The Chicken Squad - The Squirrel Next Door (S1E11)
The Chicken Squad helps a squirrel who’s new to the neighborhood, but then his requests become too much for them to handle.
| Air Date | 2021-06-04 |
|---|---|
| Genres | Animation, Comedy, Kids, Family |
| TV Rating | TV-Y |
| Network(s) | Disney Junior |
Storyline
When a squirrel named Nutsy moves into the neighborhood, the Chicken Squad eagerly welcomes him and offers to help him settle in. The chicks are excited to make a new friend and show him around, answering his questions and assisting with various tasks as he gets acquainted with his new home.
However, Nutsy's requests quickly multiply and become increasingly demanding. What starts as simple neighborly assistance turns into an overwhelming series of favors that leave the Squad exhausted and stretched thin. The chicks must figure out how to set boundaries with their new neighbor while still being kind and helpful, learning that being a good friend doesn't mean saying yes to everything.
What kids learn
This episode teaches children about the importance of setting healthy boundaries in friendships and helping relationships. Young viewers see that while it's wonderful to be kind and welcoming to new people, it's also okay to say no when requests become too much to handle. The Chicken Squad's experience demonstrates that true friendship involves mutual respect and consideration, not one-sided demands.
Children also learn about recognizing when generosity crosses into being taken advantage of. The episode shows that helping others should feel good for both parties, and when it becomes exhausting or unfair, it's time to have an honest conversation. This lesson is particularly valuable for young children who are still learning to advocate for themselves.
Additionally, the story reinforces the value of welcoming newcomers while also modeling self-care and knowing one's limits. Kids see that being a good neighbor or friend means finding a balance between kindness and protecting one's own well-being, an essential social-emotional skill for navigating relationships throughout life.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How can I help my child recognize when someone is asking too much of them? | Use this episode as a conversation starter about how helping should feel. Ask your child if they've ever felt tired or frustrated when doing favors for someone, like the Squad did with Nutsy. Help them understand that good feelings about helping are normal, but persistent exhaustion or resentment are signs that boundaries are needed. Role-play polite ways to decline requests, emphasizing that saying no to a task doesn't mean rejecting the friendship itself. |
| What's the difference between being helpful and being taken advantage of? | Point out how Nutsy kept asking for more without offering anything in return or considering the Squad's feelings. Explain that real friendship involves give-and-take, where both people care about each other's needs. Help your child notice whether their friends ask how they're doing, offer to help back, or show appreciation. When help flows only one direction repeatedly, that's a sign the relationship may be unbalanced and needs adjustment. |
| How do I teach my child to say no without feeling guilty? | Emphasize that saying no is a form of self-respect, not selfishness. After watching the episode, practice simple phrases like 'I can't help right now' or 'That's too much for me today.' Reassure your child that true friends will understand and respect their limits. Explain that taking care of themselves allows them to be better friends in the long run, just as the Squad needed to preserve their energy and happiness. |
| Should my child always help new kids at school or in the neighborhood? | Being welcoming is important, but it shouldn't come at the expense of your child's well-being. Encourage your child to be friendly and offer reasonable help, like showing someone around or including them in activities. However, make clear that they're not responsible for meeting every need or request. Use the Squad's experience to show that healthy helping has natural limits, and it's okay to involve adults when requests become overwhelming. |
| What if my child is the one making too many requests of friends? | If you recognize your child in Nutsy's behavior, gently discuss how the Squad felt overwhelmed. Ask your child to consider whether they're asking friends for help more than offering it, or if they notice friends seeming tired or reluctant. Teach them to express appreciation, offer reciprocal help, and check in with friends' feelings. Help them develop independence in solving problems before automatically turning to others for assistance. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | The squad must learn to work together to rescue a stranded pooch. |
| 1 | 2 | The squad gets a little carried away while upgrading headquarters! |
| 1 | 3 | Little Boo gets overconfident during Captain Tully's training activities |
