Not your mother's Sesame Street

As a child I really liked Sesame Street. It had a lot of good stuff. Letters, numbers, patterns. In the years since I was a child something has changed. I used to let the children watch it until I saw one too many "political correct" bits...I'd had enough and banned Sesame Street at our house.

After Elle's playgroup last week we cleaned up the room and sat back for a quiet moment and I let the kids turn on the TV. Sesame Street was on. It generously reminded me again today why Sesame Street is banned at our house. It was like a train wreck: Horrendous, but I just couldn't look away.

Elmo's World was featuring "School". First there was a video featuring Snuffalufagus and a girl Snuffalufagus in kindergarten building with blocks. They talked about how much fun it was. Then they jumped around and knocked their building down.

The talking school told Elmo that first you go to elementary school, then middle school and then high school. Elmo asked what happened next.

Well you graduate (shows Elmo in a cap and gown) and you get to go to a big party called the prom (shows two Elmos in coordinating black and white tuxedos dancing in sync with each other). There was no mention of college or any kind of higher education.

The talking school talked about all the different ways you can get to school. Car, bus, subway...etc. As a final point Elmo said that his pet cat went to school at home. Uh....huh. I didn't realize the impression it made on Ethan until he said at bath time that he was a cat and therefore hated water. For the next week he was a cat come bath time.

I asked him a little about what he learned watching Elmo's World;

What happens after you graduate from high school?

"You go to a disco"

Anything else after you graduate?

"Nope"

Who goes to school at home?

"Cat's hate water"

Oscar the grouch has a very appropriate song, "I love Trash!" At least he calls a spade a spade. I, however, do NOT love trash.