A recent survey found that some parents were “embarrassed” by the idea of children watching videos like “Puppy Cuddling,” which shows children bonding over a stuffed toy, and another called “Puffy.”
The videos, which were featured on the Nickelodeon show, have drawn criticism from animal rights groups and even a few celebrities, including the actor John Cusack, who posted a photo of himself wearing a puffy shirt with a pink face mask.
But some parents are finding their kids have grown up enough to see the videos for what they are: a way to bond with a pet, and they are embracing the trend.
In a piece on parenting website Parenting, writer Lisa Kranz wrote that “some parents find it fun to encourage their kids to be cuddly and cuddle up to cute pets.
Others have a deeper appreciation for the joy of watching their children play with a stuffed animal or a stuffed cat.
It’s a fun time to watch children become more attached to a pet.”
She continued, “A lot of parents have found that when they watch these videos with their children, their children seem to be more interested in the animals, and the pet that is being cuddled up to is the one that is getting cuddles.”