The Baby-Sitters Club
This warm Netflix comedy-drama follows five middle-schoolers who run a babysitting business in their community, covering the full two-season run (18 episodes, 2020–2021). It is genuinely heartfelt and low on scares, but it handles real-life topics — chronic illness, family change, grief, puberty, identity — with more depth than a typical kids' sitcom.
Best enjoyed by kids around 9–11 and up, ideally watched alongside a grown-up who is happy to chat about the bigger themes as they come up.
Episodes to know about
An episode centered on a young child's gender identity handles the topic thoughtfully and age-appropriately; a good watch-and-talk moment for curious kids.
A babysitting charge develops a high fever and must be rushed to the hospital; stressful for a few minutes but the child is fine.
Kristy deals with her mother remarrying and a blended family forming; emotionally real if your child is sensitive to family-change storylines.