon that is just ridiculous. I wouldn't totally blame Sponge Bob on whatever your son is saying - look in others areas as well...

I also agree w/ Julie T. My kids know what they are allowed to say and are taught what is right or wrong despite what they hear on TV or elsewhere.

No & let me tell you why. When I saw the episode where Spongebob & his friends thought they killed someone & tried to get rid of the body I was like "Oh we will never watch this again". What kind of message does that send children?

Spongebob is funny and harmless. Yes, we watch it. Reminds me of the humor in Roadrunner, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, etc. Slapstick cartoons. Scroll down and re-read Dawn B.'s answer. I think it's excellent.

NO! I watched an episode with my kids when they were around 4 or 5 and heard the words such as: stupid, idiot and "I hate you." It was too obnoxious and I pointed things out to my twins that I felt were inappropriate and ever since that one time together, THEY were turned off from it. So I didn't need to convince them. There are so many other shows that are better off for a four year old. My kids are now 8 yrs. old and they have never asked to watch another episode. They like game shows a lot such as Minute It To Win It and Wipe Out. They enjoyed Martha Speaks so much until just last year. Berenstein Bears might be good for your 4 yr. old. There are always topics that the children viewing it can learn from.

my daughter is 2 and loves spongebob and asks for it so yes she watches it. I dont think there is anything wrong with it me and my husband watch it as well.

Oldest kids (19 and 16) yes...when they were younger..
Youngest kids (7 and 5) no...they just don't like it, really they only like StarWars the Clone Wars!

Hubby and I watched one episode of SB, at the kids' insisting...it was one about using your imagination...read that "E-madge-in-Ation"! SB was playing with an empty cardboard box and it was FANTASTIC!

Yes, they watch it all the time. It is one of their favorites. It really is a cute show if you take the time to watch it with them.

yes both kids love it! they are 2 1/2 and almost nine months. they both have watched it since they were very small. my neice also watches it and she is about 5 now. she is super sweet. recently my son learned shut up and its not a nice word and got mad at sb because a character said shut up!!! its great he knows that its a bad word. and his dissapointment in sb.

spongebob is blocked on my tv! I hate spongebob they some mean rude things on that show.

My kids are 6 and 8 and they watch it every morning before school! I think it's funny and really hardly ever offensive. Once they are bored with the preschool shows of Sesame Street (which I love) and Dora and all the rest, I think that Spongebob is actually one of the better options. It seems like most of the other shows are about FIGHTING!! Spongebob is just funny - at least to kids.

YEs I allow him to watch. I tried to convince him he was allergic to spongebob but his sister told him the truth. There are some questionable things but it also has some lessons. Spongebob has the best work ethic I have seen in a while. Just a thought.

I live with my son my niece nephew and sister. my sister lets her kids 7 and 6 watch it so it's hard for me not to let my 2 year old watch it. I hated it at first but you know what? they enjoy it and the shows i watched when i was little were way worse and i turned out ok. my 2 year old knows better than to say certain things but my 6 year old neice hasn't grasped this yet. I think it depends on the maturity of the child. My 2 year old doesn't pick any of it up neither does my 7 year old nephew but my 6 year old niece is always saying things off there like stupid and i'm going to kick your butt..... it depends on the individual i believe all kids are different and will do and say different things. you know your child and if you try to correct it and she doesn't stop saying things you don't like then ban it.... we personally have spongebob time where we all sit down and watch one episode a day or every other day. my 2 year old wears spongebob underwear and had spongebob blanket... do what you feel is right, but you have to trust your child a little to. she will hear things along the way in school from other kids teach her now what is and isn't ok then you'll be able to trust her with certain shows!

on the flip side my sons favorite movie is elmo in grouch land and he picked up a few negative things and wouldn't take to my correction so he no longer is watching it for a few weeks..... we'll try it again and if it continues that movie will secretly disappear.... good luck and try to trust her and teach her what is to be expected of her when it comes to politeness....

Kimmie

I had misgivings about Spongebob, which my kids watch online at their grandparents' house. They only watch two episodes (maybe even excerpts from episodes) that were prescreened and don't seem to contain the problematic language. My kids (2 and 4) LOVE Spongebob. My 4 year-old son always wants Spongebob clothes when we see them in the store. I don't buy clothes with characters, but in my quest (often in vain) to find boys' clothes that aren't violent or aggressive (skulls and exploding cars), a silly sponge with a pink best friend started to look more appealing! I even found myself blogging about it: http://open.salon.com/blog/pinkisforboys/2010/10/19/subve...

I avoid it if at all posible. I just think it's an awful cartoon. On occasion they'll watch it if there is absolutely nothing else on, but generally I can redirect them to something else or go play outside or something.

Nope.

I took early advice from my sis-in-law. She turned it off at her house when my niece and nephew were around 5 and 3. She said, "I don't appreciate my 5-year-old daughter having the humor of a 10-year-old boy."

Definitely NOT. My kids know that it is inappropriate.

We can't stand SpongeBob in our house, and we don't allow it to be on with our 4 year old. We LOVE Phineas and Ferb though (if you are looking for a non-educational show)...much better than Spongebob in my opinion!

