Elena sets goals for herself, reflects on her successes and shortcomings, holds herself to a high standard. She always stays true to her values in face of adversity. Gabi is a hardworking single mom who balances her kids' needs with her own.
Positive Messages
some
Kids see Elena cope with many issues that will resonate with them, including academic and social pressures, disappointing peer relationships, changing dynamics at home. Through it all, she keeps a positive outlook and determination to always do her best, which series equates with her eventual occupation of the White House. Elena's Cuban American heritage has a small but constant role in her life, and the story refers to her father's death three years ago.
Educational Value
very little
Show intends to entertain more than anything else, but in relating Elena's achievements as tween to her eventual political success, it encourages viewers to consider that every lesson learned in life is valuable.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Diary of a Future President follows the ups and downs of a Cuban American middle schooler whose experiences help prepare her for an eventual rise to the presidency. The show sets up its reflective look back at 12-year-old Elena's (Tess Romero) everyday life and then settles there for the duration, rather than bouncing back and forth between Elena's adult and tween personas. The show's honesty in dealing with issues like difficult emotions, stress, and troublesome people raises worthy talking points for families. Other topics -- menstruation, for instance, which is discussed frequently and frankly -- may inspire questions, depending on your kids' age and awareness. This feel-good series features a diverse cast, a strong family unit, and a hardworking, self-assured tween who aspires to -- and eventually achieves -- great things.
This is a fantastic show for parents willing to talk to their middle school daughter about things they *should* be talking about. The menstruation talk is awkward for my husband but he watches anyway because the show is so funny at both an adult and tween level. My daughter is in 6th grade now. We're on the 6th episode and the show never fails to reinforce lessons I try to teach her. Case in point, when she started middle school a couple months ago I warned her about girls who try to reinvent themselves and align with a queen bee. They'll be mean (or silent) when with the queen bee but nicer when she's not there to see it - which can be confusing and hurtful. And then we watch this show and there she is, in Jessie/Jessica. Beginning to end, this show is funny, smart, heartfelt, and not as exaggerated as we'd like to believe.
I especially want to address Episode 3, which repeatedly references "Miami third base" and seems to have freaked out enough parents here that I watched with (undue) hesitation. Undue because an ongoing joke is that the boys are not even sure what it is. There is a scene with a bra on a pillow, but you don't see the boys touch it - what they think they're supposed to do with it is left to the viewer's imagination. The son gets caught and earns himself an (off screen) sex talk, and (spoiler) the potential girlfriend ultimately reminds him that the bases are outdated and patriarchal. Bam!
Is this show diverse and progressive? Yes! It represents the world our children live in. Do yourself a favor and watch this with your tween/teen daughter, for entertainment and to open the doors to important conversations.
After looking at common sense media ratings (1 out of 5 for sex) and the rating of the show on Disney (PG) I thought this would be an ok show to watch but I was definitely wrong. So disappointing that our children have to be exposed to this stuff all the time. These shows need to be rated appropriately. I'm so disappointed m
What's the Story?
In DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT, Elena Cañero-Reed (Gina Rodriguez) revisits the musings in her middle school diary, reflecting on how the challenges she overcame at that point in her life helped prepare her for a political career that brought her to the White House. As she reads and remembers, the setting changes, and we meet 12-year-old Elena (Tess Romero), her widowed mother, Gabi (Selenis Leyva), and her older brother, Bobby (Charlie Bushnell). Having just started middle school, Elena finds it filled with uncertainty, disloyal friends, academic pressures ... and then there's a curveball she's not expecting at home! As Elena's life takes one turn after another, she details the ups and downs in the diary that years later helps tell her story.
Romero's charisma helps elevate this show, which otherwise runs the risk of being overlooked because of its overall mellow vibe. There's no shtick, no gags, no hyperbolic silliness for laughs; instead it's a straightforward and relatable look at the unpredictable late tween years, happily guided by a smart, industrious, well-rounded kid. Because the story gives away the ending at its start with Elena's ascent to the presidency, it's easy to settle in and watch things transpire without wondering where events will take her someday.
From puberty matters to social drama to winging it on an assignment after mixing up the due date (yikes!), Elena's day-to-day issues hit close to home and mostly keep to appropriate topics, but the extent of some discussions, especially surrounding periods, may not be for all families. But talk about crushes, periods, and other timely concerns don't overwhelm Diary of a Future President's content -- there's still plenty of room for strong messages about family relationships, adjusting to change, and working hard toward your goals.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Elena's strong self-awareness in Diary of a Future President. What do you think accounts for it? How does it help her weather the storms that come at home and at school? Can you relate to Elena's self-confidence? In what kinds of real-life situations would this strength be most valuable?
What influence does Elena's Cuban heritage have on her determination to succeed and achieve? How do her mom's stories of coming to America help inspire Elena? What family traditions do you have that reflect your own cultural background? Why is the United States called a "melting pot"?
A recurring theme in this story is adapting to change. Why are resilience and perseverence such vital characteristics in success? When have you learned valuable lessons from change that was difficult or unwelcome?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
