41? Really?

Even when I was a wee tot, you could always find me in front of the TV, nite-nite (the name for my blanket) in hand and thumb in my mouth, intently watching whatever was on the screen. Later, I can remember my mom laying my clothes out on the living room couch so I could watch TV while I was getting ready for school in my early elementary years. Now, before there is a huge uproar of how awful that was, I was watching public television. I was a TV kid, and still am, and it didn't rot my brain. My IQ is above 120, and I graduated in the top 15% of my class with a 4.0.
I did not begin this post to write about the measure of my intelligence. I wrote to celebrate a wonderful institution that turns 41 today, Sesame Street. Kermit, Oscar the Grouch, Grover, Big Bird and countless others made their debut on November 10, 1969. I had just turned 6 and my favorite character was Ernie. I loved his laugh and the way he was the slightest bit irritating to his best friend, Bert. I also adored Grover in his furry blueness and sweet naive ways. I knew all the songs like Ladybug Picnic and the King of Eight. The Children's Television Workshop knew how to make learning fun, and they also knew how to make it entertaining. Having the help of Jim Henson and his amazing creations, The Muppets, helped the entertainment factor greatly. Sesame Street was a program that parents could watch with their kids and not be bored out of their minds. I can say that because I am a parent, and I watched it with my 2 year old. When my oldest turned 2 in 1994, Sesame Street collections were on video. She watched one video over and over again called "Count It Higher" It used the premise of an "MTV" type countdown music video show. At two, she was dancing and singing with each video. I, as mom, knew all the words too. Some of the music video titles introduced by Veejay Count von Count were "Letter 'B'", complete with four "Beetles" in Nehru jackets and bowl haircuts, and "ZZ Blues" starring two long-bearded muppets playing guitar donning dark shades and trucker caps and a drummer. Now, my two year old had no idea of the resemblance to "The Beatles" or "ZZ Top", but I thought it was a hoot! The videos were fun and funny, and the characters on Sesame Street are real and unique and have personalities, and the biggest thing, in my opinion, that Sesame Street does right is the fact that they don't condescend to children. They interact with them. I cant' think of a better way to learn. Happy Birthday, Sesame Street! Here's to 41 more years! Guess I better upgrade to DVD or BluRay before I sit down and watch with my grandchildren.