Some truly important ‘Boy Meets World’ lessons Rider Strong should pass on to his new baby

Shawn Hunter: teen heartthrob, Cory Matthew’s best friend, and now proud new dad. The man behind the hair that launched a thousand crushes, Rider Strong, just welcomed a baby boy with his wife, Alexandra Barreto. The two named their new little tot Indigo “Indy” Baretto Strong. And yes that is one of the world’s most perfect baby names.

A new baby is always a big scary step for any first time parent, but we have a feeling Rider and Alexandra are going to be totally awesome in their new roles. Besides, Rider already had a ton of awesome family and life advice from his years playing Shawn on Boy Meets World. Between the love that the Matthews family showed him, to all those aphorisms from wise sage Mr. Feeny, Rider should be a life-advice pro. And if we all need a refresher on some of the best family lessons, ALL of the time is the perfect time to revisit Boy Meets World. Here are some of our very favorites.

Friends are your family

There’s a huge underlying theme through all of BMW, and that’s friends = family. Even though Cory already has a brother (the loveable Eric) Shawn is his REAL brother. They see each other through thick and thin no matter what. It’s SO true — family is not defined by blood, but by those you hold dearest.

Those true friends will be there for you no matter what

That being said, those friends you consider family are always going to be there for you. Leave it to Mr. Feeny to cite that the best gift to give is something free — friendship.

All parents ever want is what’s best for their children

Shawn always had a rocky relationship with his dad, Chet, and often wondered why he was never around. Then Chet straight up left. The Matthews of course took Shawn in — even offering to adopt him at one point! — but Shawn couldn’t do it. He still loved his dad. And his dad loved him very much. Chet admitted that he couldn’t give Shawn the life he deserved, and wanted better for him. Shawn and Chet cried, we all cried.

Life might come at you fast

Eric knew what he was talking about when he told Cory that he needed to be prepared for the world. Life won’t be easy, but as long as you’re ready for whatever might be coming next, nothing can slow you down.

Also, “life’s tough, get a helmet.” Great yearbook quote.

It’s OK to disagree with the people you love

Cory and Topanga’s first fight as a married couple was one of the worst. But you know what? They pulled through it, and it only made them stronger as a new family. We knew these two could weather anything if they talked it out. They learned, and taught us, you should never be afraid to speak your mind.

Always tell those that you love that you love them

Hugs are the best. Hugs also just happen to be the easiest way to show someone that you care about them. Even if you can’t figure out how to express your feelings in words, a hug will do just fine. Those friends you consider family always need another hug for the road. Also, your mom probably does too.

Your parents are right about everything

Seriously, listen to your parents, because they’ve already been through EVERYTHING before you. They only want the best for you, and to make sure that you get the best out of life. That means putting down the Cocoa Puffs and going after what you want.

And, Mr. Feeny is right about everything

Mr. Feeny played the dad role to everyone on the show, imparting only the best, and wisest advice to all — whether they asked for it or not. They were all family by the time the show ended (sniff) and all Mr. Feeny could do was hope for the best from all of them. He only wanted them to go out into the world and do good. Do good.

[Images via here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.]

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