Having two kids under two means that a large chunk of your day is spent watching children TV or internet programmes curated for early learners. No apologies here! (hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to survive). From Cocomelon to super JoJo, quite frankly you are, (no let me rephrase that) your children are spoilt for choice. Initially, I found Cocomelon annoying, repetitive and most of all boring! I couldn’t think of anything worse (I guess that is to be expected it was not created with the likes of me in mind). But as time went by and Cocomelon became a constant feature in our home, I grew a warmth and fondness for the channel (after all it never fails to put a smile on my boy’s face). I started to remember the characters, their names, the songs, and dare I say I have even caught myself humming a nursery rhyme or two, long after the TV is switched off (hey, don’t judge). Perhaps what was surprisingly transformational, is that it made me rethink how we portray representation and cultural diversity today.
For the uninitiated, Cocomelon is a YouTube channel that streams educational songs and nursery rhymes for preschoolers. Cocomelon is centred around the adventures of JJ and his white, middle-class suburban family. By all accounts, Cocomelon produces some of the most wholesome children content I have personally seen. It is politically correct and shies away from controversial issues or concepts too complicated for children to comprehend. As I watched Cocomelon for the umpteenth time, I began to realize that Cocomelon may appear innocuous but its role in the lives of its dedicated young fans is invaluable through its subconscious messaging. The messaging imbued in each episode is important, valuable, relevant and potentially transformational. Since the media is an important socialization agent, it goes without saying that what children are exposed to on these platforms will impact them in untold ways. Children’s early experiences shape and form their worldview and what they imagine to be possible. And this is why how we unpack issues around representation and cultural diversity matters.
Debunking stereotypes. I took a particular interest in Cody, the black preschooler at the school – Melon Patch Academy, for obvious reasons. The producers develop a storyline around Cody and his family (which I found impressive). In several different episodes, we see Cody and his parents move to JJ’s neighbourhood, integrate, attend a garage sale and help to reduce waste in the environment by composting. What I find particularly tasteful about Cody and his family is the portrayal of traditional family values. The picture of a loving dad – depicted in the aptly named episode Father and Son Song– and a doting mother who are present and engaged with their young child is not only heart-warming to watch but also extremely relevant, in light of the mainstream media’s depiction of black family existence. We live in times where we are inundated by images of black families reeling from the effects of multigenerational trauma, which too often serves as fodder for narratives of dysfunction, chaos, violence and abuse within the black family life. The danger associated with mainstream labelling is that it serves to normalize skewed negative stereotypes about black people and limits the worldview that black children have of themselves and each other. There is no doubt that when you are constantly exposed to negative troupes about your existence and identity, at some point you will start to believe it and view it as your only viable reality. Therefore, it is important to counteract mainstream media’s messaging about black family life with information that serves to debunk these racial stereotypes. It is time that we normalize trauma-free black family existence.
Interrupts the dissemination of false narratives. In the episode, Doctor Checkup Song, we are introduced to Cody’s mother who is a doctor, (she even sports a threading hairstyle. I tell you; these animators don’t play; they dot every I and cross every T). Cody’s father on the other hand runs a bakery. I particularly appreciate the fact that the chosen profession for Cody’s mum is a doctor; a field that is traditionally dominated by white males. This serves to interrupt falsehoods that peddle the notion that black women are unable to work in dignified or well-paid professions and further to this, it highlights that a black woman can be anything she wants to be. This messaging is particularly important for young black girls (and boys), who are often told that certain professions especially in STEM-related fields are the domain of men. Also, the fact that Cody’s dad works in the hospitality industry serves to disrupt the prevalent toxic hypermasculinity narrative that suggests that some professions are ‘feminine and therefore emasculating.
Promotes and normalises cultural diversity. The preschoolers at the Melon Patch Academy are from different ethnic backgrounds which further stresses the importance of representation and diversity. Some of the children who attend the academy include Cody, who is of African heritage, Bella who is Hispanic, and Cece who is Asian. Also, their teacher, Ms Appleberry is of Native American heritage. What I found particularly heart-warming is the length that Cocomelon has gone to be racially inclusive. In the lunch song, the kids eat and share their lunch, which consists of a good variety (considering how many students there are in JJ’s class) of foods from the world. On the menu is the Mexican delicacy tortilla, complete with salsa and beans, an Italian favourite, pasta and tomato sauce, as well as dumplings which is a popular food among many Asians. While it may seem obvious to some and innocent to others – the idea of racially diverse children playing together and sharing their lunch – this short, yet powerful scene from Cocomelon sends a strong message about the importance of children engaging with peers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds from an early age. Research suggests that when young children play and interact with peers from backgrounds dissimilar to theirs, they grow up to be adults that respect, appreciate and embrace ethnic and cultural diversity. While Cocomelon is a fictional children animation, it is nonetheless comforting to see a depiction of racial utopia.
Some final thoughts
In recent times, we have witnessed a rise of nationalism in parts of Europe, xenophobia in Africa, racism in America and even a global pandemic- COVID-19. Put together, these events serve to divide and conquer us, highlighting differences between races, cultures, countries, and the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have-nots. And if we allow it, this will threaten to further put distance between us as humanity. As we navigate the complexities and realities of the world we find ourselves in, let us stop every so often to re-examine some of our inherently held beliefs about people who don’t look like us. Let us learn to decipher our feelings and attitudes- are they informed by irrational fears or do we have balanced and fair information to support our standing viewpoint. That being said, let us take a page out of the playbook of Cocomelon and learn to be kind, accepting and accommodating of others. Let us learn to be inclusive of other races and celebrate, not bemoan cultural diversity.
Writings of an African Bohemian 
Thanks for this. Agree with your observations.
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