Description:
This link is to a great television special that aired April 14th, 2010 on PBS. The special is hosted by Katie Couric who does a really nice job communicating between the viewers and some of the Sesame St. characters like “Elmo”. Couric and Elmo begin discussing death and grieving when Elmo tells Couric that his uncle died. In between these discussions the show cuts to stories of real families and children that have had to deal with and try to understand death in their family. It is quite heavy at times and very emotional, but very well done.
Towards the end of the show the children of these families are interviewed and explain what the grieving process was like for them. This is a must see for health professionals who work with families on a regular basis and for families themselves who have been through the grieving process. One of the most difficult concepts that arose from the show was the idea of permanency, especially for children, trying to grasp the idea that a loved one who dies is not going to be around any more.
Press Release:
“Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, in association with Worldwide Pants Incorporated and Lookalike Productions, is producing a new prime-time television special, When Families Grieve featuring Katie Couric and the Sesame Street Muppets. This hour-long HD special, airing in prime-time nationwide in April on PBS, will present families’ personal stories about coping with the death of a parent, as well as strategies that have helped these families move forward…”