Today, we have the Veggie Monster, sending a message to kids that vegetables are an amazing food to eat all the time and cookies are just a “sometimes” snack. While that may be the case for some children, the kid I watch is munching down on any food as long as she can make the blue, googly-eyed cookievore proud, even if cookies aren’t included.

Another big change is Bert and Ernie. Where are they? Well, they don’t live with each other anymore because the apparent implication is they’re secret lovers. Does that really hurt our children, too? The Veggie Monster issue at least has some beneficiary excuse, but whether Bert and Ernie are homosexuals or not, we need to tell them it’s wrong by separating them? When I watched Bert and Ernie, the only thing that struck me was how Ernie got to eat cookies in bed and I couldn’t. Also, they took a bath together every now and then, but so do a lot of babies and toddlers.

In a New York Times article called “Not the Same Street” by Virginia Heffernan, many old episodes of the show on DVD include warning labels, stating the episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.

It’s a children’s show not meant for children? “Sesame Street” isn’t bad; it’s parents who may take it too seriously.

I grew up watching the show, so parents, please, watch old episodes of the show with your kids and I promise they will love it. I can also say as a watcher myself, I still smile whenever I hear “cookie!”