New Poverty Puppet on Sesame Street

[PeterPan09]

No, it's about facts. As mentioned on Sesame Street, there are programs out there. Ironically, none of the parents on Sesame Street looked like they were hurting for a meal, did they? And why did the "dad" say his kids were hungry at school when schools offer free and subsidized lunches?

Here's a link to federal food programs:

http://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/

You have to click on the various links to see the whole list, because they don't fit on one page. These are just the federal programs. There are more state and local programs, of course.

and those programs have gaps. We have folks at our food pantry who don't make enough to feed their family but make too much for assistance. Ironically, if you work, you can lose the help you have even if you don't earn enough to pay your bills and feed your family. I would love to see welfare reform that allowed for a proportionate response-if you get a part time job or minimum wage job you can still get help making ends meet. It shouldn't be all or nothing.

I'm sorry, but shame on you for this: "Ironically, none of the parents on Sesame Street looked like they were hurting for a meal, did they?" How do you know anything about them to accuse them of taking food out of their children's mouths?! That's exactly the kind of comment that gets people accused of lacking compassion.

 

[rchristiansen]

I watched the program last night with DD9 and thought it was very well done. I wished it was promoted more on and shown on network TV.

I saw it as a call to action for both adults and kids. It showed what someone could do at any age. I also liked at the end that they said for kids sometimes the best thing you can do is being a friend.

...

And why did the "dad" say his kids were hungry at school when schools offer free and subsidized lunches?

Because they were hungry. I get hungry at different times of the day and have a snack. DD has told me that their class cheers at snack time because they are starving. Kid's can't focus on getting their education if they are hungry throughout the day.

DD's teacher sent a note home at the beginning of the year asking for donations for snacks for kids who "forget" theirs. I'm thinking that these are the kids that didn't necessarily "forget", but don't have the means to bring their own snack. It's a dignified way (saying they forgot, rather than saying they can't afford it) for them to get something to eat, especially since some of these kids may not have had breakfast yet.

My response to this program is to regularly donate to the local food pantries (food and money) and to send DD with a bulk-sized box of snacks every other week at school until the teacher tells us to stop bringing it in.

 

[sparklynails23]

...



Because they were hungry. I get hungry at different times of the day and have a snack. DD has told me that their class cheers at snack time because they are starving. Kid's can't focus on getting their education if they are hungry throughout the day.

DD's teacher sent a note home at the beginning of the year asking for donations for snacks for kids who "forget" theirs. I'm thinking that these are the kids that didn't necessarily "forget", but don't have the means to bring their own snack. It's a dignified way (saying they forgot, rather than saying they can't afford it) for them to get something to eat, especially since some of these kids may not have had breakfast yet.

My response to this program is to regularly donate to the local food pantries (food and money) and to send DD with a bulk-sized box of snacks every other week at school until the teacher tells us to stop bringing it in.

Snacks? No wonder kids are obese. We never had snacks. There was lunch. That was it. If you only eat at certain times, your body adjusts. Now, do you want there to be federally subsidized snack program? As long as you and the parents are providing snacks to the kids, fine, but there should be no additional tax subsidized food programs. And if the dad on Sesame Street didn't snack so much himself, he could send some for his kids.

 

[rchristiansen]

Snacks? No wonder kids are obese. We never had snacks. There was lunch. That was it. If you only eat at certain times, your body adjusts. Now, do you want there to be federally subsidized snack program? As long as you and the parents are providing snacks to the kids, fine, but there should be no additional tax subsidized food programs. And if the dad on Sesame Street didn't snack so much himself, he could send some for his kids.

Wow, remind me never to ask you to feel empathy toward another human. Jeesh.

 

[luvsJack]

Snacks? No wonder kids are obese. We never had snacks. There was lunch. That was it. If you only eat at certain times, your body adjusts. Now, do you want there to be federally subsidized snack program? As long as you and the parents are providing snacks to the kids, fine, but there should be no additional tax subsidized food programs. And if the dad on Sesame Street didn't snack so much himself, he could send some for his kids.

