Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce" |
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| Sesame Street episode | |
The only known screenshot of the episode.
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| Episode no. | Season 23 Episode 19 |
| Written by | Norman Stiles |
| Production code | 2985 |
| Original air date | 1992 (Never aired) |
Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce was an episode of the children's TV show Sesame Street. It was made in 1992 but was never shown on TV. This was because tests with young viewers showed it had some unexpected negative effects.
Sesame Street has often talked about tough topics. These include things like death, marriage, having babies, and natural disasters. Before these episodes were made, a lot of research was done. This helped the creators understand what to focus on. After the episodes aired, they checked how viewers reacted. The same careful process happened for "Snuffy's Parents Get a Divorce".
The show's creators wanted to make an episode about divorce as early as 1989. They felt it was important to talk about this topic. This was especially true after the U.S. Census Bureau reported something important. They found that 40% of American children had experienced their parents' divorce.
Why the Episode Was Made
The producers decided to show the experience of divorce through the Muppet character Mr. Snuffleupagus, also known as Snuffy. They focused on his family's story. Norman Stiles, a writer for the show, wrote the episode. He also wrote the 1983 episode that explained Mr. Hooper's death.
Careful Review
Every single word of the divorce episode was checked very carefully. It was reviewed by the Children's Television Workshop's (CTW) advisory board. This board included experts and psychologists who study child development.
Why It Didn't Air
After the episode was made, it was tested with young viewers. The tests showed that children were confused by the episode. They did not understand important ideas about divorce. Because of this, the producers decided not to show it on TV. This was a big decision, especially since they had spent a lot of time and money making it.
This was the only time the show's producers made such a choice. It showed that they truly "listened to the voices of children." They put the children's needs first, even if it cost them money.
Later Approach to Divorce
Sesame Street did not talk about divorce again for many years. In November 2012, they created a video called Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce. This video was part of their effort to help children be strong. It was made for specific groups of people, not for general TV viewing.
