'Sesame Street' Divorce Kit Helps Parents, Kids

A new "Sesame Street" online "divorce kit" aims to deal with a subject that the children's show has been silent on during its run. But now the show is tackling divorce, a subject that's a part of many children's lives. To help parents and kids, the show is releasing a multimedia kit called "Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce" that includes an online show segment, a storybook, a guide for parents, and an app. The show attempted to find a way to talk about divorce back in 1992, but its message didn't quite come out right. This time they have a new way to tackle the emotional issue. The 13-minute segment that introduces the topic centers around a pink fairy called Abby whose parents have been divorced for a while, according to Storyboard. During the segment, Abby talks about living in two houses, her feelings during the divorce, and how she now feels pretty happy about her living situation. The core message is positive. The show's goal for the segment is to teach children that divorce is not their fault and that their parents still love them. That's something parents can incorporate into their own discussions about divorce with their child. Divorce in general is a big issue for children but certain aspects of it, like custody and visitation, have much more of an impact. When negotiating the division of parenting between you and your ex, always put your child's needs first. That may mean suspending some of your anger so you can make sure your child gets to spend time with both parents. A strong relationship with both you and your ex will help your child grow into a healthy and well-adjusted adult. The most important thing for Abby, at least in the segment, is knowing that both her parents still love her. "Sesame Street" is offering its kit online but before it went live, it was tested with a group of kids and their parents, all of whom were separated or divorced. The result wasn't necessarily a fairy-tale happy ending, but children got the message, reports Mashable. No one cried, and some kids even smiled. It's not just kids that need help when it comes to figuring out divorce and its effects on children. Related Resources:

• Child Custody (FindLaw)
• Have a Happy, Healthy... Divorce? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
• 14 Do It Yourself Divorce Resources (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)