Sesame Street, one of the longest running educational children's shows in the world, has played a vital role in creating awareness and teaching empathy when it comes to the topic of autism when it first introduced Julia, the first muppet with autism back in 2017. This year, 2019, the award-winning children show puts the spotlight on the families of kids with autism.
"We are thrilled to continue expanding our 'See Amazing' initiative this month with the introduction of Julia’s family for the first time in Muppet form!" Sesame Street announced on its social media accounts last April 2, which is World Autism Awareness Day.
"Children with autism often face unique challenges, as do their parents and siblings," Sherrie Westin, president of global impact and philanthropy at Sesame Workshop, said in a statement. "In a family, everyone has different roles, challenges, and strengths, and everyone can learn from one another."
What other parents are reading
Every family of a child with autism has their unique struggles. By introducing Julia's family on Sesame Street, the show aims to tackle hardships that all families of children with autism have in common.
The newly introduced muppets. Julia's family, are Julia's parents, Daniel and Elena, her big brother Sam, and their pet dog named Rose. Her dad plays the saxophone while her mom Elena is an art teacher. Just as children with autism encounter everyday challenges, so does their family — and they also need support.
What other parents are reading
Alongside the introduction of Julia's family, Sesame Street's "See Amazing" initiative also released new resources on autism and bullying. It features videos about kids with autism and their family, a day in the life of a child with autism, and advice from other parents of children with autism.It also offers daily routine cards to help kids with autism accomplish everyday tasks more smoothly, digital storybooks about Julia and her family, and readings for adults and siblings. The ultimate goal is to help all kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
The best thing about Sesame Street's content and resources is it's accessible online for everyone. Just watch Sesame Street and its autism's video playlist on YouTube and visit autism.sesamestreet.org.
What other parents are reading
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