That is a ridiculous statement. Kids need snacks during the day. They cannot focus if they get too hungry. Their body doesn't need to "adjust" it needs fuel.

I don't know when you were in school but I graduated in 81 and from the time I entered K 13 years prior there was time for a morning snack. Heck, even in high school we had a morning break where we could buy food and a drink.

In some schools there AREN'T any parents who can send extra snacks for the kids without. What do you suggest then?

I am appalled that a grown person would act as though she has so much resentment to providing a child with food.

 

[VickiVM]

How is it we demonize those that are currently suffering from the fallout of our current recession but glorify those that lived through The Great Depression? What level of suffering qualifies for empathy and compassion?

 

[C.Ann]

and those programs have gaps. We have folks at our food pantry who don't make enough to feed their family but make too much for assistance. Ironically, if you work, you can lose the help you have even if you don't earn enough to pay your bills and feed your family. I would love to see welfare reform that allowed for a proportionate response-if you get a part time job or minimum wage job you can still get help making ends meet. It shouldn't be all or nothing.

I'm sorry, but shame on you for this: "Ironically, none of the parents on Sesame Street looked like they were hurting for a meal, did they?" How do you know anything about them to accuse them of taking food out of their children's mouths?! That's exactly the kind of comment that gets people accused of lacking compassion.

Exactly.. HUGE gaps.. Families have been turned away because they earn two lousy dollars more than the allowable income.. So I'm guessing that there are some who feel they should just quit their jobs, go on welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid - and then people can scream about that instead..

I think you're wasting your breath (typing) on people who either have no empathy/compassion at all - or live in a world that has an entirely different reality than most people of the rest of the people in this country live in..

Wow, remind me never to ask you to feel empathy toward another human. Jeesh.

Sad - isn't it?

That is a ridiculous statement. Kids need snacks during the day. They cannot focus if they get too hungry. Their body doesn't need to "adjust" it needs fuel.

I don't know when you were in school but I graduated in 81 and from the time I entered K 13 years prior there was time for a morning snack. Heck, even in high school we had a morning break where we could buy food and a drink.

In some schools there AREN'T any parents who can send extra snacks for the kids without. What do you suggest then?

I am appalled that a grown person would act as though she has so much resentment to providing a child with food.

Couldn't agree more..

 

[sparklynails23]

That is a ridiculous statement. Kids need snacks during the day. They cannot focus if they get too hungry. Their body doesn't need to "adjust" it needs fuel.

Really? My kids have breakfast, that I make and pay for, at about 6:45. They have school lunch at about 11:30, and they don't eat again until they are home at 3 and 3:30. I don't know how they conentrate enough to get those straight A's, but somehow, they struggle through.

Did you look at the link I provided. There are literally dozens of federal food programs. There are even more other programs. It's enough. The main factor in child hunger at this point has got to be parental neglect or parental ignorance. No amount of federal aid is going to keep a fridge and cabinet stocked if mom and/or dad is out drinking, doing drugs, and/or gambling.

What further programs do you think are needed that do not currently exist?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Snacks? No wonder kids are obese. We never had snacks. There was lunch. That was it. If you only eat at certain times, your body adjusts. Now, do you want there to be federally subsidized snack program? As long as you and the parents are providing snacks to the kids, fine, but there should be no additional tax subsidized food programs. And if the dad on Sesame Street didn't snack so much himself, he could send some for his kids.

You're the only one equating "snack" with "junk".

 

[rchristiansen]

Really? My kids have breakfast, that I make and pay for, at about 6:45. They have school lunch at about 11:30, and they don't eat again until they are home at 3 and 3:30. I don't know how they conentrate enough to get those straight A's, but somehow, they struggle through.

Did you look at the link I provided. There are literally dozens of federal food programs. There are even more other programs. It's enough. The main factor in child hunger at this point has got to be parental neglect or parental ignorance. No amount of federal aid is going to keep a fridge and cabinet stocked if mom and/or dad is out drinking, doing drugs, and/or gambling.

