7 Home Lessons We Learned From Mister Rogers
With the film ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ set to debut, here are ways the TV host’s ideas can live on in our homes
Gwendolyn Purdom
June 3, 2018
Lover of architecture, history, dogs, the Chicago Cubs, crowded bookshelves, and homes with a story. Former editor at Preservation mag and Culturess.com.
Lover of architecture, history, dogs, the Chicago Cubs, crowded bookshelves, and... More
For more than 30 years, Fred Rogers invited generations of American children into his home, and, on the other side of the TV screen, those millions of kids welcomed him into theirs.
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” movie poster. Photo from Focus Features
On June 8, we’ll have a chance to visit with our favorite neighbor once again as the new documentary about the man we know as Mister Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, makes its theatrical debut.
In honor of the occasion and the 50th anniversary of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, we thought back to all the valuable life lessons Rogers taught viewers with his gentle, genuine wisdom — and realized that many of those messages can apply right in our own homes.
On June 8, we’ll have a chance to visit with our favorite neighbor once again as the new documentary about the man we know as Mister Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, makes its theatrical debut.
In honor of the occasion and the 50th anniversary of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, we thought back to all the valuable life lessons Rogers taught viewers with his gentle, genuine wisdom — and realized that many of those messages can apply right in our own homes.
1. Always Take Your Shoes Off
Within the first minutes of every episode of the show, which aired on public television stations from 1968 through 2001, Rogers walked into his cozy TV living room and slid off his formal footwear in favor of a pair of indoor sneakers. This understated ritual was said to have been so the host could move around the set more quietly, but it’s also just good sense.
People have long been divided on whether to take their shoes off inside. In some cultures, it’s considered rude not to. In others, asking guests to leave outside shoes at the door prompts groans. Researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a study in 2016 that found a shoe worn for three months had an average of 421,000 units of bacteria attached to it. An earlier report found that bacteria on the bottom of shoes live longer than in other places and can easily transfer to tile and carpet floors.
So the familiar Rogers move was smart not only for keeping noise down, but also for keeping questionable outside germs at bay, especially for families with young children who spend a lot of time crawling around on the floor. He tended to make his shoe switch from a chair near the front entryway on the show, but a built-in bench with shoe storage like the one seen here makes things even easier.
See more ways to encourage shoe removal at home | Find shoe storage shelves
Within the first minutes of every episode of the show, which aired on public television stations from 1968 through 2001, Rogers walked into his cozy TV living room and slid off his formal footwear in favor of a pair of indoor sneakers. This understated ritual was said to have been so the host could move around the set more quietly, but it’s also just good sense.
People have long been divided on whether to take their shoes off inside. In some cultures, it’s considered rude not to. In others, asking guests to leave outside shoes at the door prompts groans. Researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a study in 2016 that found a shoe worn for three months had an average of 421,000 units of bacteria attached to it. An earlier report found that bacteria on the bottom of shoes live longer than in other places and can easily transfer to tile and carpet floors.
So the familiar Rogers move was smart not only for keeping noise down, but also for keeping questionable outside germs at bay, especially for families with young children who spend a lot of time crawling around on the floor. He tended to make his shoe switch from a chair near the front entryway on the show, but a built-in bench with shoe storage like the one seen here makes things even easier.
See more ways to encourage shoe removal at home | Find shoe storage shelves
2. Be a Good Neighbor
This one was a biggie for Rogers — it’s right there in his theme song. Being a good neighbor can mean anything from greeting those who live nearby with a smile to ensuring that a pet isn’t digging up the garden next door.
Noise and smells can be potential points of contention with neighbors, particularly if you live in close quarters like an apartment or condo building. If the noise or smell is coming from your home and you’re not able to make structural changes, addressing the situation with neighbors before it becomes a problem might ease tension. Maybe you can work out a time to practice guitar when your neighbors are at work. It won’t resolve every conflict, but it will let your neighbors know you’re considering their needs and may make them more likely to consider yours when roles are reversed.
