Do we like them?

Do we like Chilli Heeler?

A character from Bluey (2018–present)

Our score: 9 out of 10. Yes, easily. She's warm, funny and wise, and she's a calm head when the games get wild. She will also happily join in the silliness. Few parents in fiction are this steady.

Bluey is an Australian cartoon about a family of dogs in Brisbane. Chilli is the mum of Bluey and Bingo, and she's married to Bandit. She works in airport security and runs a busy home where almost every day turns into an elaborate made-up game.

Chilli is the family's level-headed one. She has a dry sense of humour, a wry comment ready for the kids' antics, and a kind word for an upset child. She isn't just the sensible one, though. She throws herself into the games, dances around the house and is as silly as Bandit when it's playtime.

She scores so high because her parenting is both loving and honest. She doesn't fake it, she admits when she's worried or has got something wrong, and she shows her kids how to be brave, kind and resilient. Other parents in the show trust her, and her sister and friends lean on her too.

Some of her best moments are quiet ones. The show hints at the losses and struggles in her own life, including the death of her mum before the girls were born. It also shows her passing on the encouragement and coping methods she once received, which is why she's often called the heart of the show.