See Heartwarming 'Sesame Street' Videos for Military Families: 'Feeling Isolated Can Happen to Anyone'

Military kids have a reputation for resilience, but the lifestyle takes a toll, and feelings of isolation are common, according to a 2021 survey

Growing up in a military family can be challenging.

Sometimes, a parent is deployed far from home for long stretches, leaving families short-handed. And sometimes, families are forced to move homes with little to no warning, leaving children far away from friends and family.

Military kids have a reputation for resilience, but the lifestyle takes a toll, and feelings of isolation are common: A survey of 2,000 teens with parents in the armed forces, which was conducted in partnership with the National Military Family Association, found that 42% showed signs of significant emotional distress.

With this in mind, Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street and a partner organization of the U.S. Armed Forces, is coming out with new videos targeted to military families.

Related: Beloved 'Sesame Street' Residents Elmo and Rosita Encourage Self-Care for Military Families

The cuteness in the free, bilingual videos is overwhelming — and the messages the videos convey are heartwarming.

One video features Elmo and his mother, Mae: Elmo is excited about a collage he’s about to complete for school, and his teacher invites his mom to join in on the day’s art class. But Mae is tired, she explains: Elmo’s father is away on a temporary assignment for several weeks, leaving her to pick up the slack.

“I think I just need a moment to myself,” Mae says.

The teacher is sympathetic. She tells Mae to enjoy her hour away during the class — and when Mae returns, Elmo has drawn a picture for her depicting her as a superhero.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In another video, Maggie Cadabby is shown with her daughter Abby and her stepson, Rudy, at the laundromat: The kids are bored, and they’re not appeased by Maggie’s assurance that when the laundry is done, they’ll go home and have family fun time with Rudy’s father, Freddy.

“Can’t we have some family fun time right now, while we wait?” says Abby.

“That’s a great idea!” Maggie responds. “It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as we take the time to really be with each other!”

Related: 11 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About 'Sesame Street'

With that, impromptu family fun time begins — starting with a bunny bounce to Mr. Hooper’s store.

In a press release, Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact, said, “Feeling isolated can happen to anyone, but this is especially true for our military families. Having a community where one can feel safe and connected to others who are going through the same experience is truly invaluable.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.