Strollerderby : Dora

The Politics of Preschool Presents

KeriF — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:03:00 GMT

This past weekend I was at the mall to buy a birthday present for my 4-year-old nephew. I was headed to Border's, where we've purchased books for Finn since he was born. I love to read, my kids love to be read to, and so we buy books we like for our young relations.

But as I was walking toward Border's, I passed the Disney store. And I realized, I have no idea if Finn actually likes books. But I do know he loves all things Disney. So, even though I refrain from shopping there for my own kids, I walked into the Disney store and bought Finn a Buzz Lightyear bathing suit, sun shirt, flip-flops, and towel. And I'm sure he loved it.

So I started thinking about all the gifts I've given in the past. Did I give gifts that I thought the recipient would like? Or did I give gifts that I liked?

I once read an article that said people over-tipped in restaurants because they wanted their server to think highly of them; in other words, for purely selfish reasons. And I realized that I was doing the same thing with gift-giving. I was so desperate for the parents of the gift recipient to think highly of me, I was buying presents that I thought made me look good--wooden blocks, books, non-gender specific imaginative play--that I wasn't really thinking about what the kid would actually like.

Of course, there's also something to be said for expanding a child's horizons. My son likes Spiderman, but he doesn't need (and might possibly not even want) every single gift in the Spiderman oeuvre.

I guess I need to find a happy medium. Just because my son's friend loves Dora doesn't mean I need to buy her yet another Dora doll or plastic backpack. But maybe she would like a Dora Scrabble set or Dora chapter book. Or maybe even a different doll for Dora to play with. No, they're not the most unique gifts in the world and the child's parents won't be wildly impressed with my creative gift-giving skills. But the child sure will be.

Photo: SFGate/Dreamstime

New Tween Dora Revealed!

KeriF — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:04:00 GMT

When Mattel and Nickelodeon announced plans last month to introduce a new tween Dora, parents were afraid their daughters would lose the original Dora they had grown to love. And when her silhouette was revealed, that fear turned to outrage.

Big hair. Short skirt. Head seemingly proportionate to her body. How could this be Dora?

"She's a tramp!" was the typical response (okay, it was my response).

But now Dora is revealed in all her glory. Is she a tramp?

The miniskirt everyone thought she was wearing turned out to be a tunic worn over leggings. She seems modestly and appropriately dressed for a doll of her age, which is "approximately modeled after a nine- or ten-year-old," according to the press release. (Why so vague, Mattel? What is Dora trying to hide?)

I actually think this doll is a great idea. My niece, Hilary, who is almost six, loves Dora. She also loves Barney and the Teletubbies. But those aren't really appropriate shows for a six-year-old. Why should kids have to give up the characters they love just because they get a little older? Tween Dora will be perfect for Hilary, who will be thrilled that Dora is growing up just like Hilary.

Dora will be joined by the Explorer Girls, and the foursome will go on adventures just like little Dora, but with a greater purpose: organizing a beach clean-up, volunteering at Abuela's senior center, picketing in front of the local Planned Parenthood (okay, I made that last one up). She'll also solve mysteries with her friends and still teach Spanish words and phrases along the way.

And don't worry, little Dora isn't going anywhere.

What do you think? Should Dora stay in preschool or is tween Dora a good idea?

I'm Not a Brat, I'm Autistic

What They're Babbling About: Skanks a Lot

JeanneSager — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:23:00 GMT

Don't you ever get sick of being the good mom and dad? Don't worry; we're not the only families who go slumming . . . case in point, this week's What They're Babbling About:

With the funniest take on the Dora skankification yet to hit the 'net, Upper Case Woman's diagrams put it all in righteously hilarious perspective. Pointy shoes, she points out, are very bad for exploring. Somehow we get that Dora's new explorations are going to be at the make-up counter. Sigh - Upper Case Woman

We're naughty parents who lurv to eat raw cookie dough. Unfortunately, it's a sin we don't want to the kids picking up on. Or we didn't - until we found this egg-free recipe from another naughty mother. Yum - Cafe Mom

And now that you've gobbled that down, the bad news - how sweet is too sweet? Sugar's evil twin gets its own expose. - SuperEco

Remember those nights when you drank till dawn and still popped out of bed looking ravishing? We don't either. So it's a good thing motherhood inspires moderation. - ParentDish

Come on, admit it, it's easier to chop your daughter's hair than let her walk around with a rat's nest up there. Yeah, that makes you lazy. Deliciously, sinfully lazy. - Scout's Honor

We didn't think there was anything more disgusting than your average pageant mom . . . until we saw this. - Jezebel

Sometimes a girl's just gotta know - and in this economy, well, does it matter how much you spent on the little stick you're going to pee on? Take this survey and see where you fall on the dollar store discount. - Lil Sugar

Image: PerezHilton

4 Year Old Brings Pot To School, School Bans Backpacks

Brett Singer — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:30:00 GMT

When I was young and went to summer camp, people were always amazed when I said I was from the Bronx. I remember one kid actually took two steps back when I told him. Because people from the Bronx, you know, they were scary.

