Several years ago, I watched a special on TV called "The Making of Sesame Street" or "Behind the Scenes of Sesame Street" or something to that effect. I thought it was absolutely fascinating. There aren't too many things that my children and I both grew up with. This is one of them.
I used to tape Sesame Street for Sweetheart because we left the house too early for her to watch it at home in the mornings back when I was working. When Little Bit was small and Sweetheart was getting ready for Kindergarten each morning, we also watched it. I was glad she didn't feel "too big" to watch such a show. And, after all, it was good for her little sister.
Now I don't think there is any magic to the show. I think it is good. I understand that at the time it was created, it was way ahead of the game. Innovative. Fresh. I really enjoy finding out more about the beginnings of Sesame Street.
So this article was a hoot to me! It seems the original episodes are being released on DVD--for ADULTS ONLY!!! Seriously, they contain warnings for children. It seems that preschoolers in the year 2007 cannot handle Sesame Street as it orginally aired. Now I really, really want to see them!
Is this the same thing as fairy tales having happy endings? You know in the orginal version, the wolf ATE the pigs at each house, right? And that hunter who happened by Red Riding Hood's grandma's house? He SHOT the wolf. Dead. I just think it's ironic--when the world was supposedly a "safer" place to be, children knew harsh truths. Now that we cannot even let our children run out to the car to get something by themselves, we have protected them from all things mean, harsh, and even grouchy.
Very ironic, isn't it?
I saw this earlier and cracked up too. If I tried to protect my daughter from all things grumpy or out of control cookie eating I'd have to start avoiding her for two weeks a month!! This country has lost its mind. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Missy; this country has lost its mind.
ReplyDeleteWe have the Looney Toons DVDs and they came with a disclaimer from Whoopi Goldberg about how un-PC and offensive these old cartoons are.
I can't wait to get my old school sesame street dvds. I HATE the new sesame street!
I was 6 months old when SS debuted and I watched every single episode they made. Well...I watched a lot.
ReplyDeleteFrankly--and to throw a different opinion out there--I'll never be offended that someone is thinking to protect children from attitudes, actions, or words that can be a wrong influence to our children. Even if they're a bit "over the top," I'm glad someone's thinking of the children.
The description of Gordon befriending a little girl WHO GOES HOME WITH HIM is reason enough to put a warning on the shows.
Because children mimic. They mimic what's in their face and they mimic the more subtle nuances of their authorities and mentors. Now, if I can just figure out how to put a warning label on ME! How I would love for my children to be spared my role modeling sometimes. :(
I'm all for protecting, GB. You know that, right? And to be fair, I believe Gordon was the little girl's teacher, not just a stranger--still not necessarily a safe situation today, right?
ReplyDeleteI just think it's ironic, that's all. And after viewing a clip from that first episode--I think I need to protect my children from the horrible Big Bird costume used in Season 1!!! They would be traumatized. :)
Now I have to go read that article. Just this morning I was in the place known as W-M, lamenting the horrible video choices for my kids. We ended up getting a collection of cartoons that I watched as a kid. I told them it was the only way I knew the material was "safe".
ReplyDeleteI get your point and I agree with it, Brenda. It seems that the PC crowd is always on the lookout for anything that *they* find offensive. A little realism isn't going to hurt a child. I believe one of the reasons we have an epidemic of kid adults is because they've been too sheltered from the realities of life. Of course, being exposed to sex, sin, and debauchery is okay. But heaven forbid we shoot a wolf when our life is at stake! Of course I agree with the example made about the child going home with her teacher, but that's where parents come in. This was a god, thought provoking post.
ReplyDeleteI would be very curious to see those old Sesame Street episodes. Who can forget the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 song? Love it! Unfortunately, we had to pull the plug on S.S. around here. I found that magic was too recurrent of a theme. Truly I don't always know where to draw the line on magic, as sometimes the term is used to describe what may only be pretend or fantasy play, which I think to be okay. However, when I heard my 4 yr old trying to recite a spell from S.S., I knew that was enough. "Our Lord is great and very powerful" Ps. 147:5 I want my children to know the One source of true power and not to be enticed, however subtly, into seeking power from counterfeit sources.
ReplyDelete-K.
See? I haven't seen Sesame Steet in several years. That's very interesting to hear about it. I also see "magic" as a theme in a LOT of places. Like you said, sometimes it's talking about something magical, other times about tricks, and other times about magic power. But I agree, I shy away from too much of that theme. Disney channel is full of it lately.
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