New ‘Sesame Street’ video teaches kids how to cope with trauma

Credit: Anadolu Agency

Credit: Anadolu Agency

Big Bird, Bert and Ernie have been teaching children how to count and say their ABCs for years. Now, the lovable “Sesame Street” characters will tackle a more difficult subject: learning how to cope with traumatic events.

Sesame Workshop, the company behind "Sesame Street," released video and free resources designed to help children address those confusing feelings that may occur from divorce or deaths in the family.

The topic is the latest in a series called Sesame Street in Communities, according to Newsy. It aims to help parents and organizations address serious issues, such as grieving and divorce.

According to a 2016 survey, nearly half of the children in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic or stressful event. That also includes mental illness, poverty, abuse and divorce. The study also noted that 20 percent of all children experience more than one of those events, Newsy reported.

Such trauma can hamper a child’s development and educational progress. The new “Sesame Street” videos and resources are meant to increase a child’s sense of safety, even through a catastrophic event.

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