Clearly those guys didn't know what they were talking about. The really dangerous kids are from Florida. The 4 year olds.

Check this out:

A 4-year-old at a Tamarac preschool caused a furor when police say he pulled a plastic bag of pot from his book bag and casually told a classmate, "That's my brother's weed."

Can you imagine? What do you say to that? How does a 4 year old even know what "weed" is? His older brother, who is 21, must have told him when he hid his baggies in junior's bookbag.

The pot, by the way, is "scheduled to be destroyed." Wouldn't want to rush into anything, guys.

Here's the funny part. The school, in a reaction that I like to call "I have a headache THEREFORE I have a brain tumor", has banned bookbags. All of them. Because clearly, the backpacks are the problem. (Dora the Explorer had no comment.)

Source: Sun Sentinel and TRB.com via DetentionSlip and ParentDish

Image: Amazon

Evil Father Goes On Trial

Jon Stewart and His Pal Dora

Woman Trades Two Kids For Bird

Teen Dad's Father Wearing Halloween Mask In Public

Parents Say Hospital Took Son's Organs Without Consent

Dora The Explorer Gets A Sexy Makeover (Photo)

Interview - Disney Princesses Toy Designer

Will Toy Tie-Ins Destroy Sid the Science Kid?

JeanneSager — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:03:00 GMT

I'm not sure how to take the announcement that HASBRO has gotten the contract to start filling the shelves with Sid the Science Kid toys.

Happy my little scientist can cuddle her own bouncing blue-haired, sweet snub-nosed kid? Or sad that I have to be that much more careful opening the Sunday paper, lest she get hold of the circulars and find an advertisement for the latest Sid the Science Kid toy?

It would be hypocritical to say I'm above the toy tie-in tug. Heavens knows how many Sesame Street balls, cars and stuffed friends are bouncing around this house. Not to mention the Dora pajamas the Yertle the Turtle puzzle, the Bob the Builder coloring books. The latter two are even inherently educational - giving me a bit of moral high ground on the issue - but I'm still not going to claim to have stood my ground on the commercialization of childhood.

Still, I groan everytime my daughter learns there's a toy tie-in to one of her favorite shows. She'd been watching Handy Manny for two solid years without every requesting anything Manny . . . until someone (my brother maybe?) gave her the toy book from the Thanksgiving paper. She literally ran from family member to family member as fast as three year old legs could carry her, shouting, "Handy Manny, what I always wanted. Handy Manny!" She didn't care WHAT Handy Manny toy she got, as long as she found Handy Manny under the Christmas tree. Bless my in-laws, they found one packed with all his tools so we could at least put her through her paces on learning the difference between a wrench, a hammer and a saw.

We don't buy every toy that hits the market, and we wouldn't even if we could afford to. But so many of those that infiltrate our house - gifts usually - come in because of that tie-in to a beloved character, and they sorely disappoint. What's the use of celebrating Dora if the doll speaks only English?

That's where the toy tie-in announcements bum me out as a parent. Are we going to be stuck with another hunk of junk that someone ends up gifting our kid's way, just because it has Sid/Dora/Pooh Bear/Uniqua/Cookie Monster. . . on it? Come on toy makers, do you have to do this to us?

With the promise that Sid the Science Kid has shown in getting my little scientist to think up big answers for his big question, I hold out hope that when they get the toys rolling, at least they respect the promise the show has made to parents. Their plucky little kindergarten provides entertainment that keeps kids thinking, and it's not half bad for parents either. It's not mind-numbing nonsense, so the toys should be more of the same.

Keep crossing your fingers - the first array of games and toys from HASBRO is expected to hit shelves this fall. The big question? Will we be stocking them under the tree come winter?

