Is it just me, or are the classic days of That’s So Raven and Lizzie McGuire so vivid in our memories that it feels like yesterday? The best days of our childhood, where Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez filled our iTunes playlists and DVRs, were some of the most innocent and pure moments we’ve ever experienced. It was these great shows that allowed pre-teens to make the transition from the child phase to the teenager phase, becoming more independent and grown up as we watched these shows.

Don’t get me wrong, Hannah Montana is not the most educational show on the planet, but routinely watching confident pop stars to teenage wizards would make adolescents dream and aspire to be whoever they wanted to be. The shows combined humor with heartfelt messages just enough to inspire and encourage children to live their lives to the fullest.

But, now looking at the shows like Dog with a Blog and Girl Meets World (really?), it is evident how the teenage stars we used to look up to have become mini-teens with very little acting skills to bring to the table. It is unfortunate how the shows do not involve as many issues that the world is facing today, such as the discussion of racism in That’s So Raven. Now, the idea of regarding children as anything but cute and cuddly is not PG-rated enough for Disney Channel.

Also, the entire realm of Disney Channel used to be much more collaborative and made all of us aware that Disney stars were a community of teens just like us. There were so many music videos combining stars from different shows, movie marathons (Halloweentown, anyone?), and specials that would encompass the entire Disney Channel spectrum (am I the only one that remembers the Disney Channel Games?)

The ways that Disney Channel used to bring a youthful yet prominent role in all of our lives is something that we will never forget. None of us will forget the bones in the body from Miley Stewart, the words to “I Want Candy” by Aaron Carter when he stole the heart of Lizzie McGuire or the incredible fashion of Raven Baxter. No matter what, it is important for us all to remember the glory days of the channel, and always keep its memory in our hearts for the rest of our lives, no matter what Disney Channel evolves to in the end.