We’ve cut TV time in our home by more than half. I am so sick of the television. I know it is one of the biggest distractors the enemy uses here in the West to keep Christian families distracted, zombied, sleepy, and numb to purposeful activities of fellowship, growth, and even the gospel.
I decided to go on the search for a wholesome TV show that we could watch as a family – that could serve, not only as entertainment, but as conversational points for Biblical topics.
LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.
We started season 1 and I am SO SO SO grateful we did.
Episode 1: HARVEST OF FRIENDS. This episode shows how important a good character is. The father, Charles Ingalls, is a hard working man and the town sees it. He doesn’t have to tell people what kind of man he is (Godly, truthful, masculine, loyal) his actions tell them.
TAKEAWAY: People are always watching but it is in private and public that our true selves are seen by GOD. We work for HIS glory and His honor. People will see the fruit of being in Jesus. Actions speak louder than words.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
Episode 2: COUNTRY GIRLS. Mary and Laura are confronted with a mean girl at their new school. She makes fun of their plain dresses and other aspects, like Laura not knowing how a chalkboard works, but the girls learn a big lesson in what ACTUALLY MATTERS.
Their mama buys fabric (VERY BEAUTIFUL FABRIC) to make a new dress. These girls didn’t have a closet of clothes but a church dress (a nicer dress and church bows) and a play dress – the one or maybe 2 they’d wear to school. Mama bought the fabric after having a run in with the mean girl‘s Mother. The Mother is a mean girl too.
The girls woke up before school, before the day they were to give a recital in front of all the parents, reading a paper they all wrote about their lives , to see that their Mama had made them each new dresses out of her new fabric and not one for herself.
TAKEAWAY: Mama sacrifices. And the girls found more beauty, more comfort, and more love in their Mama than in any expensive possessions they could ever have. Real treasure is not in material possessions but in love.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
Episode 3: THE 100 MILE WALK. This is a tear jerker. Charles, the Papa, has to go find work because the crops were ruined. On the way, he meets some friends. There’s so much in this episode about HARD WORK and pitching in. Even the women get to work to save any grain they can, while their husbands were away to make money.
I won’t do a spoiler but this episode teaches about kindness, generosity, and helping one another out in hard times.
TAKEAWAY: The body of Christ is a FAMILY and we look out for one another. We look out, not only for our own interests but theirs too.
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:4
Each episode, so far, has been a wonderful opportunity to talk about important Biblical lessons.
I HIGHLY encourage you to start watching it with your family. We are also ordering the books so the girls can read them.
Do you enjoy “LITTLE HOUSE?”
WITH LOVE JILLIAN 
I did as a child. After learning about how “Pa” treated the cast & crew, & some other information of his personal life it has tainted the show for me. You feel for these characters that you watch, but the reality is they are playing a character with a script. I still feel it’s a great family show. For me, I cannot enjoy it as much as I did growing up.
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Aww I’m sorry that it was ruined for you.
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SO interesting that you are doing this…. we have been without TV since 2014 – We sub to a few YT channels and occasionally watch them but mostly sermons, teachings, etc. A few months ago, somehow – Little House came up (hubs knows myself. his mom and my mom have all loved the books and the show) we decided to see if we could get it with our Amazon Prime account – we currently only have 4 episodes left in Season 9 (final episode) it has been nice to go back as an adult and get the deeper lessons out of my favorite show as a girl.
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We are working through the Little House Series of books over the past few years in our homeschool. I used Prairie Primer to make it a full curriculum with my older kids in the past and now used Playful Pioneers for my lower elementary children. My little girls play Little House all the time in their free time. The books are much better than the series, of course. And there definitely are quite a few episodes we skip because of Mary’s love interests changing often. The pilot episode is one of my favorites!
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We used Prairie Primer too when we started homeschooling way back in the early 2000s. I even found a My Little Primer for my preschooler using My First Little House books.
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I love Little House on the Prairie growing up. There is one episode that in later seasons that I found upsetting was the involving Albert’s girlfriend.
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Our family really enjoys this show, and it almost always prompts discussion. We realize that it is fiction, but we love how it points to family and the kids are a part of the community, as opposed to many shows today where kids have lives separate from adults.
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