I used to not pay much attention to what my girls watched on television. As long as it was a ‘kid-friendly’ station, I was secure in walking away to tend to other duties. It wasn’t until I actually watched a few episodes of Doc McStuffins that I began to truly appreciate it. I know, funny, but hear me out. On the surface, Doc McStuffins features a young girl whose stuffed animals come to life when no one else is around. She is an expert on fixing boo-boos and diagnosing important ailments like fear of the dark and bed-wetting. Cute, right? But, upon further inspection (I’ve watched a lot of Doc McStuffins – don’t judge), I realized that the show features a mom who is a doctor and a stay at home DAD. I really appreciate this because now my girls won’t assume that dads can’t stay at home and moms cannot work outside of the home.
I compare this to when ‘The Cosby Show’ was on tv. It featured a family with both a lawyer and doctor as parents. For the first time in my recollection, the wife not only worked outside of the home but, had a prestigious occupation. This show created balance to the typical stay at home mom and working dad script. The Cosby Show also broke stereotypes since the family was African-American. Ground-breaking on numerous levels.
Just like how The Cosby Show was to me, Doc McStuffins is going against the grain.
They’re changing the family landscape and redefining what “normal” looks like. Today’s cartoons are entertaining but, some of them, are pushing the envelope and teaching important lessons. We all have the power to make our own rules. Our kids are definitely watching.
Is there a particular cartoon you’ve noticed pushing the envelope? Please share in the comments below!