Image: PBS

UPDATE: Time Warner and Viacom Reach Agreement, SpongeBob Saved

Brett Singer — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:52:00 GMT

The war has ended, and we are all winners -- the kids can watch Dora, the grown-ups can watch Colbert. Technically, the kids can also watch Colbert, and the grown-ups can even watch Dora.

Viacom and Time Warner have reached an agreement, terms to be fleshed out later, that will keep the various channels on the air for Time Warner Cable subscribers, according to the New York Times. Perhaps they took Dora's advice to "stop and think" for a minute.

One interesting idea did come from this, however, via the comments below: pay-per-minute television. I like it. They'll never DO it, but I like it. It would probably greatly reduce TV viewing in most households. "Hey kids, there's a Spider-Man marathon on! 65 episodes in a row!" (That was this morning, actually.) If you add, "It'll only cost us a dollar a minute!" I might just pick up a book, y'know?

Anyway, for now, everyone can keep watching their favorite shows. And thank goodness -- isn't there a new "Hills" spinoff? (Note: if there is, I don't know what it's called because I don't watch that show. But somebody must.)

Original post follows below:

*-*-*-*

If you get your TV service from Time Warner Cable and your kids love them some SpongeBob and Dora The Explorer, you might want to stock up on DVDs.

Viacom wants an increase in the fee Time Warner pays to carry their channels, and Time Warner doesn't want to pay it. The deadline is midnight tonight. What channels are those? A partial list: Nickelodeon, MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central. So no Diego for the kiddies, and no Daily Show and Colbert Report for you. (Or for your kids, if they enjoy a humorous take on current events.)

Unsurprisingly, both sides think they are right. In a press release, Viacom says the following: " Ultimately…if Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV and the rest of our programming is discontinued - over less than a penny per day – we believe viewers will see this behavior by their cable company as outrageous." The fee increase Viacom is asking for is "about 25 cents a month, or $3 a year, per subscriber for its package of channels," according to the LA Times. Time Warner says its about Viacom trying to make up for decreased ad revenue: the LA Times quotes Time Warner Cable spokesman Alex Dudley as saying, "Advertising revenue stinks so they are looking to stick our customers for the difference. We have to hold the line for our customers. They are holding our customers hostage for a bunch of networks with sagging ratings and only one or two good channels."

Personally, I've felt for years that it should be possible to pick and choose which channels you actually want to receive. For example, Comedy Central, sure. But no one in my house watches Nickelodeon, so that one can go. Of course, that's not how it works. Oh well.

The thing is, while both sides may or may not have valid points in this matter, customers don't really care. It's not like Time Warner will offer refunds if they drop the Viacom channels from their lineup (although I suppose they might if it lasts long enough). But I think it you ask cable customers, the vast majority would say that they pay too much for their service. Take away channels that they actually want to watch, and that makes it even worse. It's two rich companies fighting with each other over more money, and while they fight, I don’t get to watch "The Hills." (Note: I don't actually watch "The Hills." That's just an example.)

Anyway, midnight tonight. If Viacom and Time Warner can't come to an agreement by then, bye-bye Dora and Jon Stewart. Let's see what happens.

Source: LATimes

Disney Bails on Narnia

Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout For Christmas

Desert Island Disks – Kid Music Edition

Cole Gamble — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Everybody has played the Desert Island Disks Game: if you were stranded on deserted island for the rest of your life, what 5 compact disks would you bring? That’s right; I said compact disks, no IPods. I know my list would at least have OK Computer and Weezer’s Blue Album on there somewhere. But I just concocted a variation on the game: what if the 5 disks you chose had to be kids’ music? Don’t claw you’re face off just yet; there’s some pretty decent kids music out there. I think I’d have to take some Backyardigans and that new Yo Gabba Gabba CD that came out.

What about you? What would you take if it could only be kids’ music? Let’s get a big, fat list going.

Nick to Cover Inauguration for the First Time

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Both Inauguration Day and Nickelodeon just got so much cooler. For the first time in its history, Nick will send its young reporters to Washington, D.C. in January to cover the presidential inauguration for the younger set.

Nick will feature excerpts from Obama’s speech, interviews with young people about his election, and coverage of past presidents getting sworn in. The election coverage will air during commercial breaks and between regular shows in primetime (all right, it’s SpongeBob with a side of politics, but what six-year-old would willingly sit through Obama’s whole inaugural speech?).

Kids seem to be as excited as parents about Nickelodeon’s increased political involvement this election season. 2.2 million kids voted in Nick’s online election (with Obama beating out McCain by a slightly smaller margin than in the actual election). And Nick sent reporters to both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. (The Dems granted Nick’s teen reporters access to the convention floor, while the Republicans did not.) The fact that Sasha and Malia are the same age as many of Nick’s viewers has probably helped get kids as excited about the new First Family as about Dora the Explorer.

