There are a lot of reasons I love Bluey, but her Dad being an equitable partner—well, that’s a big one for me.
Bandit Heeler breaks the “TV Dad” trope and helps with caregiving tasks.
He’s not perfect. He still gets impatient on road trips, plays a little rough, and can’t stand losing—but he does make an effort to apply sunscreen, remember jumpers, prep school lunches, and contribute to birthdays.
Thus, freeing up Bluey’s mom (Chilli) to create a fuller life and career because she has an equal partner.
7 ways Bandit from “Bluey” shares in invisible labor
Here are seven examples of how Bluey’s Dad shares the load of parenting and the “invisible labor” of caregiving.
1. Bandit keeps track of his kid’s food allergies
There are some parenting responsibilities that you can divide—maybe mom schedules annual checkups and dad coordinates extracurriculars. But with something as important as food allergies, both parents need to take a front seat.
When helping pack lunch for school, Bandit remembers who is gluten free and who isn’t.
(Season 2, Episode 8 “Daddy Dropoff”)
2. Bandit helps with bedtime
What’s the hardest time of day for a parent? Bedtime. We shudder just thinking about it.
Sometimes, the default parent—who has been caring for kids all day long—gets stuck with bedtime too. But in Bluey’s house, Dad steps in and helps with bedtime. Bandit helps get teeth brushed, tucks the girls in, and even tells stories with funny voices.
(Bonus Bits, “Cinderella”)
3. Bandit does school drop off—and remembers what to bring
Growing up, my dad dropped me off at school most days. We had fun taking “shortcuts” and blasting music while doing the “snaky” dance.
I know a lot of dads who treasure this one-on-one time with their kids—whether it’s five or thirty minutes. But sometimes, the primary caregiver still has to step in with a list of reminders before kids leave: “Did you brush your teeth?” “Do you have your homework?” “Don’t forget your lunch money!”
In “Daddy Dropoff,” Bandit Heeler isn’t just delegated to. He steps up as owner and executor of drop off for the day. When Bingo forgets her jumper, he remembers and turns around to pick it up from home.
(Anyone else’s stress levels rise when Bandit asks Bingo about the jumper, and “Marjorie” answers the phone instead?)
(Season 2, Episode 8 “Daddy Dropoff”)
4. Bandit makes housework fun
One of the greatest myths about parenting is that women are better at housework. Or that we enjoy it more.
This is a stereotype—one that has been reinforced by the socialization of girls and women as primary caregivers.
But when it’s time for housework in Bluey’s house, Bandit steps in and even finds ways to make tidying more fun for the family. BeeeeOOP!
(Season 3, Episode 13 “Housework”)
5. Bandit bakes an (imperfect) birthday cake
When Bingo requests a duck cake for her birthday because it “made her tail wag,” Bandit gets assigned the task. (Bluey’s mom had made the cake last year and it was “not a funny clown.”)
Bandit says he’ll take a crack at it and—though it nearly gets the better of him—he sees it through.
In equitable partnerships, we don’t draw lines in the sand based on old-fashioned gender roles. We just lean in when and where we’re needed.
And even if our duck cake ends up a little lumpy, we are able to model growth mindset for our children.
(Season 2, Episode 44 “Duck Cake”)
6. Bandit remembers to apply sunscreen
Unfortunately, TV Dads are often depicted as bumbling and forgetful. The dad who can’t make toast, who turned the batch of laundry pink, who forget to apply sunscreen.
But these jokes prolong the narrative that men are poor caregivers—which just isn’t true. They can meal plan, do laundry, apply sunscreen.
Bandit models this in a one-second onscreen moment. Something as small as remembering to apply sunscreen can have serious health benefits for your children.
(Season 2, Episode 8 “Daddy Dropoff”)
7. Bandit teaches emotional intelligence
When Bluey goes to the movies, she’s pretty worried about the thunderstorm bit. Rather than eye-rolling at Bluey’s irrational fear or telling her to “just toughen up,” Bandit gets on her level (literally kneeling down) and lets her know that her feelings are valid.
As a mom with a sensitive eight year old, I find this scene particularly touching. Creating space for Bluey to feel through her emotions helps her develop emotional intelligence and strengthens her trust in her dad.
As important as all the day-to-day tasks of caregiving are, nothing is more meaningful than helping your kid grow into an empathetic adult.
(Season 2, Episode 29 “Movies”)
When we see equitable partnerships in media and at home, we can mirror them in our workplaces
As Eve Rodsky says in Fair Play, “Having to remind your partner to do something doesn’t take that something off your list.”
Even in 2023, women carry the burden of domestic responsibilities two-thirds of the time and this “invisible work” creates a real mental load. From prepping meals that suit everyone’s preferences to remembering jackets for chilly days to keeping teeth brushed, it’s a lot—and Bandit makes an effort to do his part.
Bluey’s dad is not just a subordinate who waits to be reminded of childcare tasks or delegated to; he is an owner and equal partner in planning and execution.
We know what this looks like in the workplace—clear lines of ownership lead to better trust, speed, and efficiency. We need the same in domestic partnerships.
Bluey and Bingo’s lives are richer because their dad doesn’t conform to traditional gender roles.
If we want to be better workplace allies, we have to start with gender equity at home.
Rachel Cottam 