We were so excited about the announcement of Julia, the first Muppet character with Autism, that it’s hard to believe there is even more to look forward to on PBS during this April, Autism Awareness Month. On April 10th, Julia will kick off the month will her debut on Sesame Street. Following Julia’s big reveal, there is a lineup of new autism themed episodes of popular shows that are scheduled to air throughout the month. An autism-related episode of Dinosaur Train will air on the 10th, and autism-related episodes of Arthur will air on the 10th through the 13th of April. Each episode that has an autism theme is meant to send a message to the children who watch these shows about awareness, acceptance, and understanding when it comes to autism.  PBS recognizes that almost every child who watches one of its shows probably has either a sibling, family member, or classmate that has autism. The network therefore realizes that it is essential to address the issue through its programming, and make an effort to teach its young viewers about the importance of being open-minded, respectful, and accepting.  

This concept of educating young children about autism awareness and acceptance sure rings a bell to us here at LorettaRose, LLC considering the fact that it is the very concept that our company was founded on. Each of our dolls from our original line, My Sibling, comes with a booklet that tells a story about having a sibling with autism or Down Syndrome, in an effort to expose children to the topic of developmental disabilities and to preach acceptance and understanding. We couldn’t be more excited about the fact that something we believe so strongly in is finally being seriously recognized and promoted by such a popular TV station for children. Just like learning a language or riding a bike, what you learn when you are young never fails to stick with you in the long-term. Thanks to the efforts of PBS, and others that have a strong influence on children, better acceptance and understanding of autism might just be something that sticks with the younger generations as they grow into the future leaders of our world. Here at LorettaRose, LLC we certainly plan on continuing our efforts in all aspects of autism awareness and advocacy. Stay tuned to our blog throughout the month of April to see what we are up to, and to get ideas on how you can get involved!