Model of the Moment Nichelle, Hispanic Candi, and Emerald
While half asleep and half listening to a news story on CNN this morning, I heard TJ Holmes mention the requirement for dolls in day care facilities to represent at least three ethnicities. After fully waking up, and remembering that I heard a doll-related story, I Googled: daycare doll diversity.
The mandates, which are multiple and included on a 98-page document, affect day care facilities in Colorado. Creating a doll population that reflects a minimum of three ethnicities is just one of the mandates. Gaining permission from a child's doctor to provide whole milk for the child is another (huh?). Limiting computer time to 20 minutes per day and regulating day care providers' attire are other proposed mandates. Additional rules for Colorado child care providers are included in this story.
What are your thoughts?
dbg
Interesting. I've never been to Colorado, have no idea what the racial/ethnic makeup is there, but in a "general sense," I think the ethnic diversity through doll representation is positive. Has such a mandate been passed elsewhere in the U.S.? With what results?
ReplyDeleteRegarding the whole milk permission ... perhaps some children are allergic to whole milk and so the school system needs to be aware of that. Or possibly some parents might have um lifestyle? problems with their children drinking "animal milk." Now that is a 180 degree turn from when I was a child when milk was considered "wholesome" for ALL children. Shrug.
Thanks for this post, DBG! I'm subscribing to see what other responses you receive.
You're welcome, D7ana. I found this story, that focuses on the doll ethnicity mandate quite interesting.
ReplyDeletedbg
According to one Colorado (doll-collecting) resident, the proposed mandates upon Colorado child care providers stem from the deaths of two children that occurred in child care homes.
ReplyDeleteOne baby died from choking on a beaded toy. Another baby died in a crib from possible suffocation. The second death was followed by the suicide of the child care provider.
It's clear to me now why a 98-page mandate has been issued in the state of Colorado for child care providers, but it's very sad that the loss of precious little lives had to be the inciting factor.
dbg
I think the mandate to represent multiple ethnicities through the doll population in day care centers is a good thing. Maybe it will convince manufacturers that there is a market for ethnic dolls and that it is worth making sure that retailers stock dolls that represent the whole human spectrum.
ReplyDeleteAs for the milk mandate -- as a lactose intolerant child whose parents bought into the "milk does a body good" propaganda, I think it is a very good thing to have a health care professional assess whether dairy products are indeed good for a particular child. If we had known that only a minority of the world's population carries the genes for "lactose persistence" -- the ability to digest milk after infancy -- and that my Native American and West African ancestors did not have that gene because they did not have dairy animals before the era of European contact, I would have suffered a lot less.
Wow, I didn't read all the mandates, but in general it seems real positive. Curious, is the diversity training for the adults, the kids, or both? Usually when they discuss diversity training, it is for the adults. I know what you are thinking? "How about you just ready the article?" Time is of the essence. LOL. I agree with limbe dolls about the milk issue. There are too many people that are lactose intolerant, and it goes undiagnosed at times. Then people wonder why kids aren't performing well. I think this is something that should be mandated all over.
ReplyDeleteLimbe Dolls: I agree, the use of dolls to teach diversity should be a win-win situation for all involved--the children, day care providers, doll makers who should all realize the need for their lines to be diverse, if they are not already.
ReplyDeleteVanessa: I'm not sure if the doll diversity approach is meant for the day care providers. A lesson or two in diversity can't hurt.
I'm sorry you were force-fed whole milk as a child, Limbe Dolls. The Colorado mandate will prevent other lactose-intolerant children from suffering as you did. Perhaps others (parents, healthcare providers, and state officials) will take note of this mandate and realize that our digestive systems vary. Children have food allergies and intolerancies that should not be ignored.
In general I have to think that the (doll diversity) mandate is a pretty good thing. The variety will make it more likely that kids can play with something that interests them and maybe mirrors their personal world. How can that be a bad thing? (I lived in Colo. Springs for a few years back in the late 80's and it wasn't a bad place to be. I have no clue what it's like now).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the info!
Corsetkitten - thanks for your comment. I agree with you on the doll diversity issue.
ReplyDeleteThe other mandates are probably in order for CO day care facilities, too, especially based on the two recent deaths of two children under the care of in-home day care providers.
dbg