Where Where You When Dora Grew? - Guest Post by Jason Baxter of Dr. Moz

Ed Note: Jason Baxter is the President of Dr.MOZ which offers a growing network of online tools for modern parents, and creates popular gifts and gear for new and expecting fathers sold around the world. Before founding Dr.MOZ, Jason was the Creative Director at an international K-12 publisher where he created curriculum-based language arts software. Known in certain circles for his impressive PEZ collection, Jason also goes by "coach" to the one thousand children in Northern California he has taught to play tennis.

Where Where You When Dora Grew?

I hate to say it Dora fans, but it looks like my plans for saving our favorite animated explorer from growing-up (see part 1) have come to late. I'll never forget where I was when I first saw Dora's new tween look. If memory serves, it happened within the last few weeks and I was somewhere within seventy miles of where I live...give or take a few miles. It's hard to explain how I felt when I saw the new design, but lets just say that I haven't felt rage like that since Cousin Oliver was introduced to the Brady Bunch. I mean come on people, there's only nine squares in the introduction for a reason...but I digress. I'm afraid that Dora's updated style is everything we feared it might be.

It appears that she's grown taller, and there's no denying that her hair is longer. There's absolutely no backpack to speak of, and I haven't seen Boots anywhere. He's probably somewhere getting a tattoo, but I'll stop there before Mattel gets any big ideas. So, what's this sick little game all about anyway? First Nickelodeon gives Dora longer hair, and then they take away the monkey? Did I miss an episode? Did that little rapscallion Swiper have something to do with this? I don't know who's idea this was, but this is absolute insanity! The next thing you know, kids are going to start getting taller with age which could eventually lead to longer hair. Then, to be like "tween Dora" kids around the world will ditch their blue monkeys, trade-in their white velcro shoes, and start wearing flats. What? What do you mean she's not so bad? How could you say that? What kind of horrible role model gets older and changes her clothes over time?

Well, I guess she's alright. Come to think of it, she's really more like a cartoon character than a role model. You might even say Dora is a corporate property created to make money, and not something to get all that worked-up about in the grand scheme of things. Humm...never mind.

--Jason Baxter (AKA Dr. Moz)