Rogers believed not to act differently when he was being filmed to how he acted normally. He said that "One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self. I also believe that kids can spot a phony a mile away". Rogers wrote almost all of the music on the program. He wanted to teach children to love themselves and others, and he talked about common childhood fears with comforting songs. He once took a trip to a children's hospital to show children that a hospital is not a place to fear.