This recent report I read about how Sesame Street, the Sesame Street that I grew up with, is now deemed unsuitable for young children.
Seems like it's because "Cookie Monster smokes and eats a pipe during 'Monsterpiece Theater.' And other characters may seem too grouchy, depressed, slow, or drugged."
I'm trying to decide what to make out of this report. I cannot help but wonder if we're perhaps "cotton-wooling" children of this generation and wrapping them in bubblewrap.
I grew up with Cookie Monster. Yes, the Cookie Monster who eats far too many cookies. And I liked Grover. Endearing, silly, somewhat slow Grover. I didn't even mind Oscar the Grouch!
And well, at my current state of adulthood, I'm neither obese, stupid nor grouchy. Sure, I feel fat at times, I do some unspeakably silly things at other times and friends tell me I am far too cynical and snarky for my own good. But I do not eat pipes during my spare time, for that matter.
I honestly don't think the Sesame Street characters have had that much of an impact on me, besides helping me understand phonics and spelling!
My values and principles came from my parents, not Elmo.
What have we become that we need to "protect" children from such "horrors"?
Maybe if we actually tried to spend time with children instead of letting television do all the educating?
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