I do let mine watch it occasionally although they're outgrowing it. But when my kids start acting like the kids on Disney Channel, I ban them from it.

Absolutely not! There's much better, more appropriate tv out there for our children to watch that isn't teaching them tacky behavior.

Nope, I never have let them watch it... Its obnoxious!!

Nope, not in my house. It used to be on Sunday afternoons during lunch, but I just thought it too crude and annoying for my LOs. I'd prefer to protect their innocence as long as possible.

Yes, my kids watch Sponge Bob and instead of ignoring the ugly words and phrases I have choosen to make the negative phrases into a positive learning experience for my kids.. I let my kids know that those things aren't nice to say.. I merely point out that "Sponge Bob dosen't say that kind of thing and he's the good guy.".. PS.. to all of the mothers who are sheilding their children from life outside your internal sphere.. Your in for a rude awaking whenever they enter into the real world. I too felt at one time very negative about shows like Sponge Bob etc.. but if you teach your children strong values and be a role model for them in the way you and your family members speak they will realize even without your direct supervision that what "fictional characters" may exhibit on t.v. may or may not be apropriate behavior... I'm not promoting children being unsupervised while watching so called children's networks but I feel strongly that if we give our children credit for our good upbringing they will choose appropriate shows.. My children will even comment that they don't think they should watch certain shows like " transformers, I Carly yes i said it I I Carly promoters, Adventure Time etc... So my case for Sponge Bob is this..: While your children don't realize that Sponge Bob is a consumate optimist... who displays a positive attitude even in the worst scenarios... and that by remaining positive... You can overcome any and all obsticles.. Adults with half a brain can and do realize the value of the little yellow sponge that could... Yes there are some less than appropriate phrases such as "Idiot" that come from Squidward... But really does Squidward ever triumph... NO !!!! In fact all the characters that use negative phrases, do negative things, made an example of by the ever striving to bring positive messages, sunshine, light, love,a sense of imagination, and happiness, to all the characters of Bikini Bottom..... So to all you Sponge Bob haters.... You all can just take the easy way out by standing at the the register of the Krusty Crabb while me and Sponge Bob fry up some heaven on the skillet ... Not only will we make people happy but we will show the world what it means to Really Live.... !!

No, I don't. We also don't watch Phineas and Ferb, for the same reason!

Lessons from Spongebob are just as well watched from shows on Disney and/or PBS. I'm saying No. I turn the channel if they try to watch Spongebob.

Spongebob is not allowed on our TV. I don't like this show! So our 6 and 3 year old sons do not watch it!

Mel G

No, my kids do not watch it.

My boys are 6 and 4. No they do not watch it.

my personal opinion... SB has gotten very stupid!!! excuse the "s" word but it has. i let my 1 yr old just cu it keeps her qiuet for the moment but as for educaional noo. i put it on nickjr for educational purposes. but then the dumb shows such as the upside down show, and Oobi come on and i cant stand those so i put it somethign else. SB NOO

Nope. ANd when they get too violent they get a couple of other shows taken away!

nah, my son doesn't. He likes the character, eats the s.b. gogurt, but we don't watch the tv show unless he is at someone else's house or something like that. I always conveniently find something else for him to do/watch at that time:) I think it is not the worst but not the best either. Good luck!

Not at my house. They do on occasion at other's houses. I have had to talk to my four about repeating ugly things she picked up from the show.

Nope! Just looking at that character offends me, I don't know why ;)

No thank you, but when he is at someone else's house who allows it I simply try to peak interest elsewhere.

Noooo! Ban the man, err, sponge. I saw a cool Sponge Bob cake made of rice crispy treats, but really the show is obnoxious, and I'm glad my kids go along with me on this.

Yes my son watched Spongebob and I agree there are some questionable things in it. I think that he was a little older than yours when he started watching it but I could be wrong. We just used it as a learning tool for him to learn what is OK and not OK to say and when. Most of it is harmless and pretty funny.

There are some shows though that I don't let him watch like Ed, Ed and Eddie, Adventure Time, Phineas and Ferb and Camp Laszlo (sp?). those I found were all bathroom humor, burps, puke etc, so I had to put my foot down. I didn't think Spongebob was as bad as some of those other shows.

We explained that it all comes down to maturity and as he matures he will get to watch different things.

No. And thank you for confirming my decision to ban it from my 3 and 4 year olds is a good one. LOL

I, myself, find it very entertaining, however, after watching the "bully" episode, I decided my young children would have to watch the re-runs after their "informative" years. I could just see my children telling their classmates, "I'm going to kick your butt"! YIKES!

If you choose to ban it, you've got a battle on your hands and I wish you success. You might try telling her that Spongebob is broken.

Let us know what happens.

No, not in my house. My kids are 7 and 9. They know about Sponge BoB just from what they hear from other kids and they don't feel like they are missing much. Looking back to Warner Bros. cartoons from my childhood a lot is actually adult humor just like SB, The Simpsons, etc. I don't allow my children to watch that type of stuff now when they can be easily influenced.

on the few occasions my oldest has seen it, we had behavior problems afterwards...

so no