A Little Something Extra

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Thankful A to Z: E=Emily Perl Kingsley

It seems appropriate on Sesame Street's 40th birthday to mention Emily Perl Kingsley. She wrote the story: Welcome to Holland. It was one of the first things sent to me after we received Micah's diagnosis. Link here for the text. This story made me feel like I wasn't alone. And through it I realized that the sooner I accepted that Italy wasn't going to be our destination, the more I would enjoy Holland.

Ms. Kingsley has a son with Down syndrome and she is a writer for Sesame Street. I'm fairly certain that she has had a major impact on the show having actors with disabilities.

I've actually heard of people not letting their children watch Sesame Street because it doesn't portray an accurate view of society (too "politically correct"). But I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, one of Micah's future classmates will accept him as he is because she learned on Sesame Street that kids who are "different" aren't really that different after all.

3 comments:

Emily said...

I love that post! My kids LOVE Sesame Street! One of my favorite things to read too!

Heidi said...

I didn't realize that Emily Perl Kingsley was one of the writers for Sesame Street. That's so great! Caleb and Joel both love Sesame Street!

Kim Rees said...

I love that poem too and like you I also received it after Lily was born. Sesame Street is such a great show and I am glad that they do show a lot of diversity on the show so that kids will know that being different isn't so different.