Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Why Dora Stopped Exploring


She decided to go shopping instead. I guess we are supposed to be relieved that she’s not all totally tarted up Bratz style. But seriously? You can’t do any exploring in an outfit like that. Listening to the things my 14-year-old Little Sister faces between friends getting shot and boyfriends going to jail I realize that what a doll like Dora or my childhood favorite Strawberry Shortcake look like is of little to no consequence.

But I’d like to make the argument that it’s all the more reason to just leave them alone. These dolls aren’t for tweens, or even 8-year-olds, these are little girls these are marketed for, as in the 3-6 set. They are hopefully in the ever-shrinking period of innocence; a chubby tomboy with a backpack suits them just fine unless you tell them otherwise.

Girls have the rest of their lives to worry about their weight and talk about boys, give them a few years to make up adventure stories and appreciate the simple joy of a chubby strawberry scented head.

1 comment:

The Joynes Girls said...

It's like we are training them to be Queen Bees. And remember what Barbie told us... to be a good friend, you have to be pretty.