Plus, establishing a friendly relationship and clear lines of communication with your neighbors not only makes life more pleasant, but it also lays a foundation should any other issues come up in the future, whether it’s a sick tree that hangs over both your properties or a broken window from a kids’ baseball game.
See how to help your dog be a good neighbor
This one was a biggie for Rogers — it’s right there in his theme song. Being a good neighbor can mean anything from greeting those who live nearby with a smile to ensuring that a pet isn’t digging up the garden next door.
Noise and smells can be potential points of contention with neighbors, particularly if you live in close quarters like an apartment or condo building. If the noise or smell is coming from your home and you’re not able to make structural changes, addressing the situation with neighbors before it becomes a problem might ease tension. Maybe you can work out a time to practice guitar when your neighbors are at work. It won’t resolve every conflict, but it will let your neighbors know you’re considering their needs and may make them more likely to consider yours when roles are reversed.
Plus, establishing a friendly relationship and clear lines of communication with your neighbors not only makes life more pleasant, but it also lays a foundation should any other issues come up in the future, whether it’s a sick tree that hangs over both your properties or a broken window from a kids’ baseball game.
See how to help your dog be a good neighbor
David Newell as Mr. McFeely, left, and Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” are seen in the Focus Features documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Photo by Lynn Johnson
Rogers was known for treating his neighbors, like Mr. McFeely and Officer Clemmons, with kindness and respect, and by inviting his viewers to think of themselves as his neighbors as well, he spread a message of good will that lives on today.
See how to get along with the neighbors and live happier at home
Rogers was known for treating his neighbors, like Mr. McFeely and Officer Clemmons, with kindness and respect, and by inviting his viewers to think of themselves as his neighbors as well, he spread a message of good will that lives on today.
See how to get along with the neighbors and live happier at home
3. Show Your Sweaters Some Respect
There are few people more associated with sweaters than Rogers. The colorful cardigans he sported on the show were knitted by his mother, and he lovingly hung them in his front closet to slip on at the start of every episode.
You can show your own sweater collection a similar level of love, even if your mom’s not a knitter. Sweaters can sometimes be a problem to store since moths are attracted to natural fibers like cashmere or wool. If you don’t slip into one every evening, as Rogers does, and keep sweaters stored during the warmer months, sealing them in plastic containers can protect them from pests. Cleaning them before tucking them away for the season helps too.
See more storage secrets for clothes
There are few people more associated with sweaters than Rogers. The colorful cardigans he sported on the show were knitted by his mother, and he lovingly hung them in his front closet to slip on at the start of every episode.
You can show your own sweater collection a similar level of love, even if your mom’s not a knitter. Sweaters can sometimes be a problem to store since moths are attracted to natural fibers like cashmere or wool. If you don’t slip into one every evening, as Rogers does, and keep sweaters stored during the warmer months, sealing them in plastic containers can protect them from pests. Cleaning them before tucking them away for the season helps too.
See more storage secrets for clothes
Fred Rogers and puppet Daniel Striped Tiger in the new documentary. Photo from The Fred Rogers Co.
4. Use Your Imagination
In addition to the neighborhood that Rogers, McFeely and others on the show called home, there was the Neighborhood of Make-Believe where kids met imagination-driven puppet characters like Purple Panda, Daniel Striped Tiger and King Friday XIII. Rogers was a passionate proponent of his viewers tapping into their imaginations, and that mindset doesn’t have to stop at adulthood.
4. Use Your Imagination
In addition to the neighborhood that Rogers, McFeely and others on the show called home, there was the Neighborhood of Make-Believe where kids met imagination-driven puppet characters like Purple Panda, Daniel Striped Tiger and King Friday XIII. Rogers was a passionate proponent of his viewers tapping into their imaginations, and that mindset doesn’t have to stop at adulthood.
Elements of creativity and playfulness, like a claw-foot tub planter or a tree that’s the foundation of a child’s bedroom design, can add a sense of whimsy and fun to a home that Rogers surely would encourage.
See 8 imaginative architectural projects
See 8 imaginative architectural projects
5. Less Can Be More
“I’ve always felt that I didn’t need to put on a funny hat or jump through the hoop to have a relationship with a child,” Rogers can be heard saying in the Won’t You Be My Neighbor? movie trailer.
