Mission Impossible:  Putting an End to the Naked Doll Syndrome

Teachers of young children understand “The naked doll syndrome.”  Dolls are thrown into cribs, naked.  They’re found in the block corner naked.  They even end up in the refrigerator or oven, naked.  Simply stated, these dolls make it look as if an orderly classroom is not a priority, or that children have not been taught to properly care for their toys.

Hundreds of regulators, inspectors, parents, and teachers have in the past failed miserably at the seemingly simple task of keeping dolls fully clothed.  The following mission statement has been written to simplify and clarify.

Your mission, should you wish to accept it:  Put an end to the “naked doll syndrome.”

At the end of the day each and every doll in the classroom must be suitably dressed.  There will be no exceptions.  The term “fully dressed” is used loosely.  Gender issues are not relevant––girl and boy dolls may share clothing.  Baby dolls are considered fully dressed if they wear a diaper or even a blanket.  It’s difficult for small fingers to dress miniature dolls, so they are considered fully dressed if they wear a string of beads or a pair of shoes or boots.

And finally, the clothes do not have to be mended nor do they have to fit.  They do not even have to be clean.  They do, however, have to be on the dolls.  Good luck!