Kids are growing up learning from their role models, who come to life every day on their TV screens. Though many of those role models are mere animations, many kids aspire to be just like them. They want to live in Bikini bottom with Spongebob or have fairy godparents like Timmy Turner. Everyone today, not just kids, could benefit a lot if their TV shows not only stirred their imaginations but also helped build character. Most shows fail to do so. There is, however, a diamond in the rough.

Actually, there are two, and their names are Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher, from Disney’s animated series Phineas and Ferb. The two set the moral compass for how everyone should think and act.

Phineas and Ferb’s core principle is to make the most of every day, hoping that each one can be “the best day ever.” In doing so, their creativity, persistence and good-heartedness shine brightly. The show teaches audiences, young and old alike, to overcome the problems of everyday life in a positive way, from dealing with bullies and mean sisters to forgiving others and doing the impossible.

The personalities of Phineas and Ferb are the heart of the show. The quality that makes them such magnetic characters is often overlooked. It is not Phineas’ triangular head, Ferb’s mysterious silence, or even their unconventional pet platypus that doubles as a secret agent. Rather, it is their unrelenting positivity. They turn the other cheek, and, in a way, that may make them seem oblivious. The fact is, neither of the two has a single mean bone in their body, even when faced with negativity.

In one scenario, Phineas and Ferb encounter two snobbish doppelgangers, Thaddeus and Thor. After being greeted with a “Sup Chumps?”, Phineas and Ferb listen as Thaddeus and Thor gloat about the awesome fort that they are building. They respond by wishing the other boys luck.Their motivation is not to prove anyone wrong. As Phineas puts it, “We don’t do this to compete, we do it for fun (and for the ladies).” Even after they blow Thaddeus and Thor out of the water with a fort of their own, the boys compliment their competition. Phineas and Ferb manage to effectively fight negativity with positivity.

There is also something to be learned about creativity and persistence from the two young boys who manage to build a rocket, fight a mummy and climb up the Eiffel tower all in one summer. Even though they are just cartoons, Phineas and Ferb can inspire audiences to make the most of their days. They shoot for the stars, conjuring up elaborate creations that outdo any engineer that has ever lived. Despite their impressive accomplishment, they always remain humble, never boast and never beg for attention. They also work hard to accomplish their goals, often managing to beat all odds, and never give up, even when those odds are not in their favor. Best of all, they have fun while doing it. If anything, Phineas and Ferb teach that anything is doable with the right attitude.

Though they may just be inanimate cartoons that create fictional inventions, everyone should take the message of Phineas and Ferb to heart. In doing so, they too can make the most of their days and hopefully have a “best day ever” of their own.