Count Me in for Sesame Street Live

I have a funny to story to tell. About a time my husband and I were driving two girls home. They were laughing and carrying on like crazies in the back seat. Giggling uncontrollably and speaking incoherently. And then, they had the nerve to ask us to pull over on a dirt road in the middle of the country so they could pee. Can you believe it? Well, I can. Because it was last week. And it wasn’t a couple of drunks. It was our daughters, buzzing on a sugar rush after ingesting cotton candy and snow cones. I looked at my husband and laughed. As tired as we were, and as annoyed/amused I was at my daughters’ behavior, I knew this was one for the memory books.

So where had they ingested all of these sugary sweets? At Sesame Street Live’s Make a New Friend at Intrust Bank Arena. (Full disclosure, I was gifted tickets in exchange for event promotion. How cool is that?) And let’s be honest, most parents aren’t super excited about attending these events themselves. It’s all for the kids. The sparkle in their eyes. The excitement over seeing their favorite characters come to life. And the experience of getting out together as a family. It’s the adventure.

As we settled into our seats and waited for the show to begin, I was reminded of how little time we have left with our girls to enjoy this innocent entertainment. Those first few years pass so quickly, so I tried to soak in as much as I could. As the show began, my youngest (almost 3) squealed with delight, while my oldest (almost 5), squealed with terror. That’s right. She was scared out of her mind. She was convinced the characters were going to come grab her. I assured her they were only mingling with those who had floor seats. She was in full-on panic mode. She started to bolt, and I followed. As I sat rubbing her back on a bench in the concourse, I decided I wouldn’t let this get me down. I was here for her, after all, and if she needed me to comfort her instead of enjoy the show, then that’s what I’d do. But then I spotted something that might make things better. A snow cone. A red one did the trick. She mustered her courage and agreed to give the show another try.

We joined my husband and other daughter, and enjoyed the rest of the show. The story line was very cute, and taught some great lessons about friendship and inclusion. The characters had exuberant energy the entire time, and it was obvious from the laughter and dancing of the kids in the audience, that everyone had a great time. And over the course of the next few days, I often heard my daughters singing “Count Me In,” a fun song about friendship from the show. They also binge watched Sesame Street on Netflix for days after the show was over.

Attending these type of events as a family isn’t always easy, whether financially or logistically. But if you’re able,  it’s well worth the memories.