Twenty years ago, Sesame Street decided it was time to tackle the issue of divorce in its sketches. The show’s writers came up with a storyline, shot the sketch and tested it on a group of children.
The sketch went over horribly, disturbing children and prompting Sesame Street to pull the episode. After that, the show decided to never again touch the delicate subject.
Until now. Sesame Street is now diving into the topic, providing children with resources to help them better cope with their situation and the emotions that come with it. Family law and child custody experts are well aware of the struggles that many young children experience when their parents separate, but effective resources haven’t always been easy to come by.
Now, Sesame Street believes it can help. It has released a series of online videos designed to help kids in Georgia and across the country navigate their feelings and emotions as their family experiences divorce and separation-related issues. The issue of divorce is related through Abby Cadabby, one of the show’s most beloved characters.
Abby goes on to introduce divorce to other Muppets on the show, explaining that confusing emotions are OK and that both parents still love her even though they live in separate houses.
Some child psychology experts see the videos as a great way to demonstrate to children that they aren’t alone in experiencing divorce. The show’s characters can provide a very important sense of companionship to those kids and give them some guidance to help them process their emotions and find peace and happiness as the children of divorced parents.
Source: FOX, “‘D’ is now for ‘divorce’ on Sesame Street,” Tammy Vigil, Dec. 13, 2012