So on January 20, the answer to the question, “Can I puh-lease watch kid TV?” is, “Of course! Just let me open this bottle of champagne first....”

Photo: nickjr.com

Schools Closing for Inauguration Day

Bart and Lisa Simpson Sex Ruled Child Porn

JeanneSager — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:24:00 GMT

Think you're just being funny when you make your kid's Dora doll do the nasty with GI Joe? Better be careful - an Australian man has been convicted of child porn possession for looking at pictures of cartoons Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson having sex.

A judge ruled that despite the Simpsons being both fictional and drawn, they could be considered to depict a person under Australian law. And since the Simpsons are all kids - albeit imaginary ones - well, you know where I'm heading with this. Alan John McEwan lost his appeal, and he's been forced to pay a $3,000 fine plus submit to a two-year good behavior bond.

This one really rattled me. I'm all for packing pedophiles away in prisons, but cartoon porn? Can that really be pedophilia? Let's face it, we all have that friend - you know, the one who never gets any and always talks about it (he might be a father . . .) - who likes to send the e-mails with the dirty jokes about Sesame Street characters. I vaguely remember one accompanied by crudely drawn pictures of Cookie Monster with giant blue balls - for a joke about, well, blue balls (see what I mean about not getting any?). It was far from stimulating - sexually or any other way.

But Cookie Monster, Elmo and the gang are famous for never growing up; does that make the people who drew up that forward to be something more than your garden variety perv? Are they pedophiles? How about going a step farther - let's look at every teenage boy who draws a dick on the characters in the Highlights magazine accidentally left in the high school library. Or the dad who takes his kid's Leapster alphabet toy and presses the letters "S" and "X" in rapid succession.

Or maybe they'll come and hit Babble - after all, both Cole and I posted mashups from the net last week of rap songs transposed over children's TV shows. I posted one of my personal favorites - Dora the Promiscuous Girl - no nakedness in sight, but if the genitals on fictional kids count as porn, what do you make of Dora and Timbaland?

It sounds like big brother's moving in on kid sister's toys.

Image: PopArt UK

Mix Rap With Kid Shows and Whaddya Get?

Nintendo Scrabble Game Drops the F-Bomb

Man Forced to Pay Child Support for Another Man's Child

No, the Vagina Doesn't 'Heal Up and Close' from Disuse

Dora the Conservative

Brett Singer — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:15:00 GMT

Every now and then Republicans do something to remind the world why anyone would ever want to vote for them. Also, sometimes elected officials sound like children's television characters.

What the hell am I talking about?

CNN reports that, "House conservatives urged Congress on Tuesday to 'take a breath' and consider other alternatives before rushing to pass a $700 billion plan to bail out Wall Street, a measure the White House says must pass by the end of the week."

Some Republicans are saying, hey. Guys. Let's look at things a little bit more closely before we commit close to one TRILLION dollars (insert Dr. Evil finger here) and potentially make a bad problem even worse.

That advice… it sounds familiar… where have I heard it before?

Oh! That's right. Dora The Explorer. She likes to "stop and think" when things start moving too fast. Hmmm…

Source: CNN, image: commonsensemedia, plus Photoshop

Sarah Palin, Sportscaster

Palin family online - real or fake?

Palin for aerial wolf hunting

Palin's Email Hacked and posted online; UPDATE: Anonymous Hacker Speaks

Was Trig Palin drugged?

McCain said lipstick on a pig to Hillary

Are your kids aware of the election?

So – who ya voting for?

Morning News: Nope, No Improvements. Nation Still Falling Apart.

Nanny Market Shaken Up By Current Financial Woes

Shawn Johnson, Democrat? (UPDATE: Now with video)

Beau Biden almost made me cry

McCain, Palin oppose teen pregnancy aid and sex education

Elizabeth Edwards slammed for keeping hubby's affair a secret

Man ejected from Yankee Stadium for lack of patriotism

Dadcentric endorses Obama

7 year old on terrorist list

Another 8 year old on the terrorist watch list

Awww…a baby otter… (when the going gets tough, the tough go and look at pictures of baby animals)

Reporter Seeks Bad Theme-Birthday Stories

editors — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:07:00 GMT

Surely you've been to a party (or thrown one of your own) that seemed like a good idea in theory and wound up being kind of god-awful. Frightening clowns, anyone? A reporter lady is looking for your story. This is what she says:

I am a newspaper reporter and am working on a story related to parents' arranging for costumed characters and impersonators (think Dora, SpongeBob, Spiderman, Hannah Montana) to entertain at their kids' birthday parties. Specifically, I'm hoping to chat with parents who (in the last year-to- 18 months) had a hard time finding the desired character and/or were disappointed by what Dora (etc.) looked like when she arrived. Please contact me at katierosman@mac.com. Thanks so much!

image courtesy of PBS

Dora meets Robert Blake

Brett Singer — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Robert Smigel might be the funniest human being alive. I also think he must have kids, or at the very least is very tuned in to children's television, because this parody of Dora The Explorer from SNL -- titled "Maraka and Mittens" -- is spot on and hilarious. "One of the mommy penguins is missing her egg. (pause) Can you tell me how to check for a hernia?"

The description says it all:

Maraka and Mittens practice Spanish, ponder penguins, free will and Robert Blake's guilt.

Watch the clip right here.

source: Hulu.com/Saturday Night Live, "TV Funhouse"

Dora: She's a Character

Amy Kuras — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:33:00 GMT

I don’t know how it happened. One day, my darling daughter was happy with Seame Street, madly in love with Elmo. The next, seemingly as if by decree, she's spouting Spanish and rolling up every stray piece of paper and calling it Map. Yes, like every other two-year-old, the girl had discovered Dora.

And I absolutely hate Dora.

Nothing against her per se, I just hate cartoons (I know, I am going to have to turn in my GenX membership card, especially since I also loathe, wait for it, the Brady Bunch). But I am hating her a little less now after reading this, part of NPR's fascinating "In Character" series that looks at iconic, albeit fictional, people.

A ton of research went into creating Dora. She could have been a squirrel, a martin, and was very nearly a bunny –but interestingly, never a human boy.

She became a Latina girl because Nickelodeon's Brown Johnson had been to a conference on race and gender at the same time producers were developing the show and discovered Latinas were not well represented in the media at all, especially children's media.

So they created a seven-year-old girl who was named for the last syllable of the feminine of the Spanish word for explorer – exploradora. Writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez inspired her last name.

Interestingly, her short bob, tomboyish outfit of shorts and a t-shirt and the fact she's never identified as being from any specific part of Latin America were all carefully crafted aspects of her character.

What they don’t tell us? Who created that ridiculously annoying Boots. Because I would like a word with that guy.

Dora v. Diego

ChagHolland — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:35:00 GMT

Forget the Stones/Beatles, Yankees/Sox, or Ashlee/Jessica Simpson debates. There really are only two types of people in this world: Diego people and Dora people. After carefully examining the two, Alyssa at MommyBlogsToronto declared Diego the winner. I must respectfully disagree.

Don't get me wrong, Diego's got a lot going for him. As Alyssa points out, Diego has better music and owns an all-purpose Rescue Pack. You can learn a few interesting facts about an animal in each episode as opposed to Dora rehashing the same five Spanish words. Diego also has fewer lead-covered toys in his likeness.

But Dora has a monkey for a sidekick. While this fact alone is enough to make my case in the Dora/Diego debate, Dora has to be cooler than Diego because she's got more friends. Diego only has his cousin and a baby jaguar. In addition to Boots, Dora cavorts with a squirrel, a bull, an iguana, and, occasionally, a freaky-looking octopus. Plus, she's got three little bugs that play a song every time she accomplishes a task.

Go, Dora! Go!

Very Stupid Parenting Products

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:49:00 GMT

Before you become a parent, you often needlessly load yourself and your household up with crap, thereby necessitating playrooms and hardly anyone has room for that. According to Fireflies in the Clouds some of the worst offenders in terms of useless baby supplies include baby pacifiers with fake teeth, massively fancy and expensive cribs, and unusually complicated baby washing tubs and related products. In an earlier Stroller Derby post, Jay added wipe warmers and microwave steam sterilizers for bottles.

Personally, I also don't think little Billy needs Leap Frog, Dora, Graco Pack N' Play, or Waldorf wooden train sets. Kids don't need anything but a rock, two boxes, and some sticks to have a great time. And you, the parent, need little other than a nice bottle of Chardonnay, some fresh air, and the occasional date night to get through that first year. Oh, and possibly some faulty condoms (to make a nice wee sibling, the only toy that never breaks).