Preschoolers' Identification with Characters

Lighting McQueen is out. Batman is in. But not just any old Batman, “Baby Batman.”

I’m not exactly sure how Elijah grabbed onto this character. He hasn’t seen any good Pixar movies about Batman. He doesn’t even have a batman action figure. All it took was the introduction of the character on a pair of pajamas and a humming of the theme song from the 1970s sitcom: “Nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh…Batman!” Whoever wrote that little tune is a genius.

Every day now he puts on his black shirt with the batman symbol, a black cape that his Damma brought him, black boots and pants, and flexing his wiry muscles, exclaims with pride: “I am Baby Batman!” And Rey and I are capitalizing on this obsession.

Today we were able to accomplish the unthinkable: get Elijah to sit still for a haircut. We simply told him it was a “Baby Batman hair cut” and he would be able to wear a black cape like Batman while he was getting his hair cut. He fell for it. Additionally, Rey persuades him to wear what he wants him too by telling Elijah it’s a Baby Batman football jersey.

Is it manipulative? Of course. But I like to think of it more as marketing our parental guidance, which is all for Elijah’s good (except for the football jersey. I see little good in that).

I am also using this character identification for Christian discipleship. Whenever it is time for Elijah to go to bed, he does so eagerly if we tell him a Baby Batman story first. Today Baby Batman found himself in the lion’s den after his friends at school made fun of him for praying before lunch. But God saved Baby Batman from the ferocious “Yellow Roars” when Baby Batman prayed to God and trusted him. And after the story, my own Baby Batman was eager to pray himself…”Dear God….”

The way I see it, young children are going to latch onto a character that they pick up from the surrounding culture. My job is to mold this idealization of Batman into someone who fights for justice and protects the weak, as opposed to the “dark knight” that is more advertised and popular. I expect that the same thing can be done with the princess obsession that is smothered like pink cotton candy around every child’s store. A princess is one who is good and kind to all, not one who defined by her physical beauty and possessions. Good luck, parents.