Instead of crowding his children’s program with cartoons or flashy action sequences, Rogers embraced a simple, straightforward approach. A similarly thoughtful, streamlined perspective can also work at home, as this minimalist kitchen shows.
See 6 principles of minimalist design
“I’ve always felt that I didn’t need to put on a funny hat or jump through the hoop to have a relationship with a child,” Rogers can be heard saying in the Won’t You Be My Neighbor? movie trailer.
Instead of crowding his children’s program with cartoons or flashy action sequences, Rogers embraced a simple, straightforward approach. A similarly thoughtful, streamlined perspective can also work at home, as this minimalist kitchen shows.
See 6 principles of minimalist design
6. Make Room for Learning
Learning was at the root of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Rogers turned everything from a visit from the postman to a national news story into a lesson, and many times those lessons unfolded right at home. In Rogers’ case, his set was conducive to learning because it reflected his overall philosophy of intentional peacefulness.
Achieving a similar atmosphere in your space, whether it’s designating a place for your kids to do their homework or a nook to devour a new book, might mean clearing a room of distracting screens or toys, picking out furniture that’s comfortable but doesn’t prompt dozing, and establishing a variety of workspaces — cozy chair for reading, large table for art projects — within that area.
See 5 ideas for a great home learning zone
Learning was at the root of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Rogers turned everything from a visit from the postman to a national news story into a lesson, and many times those lessons unfolded right at home. In Rogers’ case, his set was conducive to learning because it reflected his overall philosophy of intentional peacefulness.
Achieving a similar atmosphere in your space, whether it’s designating a place for your kids to do their homework or a nook to devour a new book, might mean clearing a room of distracting screens or toys, picking out furniture that’s comfortable but doesn’t prompt dozing, and establishing a variety of workspaces — cozy chair for reading, large table for art projects — within that area.
See 5 ideas for a great home learning zone
7. Let Your Style Shine Just the Way You Are
Rogers’ signature saying, that he liked his viewers “just the way [they] are,” endures as a reminder that what makes people different is also what makes them special. It’s a message that’s just as affirming now when you’re expressing yourself in your space as it was when you were a child struggling with identity and self-doubt.
Love bright colors and unusual knickknacks? Use them to personalize your home. Find a piece that some might consider strange but you consider stylish? Own it.
Rogers’ signature saying, that he liked his viewers “just the way [they] are,” endures as a reminder that what makes people different is also what makes them special. It’s a message that’s just as affirming now when you’re expressing yourself in your space as it was when you were a child struggling with identity and self-doubt.
Love bright colors and unusual knickknacks? Use them to personalize your home. Find a piece that some might consider strange but you consider stylish? Own it.
Rogers meets with a disabled boy in the Focus Features film. Photo by Jim Judkis
Your unique choices make your space an extension of who you are — and that’s who good neighbors, friends and beloved late TV hosts like best.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? hits select theaters June 8.
Tell us: What did Mister Rogers mean to you? How can we all be better neighbors? Please share your thoughts in the Comments.
More: 9 Non-Awkward Ways to Meet Your Neighbors
Your unique choices make your space an extension of who you are — and that’s who good neighbors, friends and beloved late TV hosts like best.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? hits select theaters June 8.
Tell us: What did Mister Rogers mean to you? How can we all be better neighbors? Please share your thoughts in the Comments.
More: 9 Non-Awkward Ways to Meet Your Neighbors
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Me Rogers wasn’t really part of my world, but as a Canadian kid of the 80s, mr dress up (with Casey& finnegan!) the friendly giant, Fred pennérs place, and skiddlebits were my thing.
But even though he wasn’t my tv world, I know who he is and love the calm simplicity. :)
I went to see A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood with Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. He did such a wonderful job that you soon forgot that it was Tom Hanks. The world needs more people like . Rogers!
His superpowers of love and caring didn't defeat anything negative, they encouraged all things positive. Never destroying, always building timeless values. The Ruth Bader Ginsberg of children's show hosts.