Here at NPR's Life Kit Parenting Podcast we've been looking into different
strategies to help kids learn self-regulation, which experts say is an
essential skill for success in school and in life,
and today we're joined by a very special guest from Sesame Street who has a
interesting relationship to self-control.
Hey Cookie!
Hi Cory! Hi.
Yeah me, me self-control expert.
Expert, really?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah me control
meself all the time. Yeah, me told me feet to walk to studio. Me told me hands to
brush me hair for important interview. Self-control!
Cookie that – that's not
really what I meant by self-control.
Oh. What, uh, what you mean?
Well, I'm talking about self-regulation,
like, staying calm and resisting impulses even
when there's something we really, really want to do like, um,
eating these cookies!
Not eat cookies! Why wouldn't me want to do that?
Well lots of reasons.
So self-regulation helps us learn.
It helps us stay healthy.
It helps us get
along with other people, so, for example, we have these beautiful, fresh, warm cookies,
but what's missing?
Um, they're not in me tummy?
No. Our friend, Anya!
Oh, Anya.
Wouldn't it be nice if we waited to enjoy them with her?
Yeah, me see what you mean.
Me going to give it try. Where Anya?
Don't worry. It's just
gonna be a couple of minutes; she's stuck in traffic.
OK, me can do this. Me can wait. Wait for Anya.
Oh. Oh.
Ohhh! This not easy for Monster!
OK, stop.
Think. (Think.) OK. What could we do to distract ourselves?
Me have no idea just
give me stra-te-gy.
OK, OK. I know! I know!
Let's take a nice deep
belly breath. (Belly breath.)
But not by the cookies.
Yeah thank you.
Because they smell really ...
Me gonna back away from the cookies. Here we go. Ready? (Yeah.)
Hey!
It's pretty good, huh? Yeah, yeah, me try it again.
Yeah –
Oh boy!
Me tummy's got other ideas.
It grumbling.
OK, OK. Wait. Wait.
I have another idea. I have another...
Have you read anything interesting lately?
Actually me have, yeah.
Doctor Zhivago.
What did you think of it?
– a little dry actually.
A little dry. Could use some milk
... for some dunking.
Oh! Cookie! (... would be better in the long run.)
Milk! (Milk.)
We don't have milk!
No! No milk! oh there's milk in the kitchen I know
There's milk in the kitchen.
OK, I'm gonna go get the milk. Please.
Wait. What?
(Oh!) Is it OK if I leave these here?
You gonna be OK? Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Me, me, me got this.
I believe in you.
Me got this.
You can do this.
Hurry.
Go.
You're dragging it out too long already.
Hurry Cory! Run like the wind!
Oh boy.
Me need another strategy how about
me sing song? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What song me
know? Oh, oh, oh!
C is for cookie! That good enough – no!
That a terrible song to sing now!
Me look away!
Oh hey Cookie!
I'm so sorry I'm late for the interview. Hi Anya.
Are these cookies? Can we chow down? Yes!
Cookie! Ah!
Wait a minute! What?
Anya.
Me no can believe me saying this, but
we have to wait. We have to wait
for Cory to come back with milk. Oh right!
Because it would be really kind to wait for our
friend. Yes.
But Anya.
me struggling.
Oh really? This no easy for Monster.
Well did you try your strategies? Did you try
deep belly breath?
Yeah, me did that.
Um. Did you
try singing a song? (Yeah, yeah, yeah ...)
How about
um, talking about a book that you've read?
Me did the book thing, yeah.
Me try all strategies to stay calm.
and resist cookies. Oh I think I hear something
Hey Cory! Hey you made it!
And you waited! Thank you.
Oh, but
we still need to talk about self-regulation.
You know, Cory, I think we already learned
quite a bit about it. Yea, me agree with her.
Cookie!
Oh, I'm so sorry. I forgot.
Are these gluten-free?
More waiting?
That worth the wait.
That was worth the wait.