Mary’s Most Heartbreaking Parenting Moment in Young Sheldon—And Why It’s So Ironic

Although The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon was responsible for his own antics, Young Sheldon’s depiction of Mary’s inconsistent parenting partially explains his inconsiderate behavior. While Young Sheldon‘s ending was poignant, it was also a little disappointing for longtime franchise fans. The Big Bang Theory’s finale proved that, beneath all of his self-centered blustering, Sheldon knew that his friends and family provided invaluable support, and he owed all of his career success to them. However, Young Sheldon’s ending saw him almost miss his son’s hockey game for the sake of finishing his memoirs.

A cynical viewer might have feared that Sheldon learned nothing from his character development throughout The Big Bang Theory. It is worth noting that Amy and Sheldon’s relationship could be surprisingly toxic at times, so it might not be all that surprising if Sheldon slid back into his old self-involved viewpoints after The Big Bang Theory ended. That said, the real roots of Sheldon’s self-interest run deeper. Throughout Young Sheldon, Mary coddled Sheldon and made excuses for his uncaring attitude toward others, making one of her best scenes ironic in retrospect.

Mary’s Coddling Of Sheldon Contributed To His Bad Behavior

Missy’s Rebellion And Georgie’s Resentment Both Sprang From This Source

Although The Big Bang Theory did see Mary’s older self coddle Sheldon on occasion, this was nothing compared to her actions in Young Sheldon. Young Sheldon’s Mary constantly capitulated to Sheldon’s demands, both because his intelligence made it hard to argue with him and because his sheer determination made a battle of wills hopelessly one-sided. This was understandable considering Mary was a hard-working mother and homemaker who also held down a job at the church for much of the series. However, it undoubtedly contributed to Missy and Georgie’s belief that Sheldon got preferential treatment.

It was hard to argue against this claim when, by virtue of his child-prodigy status alone, Sheldon did enjoy privileges that neither of his siblings had. Sheldon got to attend college at a young age, he enjoyed access to cutting-edge technology, and he fast-tracked traditional schooling in a way Missy and Georgie couldn’t. Even Georgie’s feud with Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory had its origins in the unfair expectations placed on him after George Sr.’s death. Similarly, Missy rebelled in Young Sheldon season 6 due to feeling ignored by her parents.

Mary Helped Sheldon Overcome His Fear By Not Coddling Him In Young Sheldon Season 4

Sheldon Was Briefly Terrified Of Car Rides After Meemaw’s Accident

What makes Mary’s preferential treatment of Sheldon so frustrating is that one of her best scenes from the spinoff bucked this trend. In season 4, episode 13, “The Geezer Bus and a New Model For Education,” Mary warns others about the potential perils of coddling Sheldon. A minor car accident with Meemaw leads Sheldon to become afraid of car journeys, and the college is willing to install a second phone line in his house so that he can attend lectures remotely. However, Mary warns them that this pattern of acquiescence will only lead to further, more outlandish requests.

Aware that Sheldon will be unable to cope with adult life without the ability to ride in cars, Mary instead convinces him to find a workaround for his new fear. While Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’s Sheldon replacement secretly sought the approval of his parents, Young Sheldon’s title character was very different. He reacted to this demand with frustration and anger, and it was only Mary’s insistence that led Sheldon to eventually come to a breakthrough and overcome his anxiety.

If Mary had continued to take this attitude to Sheldon’s many outrageous demands, she may have left him better prepared for life’s challenges. Sheldon often gets embroiled in pointless battles with his love interest, his friends, and his colleagues throughout The Big Bang Theory, and it is hard to imagine how many of these could have been avoided if he weren’t so used to getting his way. This also might have left Georgie and Missy feeling less short-changed, improving their relationships with Sheldon.

Why Mary Still Tended To Coddle Sheldon Even In Adulthood

Mary’s Best Young Sheldon Moment Prove She Could Be A Great Sheldon Support

This scene was a great standalone moment, but it feels frustrating when taken as part of the pair’s broader dynamic. Mary’s preferential treatment of Sheldon shaped both Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory as it contributed to Sheldon’s God complex, Missy’s rebellion, and Georgie’s resentment. Mary rarely tried this type of tough love again, even when Sheldon’s adult self came to her expecting coddling in The Big Bang Theory.

In “The Geezer Bus and a New Model For Education,” Mary telling Sheldon that he couldn’t have his way led to Sheldon creating a periodic table game that he continued to use years later in The Big Bang Theory. Sadly, the death of George Sr. left Mary feeling more isolated and fearful of losing her son, resulting in her avoiding anything resembling tough love in his later years. This likely explains why The Big Bang Theory’s Mary is so much more resigned to Sheldon’s maddening antics than her Young Sheldon counterpart.