Sheldon's family mostly accepts him as he is and fights for his happiness and success, which sends a strong positive message to young viewers who are quirky and don't fit in. On the other hand, most characters relate to each other in a teasing way, calling each other names and poking fun at foibles. Jokes "punch down" -- at Southerners, "hobos," other disadvantaged groups.

Bullying is a big plot point in this show, with lots of references to violence. A sister says her brother will get his "ass handed to him" at a new school and threatens to kick him "in the balls"; siblings have a food fight at the dinner table; a mother says she'll "knock out" the "lights" of a lady who says something rude about Sheldon at church. A bigger kid threatens Sheldon with a scary chicken.

Rude jokes about body parts: "When we get home, I'm going to kick you in the balls." "You can't, they haven't descended yet."

Cursing and language includes "hell," "ass," "son of a bitch" (uttered by a 9-year-old at the dinner table), "balls." Characters tell each other to "shut up" and call each other names like "doofus."

Prominent mention of brands like Radio Shack and Eggos is integrated into plotlines.

Sheldon's dad is frequently shown with a beer in his hand; a child jokes about him drinking too much because he's depressed over his career.