Be Open to Sesame Beginnings,people!

There's a new line of children's DVDs from the Sesame Street group designed for kids six months old and up called Sesame Beginnings. Baby versions of Sesame Street characters(Big Bird,Cookie Monster and,of course,Elmo) interacted with parents in song and dance. The programs were developed with a non profit group called Zero To Three,to make sure that the content is age appropiate and promotes good mental/emotional development for the target audience.

But is that good enough for some folks? NOOOOOOOO! Activist groups are already griping about how wrong it is for children under the age of two to even be near a TV,let alone watch these DVDs. One of the co-founders of Campaign For a Commerical- Free Childhood,Susan Linn,was qouted as saying this about Sesame Workshop:""They're a media company in the business of promoting their brand," she said. "They've done some good things for kids and they sell a lot of junk for kids."

Well,Ms. Linn,I have to say this:merchandising is the nature of the beast when it comes to promoting educational programs for kids. Both SW and Zero to Three are non profit groups and they gotta pay their bills somehow. Frankly,I don't see what the probelm is-many children,like it or not,are going to have early exposure to television and I would rather have a kid started off with the Muppets than the Teletubbies or Boohbah,which is annoying and repulsive on so many levels. Don't even get me started on Barney!

I don't have kids but I do have a niece and nephew in this age range that I wouldn't mind seeing these DVDs with. Also,I grew up on Sesame Street and other similar programs that encouraged learning and imagination in a fun,relaxed way. Baby Einstein shoves learning at kids but no one seems to mind that. Yep,let's get a headstart on raising some neurotic overachievers who'll crash and burn before they hit 21 instead of providing a healthy mix of quality and entertainment that might put out a generation of happy people who may not earn six figures but are creative and useful members of society.

If you're interested in what the DVDs look like or want to watch a clip,please use the title link above. I hope that Sesame Beginnings sell like hotcakes and if they do,somebody pass me the syrup!