| 1 | 4 | Sweetie's enthusiasm over Dr. Dirt's work causes problems in the lab. |
| 1 | 5 | When the toys of dogs from the neighborhood start to disappear, Captain Tully is suspect #1! |
| 1 | 6 | To help the squad win a Critterball Tournament, Coop relies on a pair of super shoes. |
| 1 | 7 | The squad is enlisted to save Frazz and Riley's housewarming party. |
| 1 | 8 | When the squad's car gets souped up to go extra fast, speedy Boo feels like he doesn't have a place on the team. |
| 1 | 9 | For Mother's Day, the Chicken Squad watches their younger siblings to give their mom the day off. |
| 1 | 10 | Coop gets a taste of his own medicine when he wants to be Captain Tully's shadow. |
| 1 | 11 | The Chicken Squad helps a squirrel who’s new to the neighborhood, but then his requests become too much for them to handle. |
| 1 | 12 | The chickens get impatient during their first stakeout. |
| 1 | 13 | Though Coop isn't feeling well, he insists on helping to solve a case instead of resting at home. |
| 1 | 14 | The Chicken Squad must find Tully's special dress uniform before the town parade. |
| 1 | 15 | Boo's emotions get the best of him when he loses his favorite stuffed animal. |
| 1 | 16 | When Coop plans to use an old smartphone as a new tool, Tully thinks her old school methods are best. |
| 1 | 17 | Captain Tully tries to find a stray pup a new home, but this recruit would rather play! |
| 1 | 18 | Sweetie goes undercover to stop a heist! |
| 1 | 19 | The squad tries to help a lost lizard reunite with his family. |
| 1 | 20 | Coop tries to imitate the style of his favorite fictional detective but ends up blowing the case. |
| 1 | 21 | The Squad needs to find a honey bee who disappeared from her colony. |
| 1 | 22 | When a mute beaver needs the Chicken Squad’s help, Little Boo struggles to embrace a new way of communicating. |
| 1 | 23 | A rat is questioned when the supplies for Capt. Tully's surprise party go missing. |
| 1 | 24 | When a mysterious spacecraft lands in the yard, Sweetie finds the courage to approach it. |
| 1 | 25 | Dinah and Captain Tully take the Squad on a camping trip to work on their outdoor skills. |
| 1 | 26 | The Chicken Squad helps their friend Hogdog, a pig, train for the town’s annual dog show. |
| 1 | 27 | The squad's quirky cousin hinders an investigation. |
| 1 | 28 | The squad saves a friend. |
| 1 | 29 | Dr. Dirt shares her dream of being a science show host. |
| 1 | 30 | A game of Capture the Flag. |
| 1 | 31 | Sweetie and Little Boo both want to dress as a T-Rex for Halloween, so Coop referees a contest to decide who is the winner. |
| 1 | 32 | The squad helps their friends track down a candy-stealing ghost on Halloween night. |
| 1 | 33 | Captain Tully puts up a treasure hunt for the Chicken Squad to test their searching skills. |
| 1 | 34 | Monty has lost his dancing outfit, and would not perform on the show without it. |
| 1 | 35 | The Squad digs up a mysterious bone. |
| 1 | 36 | Gizmo shows the Squad her new robot. |
| 1 | 37 | Endicott's paintings get all the attention at his art show. |
| 1 | 38 | Coop worries that he's not good enough. |
| 1 | 39 | The squad tries to create holiday decorations. |
| 1 | 40 | The squad attempts to track down missing bird food. |
| 1 | 41 | The Squad tries to convince Maisie that she doesn’t have to lie to get their help. |
| 1 | 42 | When the Squad helps Dinah with her backyard hair salon, things quickly get out of hand. |
| 1 | 43 | Snick and Wheeze discover that someone took something from them, so they go to the Squad for help. |
| 1 | 44 | The Squad helps Captain Tully track down an elusive prankster. |
| 1 | 45 | Little Boo loves the new cape he made for himself until Snick and Wheeze make fun of it. |
| 1 | 46 | When Coop's glasses go missing, he needs to find them without relying on his eyesight. |
| 1 | 47 | Scout gets muddy, and his chicken buddies try to bathe him, but he is hydrophobic. |
| 1 | 48 | The Chicken Squad splits up to help Frazz and Queen Bae. |
| 1 | 49 | After teaching the Chicken Squad how to do some detective work, Captain Tully mysteriously disappears. |
| 1 | 50 | The Chicken Squad befriend a porcupine who is shy because her quills might hurt someone or cause trouble. |
| 1 | 51 | Because the Chicken Squad hasn't had a mission for quite a while, Coop is bored, thus Sweetie and Boo opt to make one up by secretly hiding Pinky for him to find. |
| 1 | 52 | Snick and Wheeze have two kid cousins who see them as role models. |
| 1 | 53 | After being saved by the Fire Chickens from some elevator trouble, the Chicken Squad opts to reward their rescuers somehow. |
| 1 | 54 | Upon learning who owns the mobile phone Coop found in a dumpster months ago, the Chicken Squad goes to return it. |
| 1 | 55 | Captain Tully arranges a field day for the squad and their friends, but some of the equipment mysteriously gets damaged. |
| 1 | 56 | The squad tries to help Frazz get over his fear of storms. |
| 1 | 57 | |
| 1 | 58 |
This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.