If you are like me, you still own every Mary-Kate and Ashley movie on VHS, and you still watch them when you are craving a cheesy, adventure movie. We can all admit that we wanted the lives that they had. Their parents were always surprising them with new vacations, allowing them throw a new party every week or even being content with them trying to sell their brother for 25 cents.
1. Boys, Boys, Boys
The first thing that Mary-Kate and Ashley taught us is that you can always count on meeting boys and falling in love on vacation. Too many times, boys proved to be a distraction, and they were always the root of problems. Boys are the reason they got fired from their jobs (“When in Rome”) or got caught with the producers while in the middle of a very serious competition (“The Challenge”). Except without the boys they met, Mary-Kate and Ashley wouldn’t have had the adventures that none of us would be able to do if we went on a family vacation. They were able to ride through Paris on mopeds (“Passport to Paris”) and break into a closed amusement park to go on all the rides (“Our Lips are Sealed”).
2. Always Meddle
In two different movies, they proved to us that the only way to accomplish a task was to do it ourselves, especially when it came to setting up parents in relationships. Let’s be honest, they never got in trouble for it, so neither will you! (“Billboard Dad” and “It Takes Two”)
3. Girl Power
Ladies, Mary-Kate and Ashley were always winning competitions, whether it was with brains or brawn. They didn’t let stereotypes stop them from pursuing their dreams. In “Switching Goals,” the boys weren’t eager to have a girl on their team; Mary-Kate and Ashley proved to be a strong asset. When part of an International UN competition, even with the normal distractions who were now British, it did not slow down their competitive edge. They played to win. It also proves to girls everywhere that being smart, strong and breaking stereotypes is a good thing. (“Switching Goals” and “Winning London”).
4. What Love Really Is
This one is simple. Love is that “can't-eat, can't-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over the-fence World Series kind of stuff.” (“It Takes Two”).
5. Ice Cream Is Very Important
I couldn’t forget about their role as Michelle Tanner on “Full House.” Michelle was the epitome of the quote from Ernestine Ulmer, “Eat the dessert first!” Whether it was cookies, cupcakes or ice cream, one was always in her mouth. Break open your piggy bank and chase the ice cream man in the summer time because you deserve to treat yourself.
6. Always Have Your Sisters Back
It is inevitable that sisters will fight. Mary-Kate and Ashley proved that through the arguments and disagreements, they always have each others back in the end. Each of them have their own talents, strengths and interests, but when they work together, that is when they prove to be successful.
7. It Always Works Out in the End
Whether they’re in the Witness Protection Program constantly switching cities (“Our Lips are Sealed”), running around New York trying to make their dreams come true while clashing heads (“New York Minute”) or in the Bahamas catching criminals that steal artifacts (“Holiday in the Sun”), everything worked out in the end. They saved the day and got the guy!
Although most of these scenarios would never happen in real life, I feel that we can learn something from each of their roles in movies and TV shows. They taught valuable life lessons, and we all lived vicariously through their many adventures in the various movies.