Okay, I admit it: We’re Dora fans… well, kind of.
Come Sunday my 6-year-old daughter will be tuned into Nickelodeon’s TV movie, “Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure,” but not because she’s fallen victim to the pimped out backpack-wearing, adventure-loving girl with super rescue powers. Rather, my little wannabe dog has a thing for Boots, Dora’s pet monkey.
So much for the girl power theory.
Still, if it were not for Dora, there would be no Boots… or Diego or The Big Red Chicken or Isa or any other pastel-colored talking vermin.
And whereas that would be just fine by me, childhood experts say that a world without Dora the Explorer would be near catastrophic for young, impressionable girls who lack self-esteem.
For those of you non-Dora types, newsflash: The beloved star of Nickelodeon’s hit cartoon turns the big 1-0 this Sunday.
Yes, Dora the Explorer is turning 10, though depending on what version of the doll you buy, you may have thought she was well past puberty by now.
Be that as it may, the birthday hype reached a crescendo this week when childhood experts began dissecting the impact of Dora’s existence. Most agree that the animated girl, who shuns frilly dresses (save for special occasions, such as her cousin’s Quinceañera) and prefers to rescue princesses rather than be one herself, is a rare, positive role model for young girls.
Dora’s creators echo the sentiment saying that the little girl’s can-do attitude is absolutely intentional. The animated series’ writers admit that they deliberately set out to create a strong female character who isn’t afraid to take charge, in hopes of inspiring a “new generation of fearless females.”
And here I thought that the show was all about fantasy and exercising your imagination.
Oh, who am I kidding?
I’m just like millions of other parents out there who look to Dora for a 22-minute reprieve in the midst of a chaotic day.
Am I glad that the animated character serves as an inspiration to some girls? Sure. Though my gal would still like to see more of Boots.