See, it's time to face facts, I'm a terrible mom. I allow my kids to watch The Walking Dead and consequently must be stoned. Surely I am going to "mommy hell." for allowing my kids to watch something so awful.
Except that I don't think it's awful. And here's why:
1. Zombies are the new cool. When I was a kid, we watched Freddy, Michael, and Jason tear, cut, and shred teens. When I was Autumn's age, I started reading Stephen King books and let's face it, they aren't for the weak of heart.
The zombie mythos is being marketed to every age range in every medium possible (Plants vs. Zombies, Monster High, Alice in Zombieland...need I go on??). At school they talk about zombies, draw zombies, and write about zombies. Bottom line, my kids are into zombies and they are going to find a way to access all things zombie so why not be a part of their discovery? Why not be there to help explore and answer questions?
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| My daughter getting her zombie on as "Zombie Sophia" |
2. TWD is about more than zombies, it's a social study. It's kind of like disguising vegetables so the kids will eat them....hiding lessons in TWD, who woulda thunk it? I'm not saying TWD is on the same level as After School Special but our kids are living in a different time with different problems. We've addressed issues about defending yourself/your family, how far you'd go to survive, first crushes, and the importance of being honest. I never know what I'm going to get out of them after an episode but I look forward to it. The important thing is that we watch the episode together in case something doesn't settle right with them.
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| My son impersonating "Carl." |
3. The fandom is incredible. My kids are so different but they agree on The Walking Dead. It is one of a few things we can enjoy together and that means they can cosplay on the convention circuit. My kids have accompanied me to more than a few events at this point and TWD fandom never disappoints. They've met some of the actors and I have to say that for the most part, TWD has some of the nicest celebs we've encountered.
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| My kiddos acting up at Horrorhound |
4. It is just fun. Though we never get to watch TWD on the night it airs since we don't have cable, the kids and I don't mind. Waiting allows us to pick the best night for our schedules and plan the perfect meal or snacks. Homework is done, clothes are ready for school the next day, and everything is set out before we even start the show so nobody misses anything.
I'm going to argue that this is one thing I'm doing right as a mom. My kiddos and I bond over the The Walking Dead and the best part of that statement is "bond." How many of my wanna-be-shamers can say the same thing?
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