Why I let my kids watch The Walking Dead.....

I'm a terrible mom.

It's time I face the facts, I guess. All of you mom-shamers out there have finally made your point. I'm awful for allowing my kids to watch The Walking Dead.

No, that's not right. I don't feel bad at all for sharing this show with my kiddos. And here's why:

1. Zombies are cool. Just as Freddy, Michael, and Jason were *totally awesome* when I was a kid, zombies are the new cool. The zombie myth has been warped and twisted and stretched into almost every age range in every medium possible (Plants vs. Zombies, Monster High, Alice in Zombieland...need I go on??). At school they talk about zombies, draw zombies, and write about zombies. Bottom line, my kids are into zombies and they are going to find a way to access all things zombie so why not be a part of their discovery?

My daughter getting her zombie on as "Zombie Sophia"

2. TWD is about more than zombies. There are some incredible story lines that have led to interesting, in depth moral discussions with my kids. It's kind of like disguising vegetables so the kids will eat them....hiding lessons in TWD, who woulda thunk it? I'm not saying TWD is this generation's After School Special but we've addressed issues about defending yourself/your family, how far you'd go to survive, first crushes, and the importance of being honest. I never know what I'm going to get out of them after an episode but I look forward to it.

My son impersonating "Carl."

3. The fandom is incredible. We've attended a few events now - just a few, lol - and with this fandom, you can expect a lot of entertainment. My kids are no exception and have taken on their own "characters" to join the excitement. They've met some of the actors and I have to say that for the most part, TWD has some of the nicest celebs we've encountered.

My kiddos acting up at Horrorhound

4. It is just fun. The kids and I make a huge deal of our Walking Dead time. We like to get wings, special drinks and cool snacks - a la Gilmore Girls. Everything is set out before we even start the show and settle in so nobody misses anything.

So, I'm going to argue that I'm a great mom. My kiddos and I bond over the The Walking Dead and the best part of that statement is "bond." How many of my wanna-be-shamers can say the same thing?