What further programs do you think are needed that do not currently exist?

That may work for your children, but not everyone is the same. That is really the heart of the matter about this program - to show that not everyone is like you. It helps develop compassion and empathy - which is hopefully a call to action. There is no need to be so angry because there are no negative effects to you or others because there are federal aid programs to help someone else.

Also, as other have discussed there are many gaps in those federal programs. Where are you getting that idea that the parents are to blame? No where did anyone suggest this on the sesame street program. Each and every one of the parents shown on the program did not neglect their kids or were ignorant to the aid programs available. It was all about helping themselves and helping their community. It talked about how to get healthy foods, how one parent was studying to get a better job, and another about how a little girl helped her community in a food drive.

What programs do I think are needed that don't currently exist? Maybe a program to help those who are not on federal aid or welfare to become more compassionate and empathic and less angry and bitter.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

How is it we demonize those that are currently suffering from the fallout of our current recession but glorify those that lived through The Great Depression? What level of suffering qualifies for empathy and compassion?

Wait...wut? Who's demonizing the people currently suffering? I've been working, what did I miss???

 

[Sorsha]

Ummm Sparklynails, not sure where your kids go to school... not that I am doubting your words... but I have had my kids in upwards of 4 different school districts, public and private, since DD17 began school 11 years ago, and there has ALWAYS been "snack time".

It has been proven that children learn better when they have small nutritious snacks through the day to keep their energy up and help them stay focused - have you ever seen a kindergartner on an sugar-low energy crash??!?

When my kids were little, everyone would take it in turn to sign up for a week of snack - each child would provide enough snacks - morning and afternoon - for each day for one week... usually once in the fall and once in the spring. It didn't have to be complicated; crackers and cheese, carrots and celery and ranch, homemade banana muffins, whatever.

Now that they are older, all of their classrooms have switched to "bring your own snack". So each morning I tuck a bag of baby carrots and a granola bag, or a bag of graham crackers and an apple, or something similar into each backpack. They each eat school lunches.

I am fully aware that there are a lot of kids in our district who get free- and reduced-price lunches and whose parents don't have the luxery to send them snacks. So every few months I buy a box of snack crackers or a big box of granola bars at Costco and drop them off at school and tell the teacher that its just "extras for snacks" if someone forgets theirs. I know other parents do the same.

I would hope that if the shoe were on the other foot, someone would do the same for my kid.

FWIW, if the kids in the neighborhood are over to play, and they are hungry, I feed them here too... lots of poverty around here, and I know it, even if its unmentioned. No one goes hungry on my watch. There's always fruit or carrots or crackers or popcorn...

 

[Planogirl]

Really? My kids have breakfast, that I make and pay for, at about 6:45. They have school lunch at about 11:30, and they don't eat again until they are home at 3 and 3:30. I don't know how they conentrate enough to get those straight A's, but somehow, they struggle through.

Did you look at the link I provided. There are literally dozens of federal food programs. There are even more other programs. It's enough. The main factor in child hunger at this point has got to be parental neglect or parental ignorance. No amount of federal aid is going to keep a fridge and cabinet stocked if mom and/or dad is out drinking, doing drugs, and/or gambling.

What further programs do you think are needed that do not currently exist?

You honestly believe that kids are hungry only because their parents are out drinking, doing drugs and gambling? I'm sure that that happens but that's a pretty narrow view of the poor.

 

[Art 1]

You honestly believe that kids are hungry only because their parents are out drinking, doing drugs and gambling? I'm sure that that happens but that's a pretty narrow view of the poor.

Not the only reason but my guess would be that the majority have one parent out doing those things. I don't understand why it upsets some people to hear this. If it's true, it's true.

 

[cornflake]

Did you look at the link I provided. There are literally dozens of federal food programs. There are even more other programs. It's enough.

