**before diving into this post, I’d like to say that I am still learning how to discuss racism, which is part of the reason I’m asking these questions. I am happy to receive criticism about my language regarding race.

The only kid show we ever watch in our home is “Dave & Ava”. It’s basically just two cartoon farm kids dancing along to nursery rhymes- harmless enough, right? Well now I’m not so sure. I was reading about the show online and apparently there is some criticism about the show because in many of the songs they have an anthropomorphic monkey family that many people have said looks way too much like a family of color depicted as monkeys, which would obviously be racist and unacceptable.

When I first read this I rolled my eyes and thought, “people are just looking for reasons to be offended”. But now the more I watch the show, the more I see it and the more horrified I am. Im finding myself ask rhetorically, why couldn’t they have just made another human family to dance along to the songs? Why monkeys? Surely the illustrators didn’t do this on purpose... right?

My questions to you are, is this racism in my kid’s favorite show? Or just an unfortunate accident? Do I address it? How? What other kid shows have you noticed that might have racist undertones?

Racism is something I’d like to not only avoid in our home, my hope is to actively work against it. Asking, “is this racist *enough* to avoid it” feels wrong, but where is the line between “coincidence” and “racist”?

Thanks for your help.

Below are pictures of the monkey family in the show. The two white kids are Dave and Ava, the main characters of the show.

**im also well aware that my little likely won’t connect the two at all. But in my home we want to actively work against racism and I just wonder if allowing something like this in my home could send even a subconscious message to my son? I just want to be mindful, that’s all.

**for those that are upset that I am asking about this I’d like to know, are you upset because my asking is actually harmful? Or because my questions made you uncomfortable?