“You know why I hate Dora so much?” asked Grace a few moments ago.

This was one of those life-changing moments. Because this is a kid who, not all that long ago (at about the same she was on year 8 of “I’m going to be a professional waitress when I grow up”) worshiped the path that Dora traveled every goddamn day on her way to find the Map or her Backpack or a bunch of monkeys perilously stuck in a tree.

“Do tell,” I responded.

“Because,” continued Grace, “she’ll be like, “Where’s the mountain?” and she’ll ask over and over. And it’s RIGHT BEHIND HER!

“And when she’s on her 4th inquiry (*note: she did use the word ‘inquiry’), I just want to scream, “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IT’S RIGHT THERE!”

I see her point.

“And then,” she went on, “Boots and Dora are trying to get to Rainbow Rock, and the Map is all, ‘Dora’s over here and Boots is over here and Boots needs to know how to get to Rainbow Rock.’ And I know how to get to Rainbow Rock!

“And I’m all, ‘Well just get on with it, then!”

Suddenly, I’m realizing precisely why I’ve never invented anything as successful as Dora: it’s too predictable.

“Do you realize,” she asked, “that 25 minutes of the 30 minutes of the show is filled with WHEEEERRRRRE’S the mountain? And the other 5 minutes are filled with ‘Come on, Vamanos! Everybody let’s go!’ It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

I wonder if she’ll ever feel this way about iCarly, Shake It Up and Victorious?