Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

Dear Nick Jr.

March23

dorathe-explorerpostersDear Nick Jr.

Dora needs to either enunciate more clearly or you need to provide subtitles so that I can see the Spanish word she is garbling.  I recently had the joy (where is that damn sarcasm font?) of watching the episode about the unicorn flowers for the 437th time and finally had to look up what she was saying (“Crezca flores”).  If you want to pretend you are teaching children some Spanish then find someone to do her voice that can make the words a little more clear.  Thank you.

A mother who is starting to see the light at the end of the Dora tunnel. (Sabrina has started choosing Imagination Movers over Dora most days.  Let’s hope that Tessa just goes along and likes whatever her big sister likes.)

PS Could you make a couple of new episodes while you are at it?  Something that isn’t an hour long and doesn’t involve saving the crystal kingdom or Swiper learning the meaning of Christmas?  Thanks.

posted under Misc.
12 Comments to

“Dear Nick Jr.”

  1. On March 23rd, 2010 at 2:09 pm Jenne Says:

    I totally agree! My son loves to watch Diego and Dora and sometimes I try and listen real hard so I can understand what she is saying. I agree too about new episodes. Here at our house we watch Halloween Diego over and over!

  2. On March 23rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm Heather Says:

    Word! I was very thankful when Jack graduated to old shows and EJ started preschool 3 mornings a week, so I had some control again! 🙂

    But you know what’s weird…Jack took a Spanish class last summer and they asked if he had learned Spanish in the past because his pronunciation was so dead on. He hadn’t…only a little Nick Jr and PBS education. The teacher said if you only hear it and aren’t tied to reading it and putting your own pronunciation on it, you do a better job. Who knew??

  3. On March 23rd, 2010 at 5:16 pm Lynn Says:

    My kids have gone from avid, addicted, Dora watchers to closet watchers. Hopefully soon we will be done forever. 🙂

  4. On March 23rd, 2010 at 6:54 pm Deb Says:

    Bug is a Dora lover. I have gotten to the point of disliking her. Actually recently the shows have all been ones we have not seen- but that is not norm. If is one we have seen, we now turn the TV off and read books. Or if Bug insists on watching it again, I pull out my laptop and start emailing.

    I am waiting for school to start in the fall- then no more TV in the evening on school nights!!!!!!

  5. On March 23rd, 2010 at 7:02 pm Steph Says:

    HA! So true!! I get so frustrated watching Dora!

  6. On March 23rd, 2010 at 10:46 pm Sonia in MO (FTC) Says:

    Dora has always been just a bit annoying to me – she’s a cute character but holy cow the loud voice and constant repeating grinds on my nerves! We don’t have cable, though, so the only exposure Hannah has had to Dora is limited to DVD’s… and they can get conveniently hidden in the movie cabinet for a few weeks at a time 🙂

    PBS, which is about all I let her watch anymore, has a lot of cuter kid shows and characters, I think… and much less annoying 🙂 (With the exception of Barney – ugh, he’s a whole other rant!)

  7. On March 24th, 2010 at 7:18 am Melany Says:

    He he he. I’m obviously a very bad mother because I’m still at the phase of – if it keeps them happy for a half-hour… I’m ok with it.

    You should see them sitting there glued to the Jersey Shore! KIDDING. 😉

  8. On March 24th, 2010 at 12:09 pm nora Says:

    We have never been into Dora – it never stuck and we don’t have cable. However, we (and I) have been HOOKED on Pocoyo – all in Spanish, on YouTube. Love it. I can’t always understand the Spanish – but its very basic and conversational. And I kind of have a crush on Pocoyo. The little blue toddler’s cute.

    One of my favorite episodes: http://www.youtube.com/user/pocoyotv?blend=1&ob=4#p/search/1/po_Q-otOsZo

    And here’s one with Spanish subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhMSvpKEXr4

  9. On March 24th, 2010 at 6:37 pm Bobbi Says:

    OK, Reese is a total Dora fan. It is painful. Max and Ruby and Team UmiZoomi are right up there too. Now, that’s a special show!!!!!

    What happened to my TV!??! It’s bad when you find yourself watching the show, and your kids aren’t even in the room—and you know what is going to happen next!

  10. On March 24th, 2010 at 6:52 pm Andrea Says:

    I have purposefully steered Littleman away from Dora. I cannot STAND how she yells out the words every two seconds. I would pull my hair out if I had to watch that over and over. Littleman knows some Spanish from the Barney CD his foster family sent us, and Skippyjon Jones. 🙂

  11. On March 24th, 2010 at 8:40 pm Dottie Says:

    Wow…. This is something I mention at least once a day to DH.
    Kylie is a huge Diego fan and we watch a few episodes each day. I don’t understand why they don’t pronounce the Spanish words better. Kylie has picked up a few words from watching but I”m sure she could pick up a lot more if they pronounced the words correctly since we watch the same episodes over and over.

  12. On March 25th, 2010 at 5:20 pm Alleen Says:

    LOL as I hear Dora from the other room. She does need to better enunciate if we’re to be teaching kids Spanish!