10 Things Kids Can Learn from Barney Rubble

As one of animated television’s most well-known and well-loved sidekicks, Barney Rubble has been keeping Fred Flintstone company on his zany adventures since 1960. Generations of children have grown up watching Barney, and learning from his experiences and personality traits. These ten lessons taught by Barney Rubble are among the more valuable ones that can be gleaned from watching television.

1. There’s Nothing Wrong With Second Fiddle – Barney Rubble doesn’t seem to have any problems with being labeled a sidekick; in fact, he revels in his status as Fred’s best friend. For kids with bashful tendencies, this can reaffirm that it’s okay not to seek the spotlight.
2. Being a Good Friend is Important – Without Barney, Fred’s schemes would be even more ill-fated. His friendship is an integral part of Fred’s life; seeing the devotion and loyalty they show one another is a great way for kids to grasp the importance of being a good friend.
3. We All Have Hidden Skills – Because he’s so often relegated to the background, it can come as a surprise that Barney Rubble is actually a quite gifted and accomplished musician.
4. Adoptive Parents Are Awesome! – The son of Barney and Betty Rubble, Bamm-Bamm, was adopted after being abandoned on their doorstep. For kids growing up with adoptive parents, this can be a great way to understand the positive impact those parents can have on a child’s life.
5. Everyone Has Different Strengths and Weaknesses – Though he’s often portrayed as a bit less intelligent than Fred, this isn’t quite the case; they just have different strong suits when it comes to intellect. Watching Barney understand some situations more thoroughly than Fred explains to kids that intelligence depends largely on specific areas of strength and weakness.
6. A Simple Life Can Be Quite Satisfying – Unlike Fred, who is consumed with the idea of financial freedom, Barney is quite content to live and enjoy his life. Just as Fred extolls the virtues of determination and ingenuity, Barney is the poster child for positive thinking.
7. Patriotism is an Admirable Quality – Many episodes reference Barney’s service in the military prior to the events of the first episode; this display of patriotism is another reason why Barney Rubble is a great role model in the world of animated television.
8. Some People Live to Work… – While others work to live. In direct contrast to Fred’s fixation on work and money, Barney’s job is just a means of survival to him. This is evidenced by the fact that the bulk of his career is spent in a job that is never named.
9. Sometimes Friends Disagree – Though Barney spend many years patiently accompanying Fred through his adventures without a word of complaint, the two did eventually have a disagreement regarding the wedding of their respective children. After an apology from Fred, Barney forgave his longtime pal; this is a great way for kids to see the inevitability of arguments between friends and the importance of forgiveness.
10. It’s Never Too Late to Change Careers – Though Barney’s occupation was the subject of much debate during the bulk of the original series, he and Fred did become police officers after their children became teenagers. This implies that the middle-aged men made drastic career changes, showing kids that such moves are okay.

Barney Rubble is the type of best friend anyone would want to have. Fred Flintstone chose well in selecting Barney to be his best bud.