Posted on 5/22/2012
At the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families event May 16 at Fort Belvoir, Va., Sesame’s favorite furry friends introduced a new character — Katie, a military child.
“You will love Katie!” Grover said. “She’s always so happy and peppy!”
Yet when the new Sesame Street character came onstage, she seemed sad.
“I just found out some really big news,” Katie said. “My family will be moving to a new base. I won’t be around here anymore.”
The character’s stress resonated with the audience of service members and their families. Moving is a part of life for many military families, especially in the summer, as thousands uproot and relocate to a new place each year. It can be tough to leave friends behind and become the new kid at school again. Some kids, like Katie, feel that every time they finally feel at home somewhere, it’s time to move again. Most aren’t happy about moving, but as the TV characters explained, there are ways to take on the challenge with a smile.