
Dead Sea Squirrels
Some 2,000-year-old squirrels offer some great lessons about both the Bible and life in this clever new Minno series.
I’m the oldest of seven siblings. And sometimes that felt like six too many. Growing up, I had a lot of years to learn about surviving in such a big family. Survival meant completing a long list of chores before Mom and Dad got home, while trying to babysit a bajillion kids. It meant getting to the dinner table first before all the food was gone. It meant trying to find one quiet corner of the house just so you could be alone for five measly seconds. It meant chaos, but it also meant love and fun.
Lincoln Loud and his ten sisters understand.
The only boy in a house full of girls, 11-year-old middle-child Lincoln has a lot of surviving to do. But it’s not just Lincoln who feels the need to occasionally escape. His sisters need their time away, too, because they’re all very different from each other: There’s Lori, the sassy teenage heartthrob obsessed with her smartphone and boyfriend. Leni, the second oldest who’s sweet but ditzy. Luna, the rock and roller. Luan, the prankster. Lynn, the all-around athlete. Lucy, the “goth”. Lana and Lola, the identical twins with opposite personalities. Lisa, the four-year-old prodigy and Lily, the baby sister. Oh, then there’s Mom and Dad.
And as much as each sibling cherishes their alone time, they enjoy spending time together, too. Sure, there’s yelling and arguing, and the occasional threat—the title “Loud House” is true in more ways than one—but the siblings know it wouldn’t be the Loud House without a loving family member right by your side.
The Loud House was created back in 2016 as a Nickelodeon original. Full of laughs, gags and silly family drama, the show is currently in its third season.
There are some really great lessons to be learned with The Louds. Kids learn about loving their families, sharing, laughing and understanding what it means to live well with others.
But just like any house filled with so many people, the Louds experience some family debacles and unmatched personalities. The littler kids can be bratty andthe older siblings have boyfriends and crushes, and sometimes talk about love and dating. And last year the show featured the first animated gay couple.
Viewers hear lots of potty humor and flatulence, a few gross dares and some name calling. The kids also use words like “dang,” “stupid” and “OMG.” And the Loud parents, also known as Mom and Dad, rarely show up in the house (which is pretty weird, given, y’know, 11 kids). But when we do see them it’s obvious they love their children … even if they seem unequipped to handle them.
Lisa wants to figure out time travel, but realizes her family is more important than living alone in a science lab. Lori and her boyfriend, Bobby, struggle to maintain their long-distance relationship.
Lori and Bobby try to get the other’s attention with multiple romantic gestures. They also express their love for one another and hug. A young girl turns on a show called The Dream Boat (similar to The Bachelor) and says that she and her family watch it together. A young boy is in love with his older brother’s girlfriend. A boy makes a shrine to his girlfriend. Two girls shake their behinds.
A girl gets scared when a snake slithers from her dresser drawer. A sandbag falls on a boy’s head. Two people talk about a dog vomiting, and a bird poops on a piece of paper. Potty humor abounds: Someone passes gas and talks about their snot. A restaurant is shut down due to a health violation. A sister has an interest in lowering her heart rate “to nearly dead” and another sister sleeps with a skeleton. A man says he gets his news “through gossip.” A boy eats a moldy cupcake.
Kids and adults say things like “dang it,” “OMG,” “I hate that,” darn” and “dumb.” A older man calls a girl a “snot face.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
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