Why don’t mom and dad go to work anymore? Why can’t we visit grandma and grandpa? Why can’t they visit us? Can we go to the park? What is a “coronavirus”?
As the pandemic and lockdown still goes on, parents find themselves in a tricky situation of having to answer the million questions their kids have.
Kids are sure to have picked up on the tension in the air from the tiny bits and pieces they hear about the pandemic. Rather than leave them to form their own assumptions, it’s best to explain the situation to them in a way that will help them understand without feeling overwhelmed by it all.
Challenging, isn’t it?
Sesame Street and CNN are currently teaming up to help parents start this important dialogue with their puzzled little ones.
This Saturday, April 25, the iconic show and network will be hosting a very special town hall for young viewers and their parents to address the novel Coronavirus outbreak. The town hall will feature several Sesame Street characters like Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Grover together with CNN Chief Medical correspondent Dr.
Sanjay Gupta and CNN anchor Erica Hill.
The ABC’s of Covid 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents will discuss issues including education, anxiety, screen time, and playdates in the time of this pandemic.
The segment will last for an hour and a half. The iconic characters and their friends from CNN will reportedly answer questions submitted in advance by families. The town hall will be administered by everyone’s favorite yellow feathered character Big Bird, Hill and Dr. Gupta. According to Scary Mommy, viewers can also expect cameos from Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka and Dr. Rosemarie Truglio.
The special builds on Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which aims to “help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.” The initiative provides “valuable resources that bring children comfort, spark learning, and help families face challenges together.”
According to the official Sesame Street website, “Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit on a mission that keeps us focused, passionate, and moving forward. There are so many ways to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, and we’re doing everything we can to meet their needs in more than 150 countries.”
“You’ll find us on screens, in classrooms, in communities, everywhere families can use a trusted hand to help little ones reach their full potential. Our unforgettable characters bring joyful learning into children’s lives—and help Sesame Workshop change the world, one smile at a time,” it states.