CoComelon Lane (2023)

In the episode 'Say Cheese, Nico!' (S1E8) of CoComelon Lane, a little boy tries on various costumes for a family photo and chooses a pink tiara and ballet tutu, dancing happily while his two dads—Papa and Daddy, an interracial couple with wedding rings—encourage him with the song 'Just Be You'. The lyrics urge to 'think about what you like to do' and 'just be you', presenting this choice without questioning or drama, as something natural and happy. This moment, aimed at children aged 2-5, introduces the idea that identity is built by subjective preferences, blurring the natural difference between boy and girl from an early age. The family with two same-sex parents is shown as equivalent to any other, without exploring consequences or contrasts, which seeks to shape the child's perception of what is normal in the person and family ties. Although the tone is playful and educational in daily routines, this element slips in a vision that prioritizes fluidity over the given order of human nature. Attentive parents will notice how entertainment uses emotion and music to make little ones accept as desirable what alters the common sense of childhood. The series in general fosters positive emotions and basic learning, but this episode deserves pause to discern what messages endure in the child's imagination.