Everyone's favourite blue monster's binging days are officially numbered. Sesame Street's Cookie Monster is finally, painfully, about to learn how to curb his beloved chocolate chip cookie habit.
As part of the new season, which begins today, Cookie's motto will be everything in moderation. But rather than have him abstain completely (and suffer needlessly) as he did back in 2005, Cookie will be taught the very trying lesson of "Me want it, but me wait."
The reason behind Sesame's madness: "Self-regulation is a set of critical skills for preschoolers and affects children socially, behaviourally and academically."
For a brand so on the pulse of social issues, it's only surprising that—in our age of childhood obesity—it has taken its creators so long to change Cookie's act.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, our preschoolers are lacking in such skills as attention, goal setting, emotional regulation and conflict resolution.
Of course, as always, Sesame has a lot of fun in store for parents watching the new shows, with the movie spoofs, “The Spy Who Loved Cookies" and "The Biscotti Kid." The idea is to encourage "co-viewing" so that parents can reinforce the lessons and strategies in other settings.
Still a Sesame fan? What do you think of Cookie's new message?
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