Sunny day! Sweeping the clouds away! On my way to where the air is sweet! Can you tell me how to get, how to get. out of the Middle East? That’s right – after taking on subjects such as HIV and obesity, Sesame Street is now helping kids cope with relatives who are fighting the War on Terror.The newly released story arc, which is coinciding with the Talk, Listen, Connect program, is split into three different sections, each comprised of two videos – one for kids and one for grown-ups.

The first section, Deployment, helps kids deal with the pain of having a parent go “away” for a while. The other two sections, Homecomings and Changes focus on the parents coming home and possibly being different or hurt.

All three sections are available for free on the Web and on DVD as part of a kit that can be sent out for free as well.

“Daddy’s gotta go away for lots and lots of days,” says Elmo in the first installment.

Louie, his father, responds, “Daddy’s gotta go help some people. It’s a very important job and it’s just something I have to do.”

It seems that we all have really important jobs these days, though maybe in a different manner. It’s a sign of our times that cannot go unaddressed and Sesame Street takes on this explanation with a graceful albeit occasionally misleading and vague vocabulary.

However, certain issues are still dealt with in a much harsher, more dramatic light than expected by the generations that grew up watching a happier version of Sesame Street. When sitting through the first episode, it’s almost hard to imagine the ever-chipper Elmo being so painfully despondent.

Even throughout the one or two songs per episode, there is a sense of confusion and even fabrication. The dialogue can be helpful, but the songs seem downright misdirecting in their hopeful nature.

“Change at first feels out of place / Change can leave us wondering a lot of things / Who knows what tomorrow brings?” sings Rosita’s father, explaining to her that it’s okay to be sad since he lost use of his legs and is now confined to a wheelchair.

The songs can be inspiring and will help children remember that they are loved, but sometimes they make other generations nostalgic for the less-serious educational songs of the Sesame Street of the 80’s and 90’s.

“It used to just be about teaching kids numbers and letters, but now it’s sociological issues,” said transfer first-year Grayson Richey. “I can’t believe it’s changed this much.”

But really, is this how it should be changing? Over the last 20 years or so, we’ve let television become out makeshift babysitter, but could it be taking the place of the parental conversation?

Sure, regardless of our respective opinions about the currently ongoing war, we can all support the families of those who’ve been affected and can admire Sesame Street for tackling such an important issue.

But when the Muppets speak for the parents, doesn’t it just make the guardians that are still with the child similarly unable to raise them on a personal level? Consider the possibility that letting your television do the talking has the capability to be just as bad as not explaining anything at all.

Sesame Street has done a great service providing a useful aid in helping children cope with the temporary or permanent loss of a loved one, but take heed to remember the title of the program: Talk, Listen, Connect. That’s what is supposed to happen after the video, not what the video is supposed to do.