def _validate_parse_dates_arg(parse_dates):
    """
    Check whether or not the 'parse_dates' parameter
    is a non-boolean scalar. Raises a ValueError if
    that is the case.
    """
    msg = ("Only booleans, lists, and "
           "dictionaries are accepted "
           "for the 'parse_dates' parameter")

    if parse_dates is not None:
        if is_scalar(parse_dates):
            if not lib.is_bool(parse_dates):
                raise TypeError(msg)

        elif not isinstance(parse_dates, (list, dict)):
            raise TypeError(msg)

    return parse_dates