Except it's not enough, because there are a lot of people in this country who are hungry and/or have times during the month when they cannot acquire enough food for their families.

Your blanket assertion that the programs that exist are enough and thus anyone who doesn't have food must just be neglectful is ... kind of stunning in its weirdness.

If federal food programs are enough, why do any private programs exist? If federal food programs are enough, why are there any food banks? Because people are... drunk so they go to the food bank instead? I mean just.. .what?

If the federal food programs are enough, why are there food banks that not only run out of food but cannot direct people to other sources? They're all just ignorant and neglectful too?

The people run soup kitchens out of churches? They're just drunk when they turn people away?

God's Love We Deliver? Meals on Wheels? They don't need to exist, clearly, because federal food programs are enough. Despite that they don't, you know, DELIVER. I guess those housebound poor, ill and elderly people are drunk and neglectful too? Honestly... what?

 

[luvsJack]

Not the only reason but my guess would be that the majority have one parent out doing those things. I don't understand why it upsets some people to hear this. If it's true, it's true.

As you said, that would be YOUR guess. I see plenty of kids from poor families that are just that, poor. They don't drink, do drugs or gamble. They work and work hard and can't make ends meet. Like others said, they either make just a little too much to get assistance or they only get a small amount and grocery prices are steadily rising.

The ones that do qualify, if they make a little more money one month so maybe their kid can get some badly needed shoes--their assistance gets cut and again, they don't have enough to buy food for the month.

There are too many holes in the system. We have single parent students that come in crying all the time because they are trying to finish school, work when they can and then their assistance gets cut and they can't buy food for the month. Like you said, if its true, its true.

The MAJORITY are just trying to make it month to month but they only ones that people see are the ones that are drinking, doing drugs or gambling.

 

["Got Disney"]

No child needs to go hungry...that is why we have food stamps and welfare and churches....

Schools offer free lunches at school also....

There are also soup kitchens and other groups that will help you.....


As for the puppet...one can always have their kids watch something else if they push the puppet to the limit...like making little kids feel real sad for the little puppet instead of learning ABCs.....

I was never a big sesame street watcher anyway...except during my hippie days when I needed a big laugh after smoking funny cigarets

My boys had no interest....

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

I'd like to again point out that even tho you are in dire straights, a simple thing like acutally owning your own car could make it impossible for you to get WIC and/or food stamps.

Just sayin.

What do you do then? Sell the car you need? Buy a new one so you have payments you can't make?

I don't know why it is/was a stipulation, but it happens.

 

[crashbb]

How is it we demonize those that are currently suffering from the fallout of our current recession but glorify those that lived through The Great Depression? What level of suffering qualifies for empathy and compassion?

People were demonizing those using the equivalent programs during the Depression as well (there were just a lot fear people who didn't need any programs to do the name calling).

It is only now that they are glorified.

 

[luvsJack]

Really? My kids have breakfast, that I make and pay for, at about 6:45. They have school lunch at about 11:30, and they don't eat again until they are home at 3 and 3:30. I don't know how they conentrate enough to get those straight A's, but somehow, they struggle through.

Did you look at the link I provided. There are literally dozens of federal food programs. There are even more other programs. It's enough. The main factor in child hunger at this point has got to be parental neglect or parental ignorance. No amount of federal aid is going to keep a fridge and cabinet stocked if mom and/or dad is out drinking, doing drugs, and/or gambling.

What further programs do you think are needed that do not currently exist?

Your kid's school must be one of the very, very few that don't have a snack time or allow the kids to eat a snack during their break/recess. Every school that my kids or my relatives' kids attend does.

Not everyone on assistance is doing any of those things. Not everyone that makes $5 too much to get assistance are doing those things.

Obviously you have never been in the place that these people are in or you would be able to have at least a small amount of empathy.

What programs? Some to fill the holes between those that can get food stamps and those that can afford enough food for their children to eat. Instead of cutting the food stamps as soon as someone make a little extra money, let them wait a couple of extra months to see if the extra continues to come in before cutting it.