I am the mother of three, two are teenagers. I know well the challenge most them in the wrong direction. They are challenged at almost every turn. At times I feel helpless at the overwhelming task that is before me as a mother. What can one mother do to combat the evil influences that seem rampant in today’s society? What can one mother do against an onslaught of media messages that make things such as immorality and immodesty look so enticing to my teens? When I catch myself thinking like this I quickly tell myself that I can’t afford to feel helpless. I can’t afford to give even half an inch to anything that will take my child down the wrong path. I may not succeed one hundred percent all the time but I am going to fight it with everything I have every single time because my children and my family’s eternal happiness is worth fighting for.
We’ve already talked about the dangers of the Internet and what we as parents can do to minimize this danger so let’s look elsewhere.
Most parents are aware of the destructive influence of TV shows and movies that promote promiscuity and belittle beliefs in chastity. Advertisements and commercials depicting scantily clad men and women are questionable to say the very least. I fear that our young people growing up in such an environment are becoming desensitized to such images. They see it on TV, in the movies, in magazines, and other venues as well. I fear that young people are becoming so desensitized to the point that it becomes almost commonplace and normal for them to see such images.
While we may have little control over the rest of society, we can control the environment in our own homes. The wonderful thing about television sets is that they come with an ‘OFF’ switch. Nowadays, they even have ‘Parental Controls’ so that we can pre-select appropriate shows for our families to watch. It’s a no-brainer but I’ll mention it anyway, be sure not to tell your kids what the password is when you use the Parental Control feature of your TV.
Children do not need to be watching TV for more than a 2 or 3 hours a day. I know some parents who think that even that is generous, and that is fine too. Make sure that you approve of what they’re watching. Don’t just assume that because it’s a kid show that it is okay. Not too long ago I sat down to watch a cartoon show with our youngest son. It was shown on a channel that is supposedly geared to children. I was shocked at how mature some of the themes were. The humor and language seemed geared more for young adults. It was definitely not appropriate for kids, not my kid anyway. I appreciate that the television and movie industry provides ratings so that we can make an educated decision as to what shows our families can watch. However, this does not take away our responsibility as parents to ensure that these shows are indeed appropriate.
IPods are the rage with teens these days. Adults too I should add. It seems as if the minute you buy one a new and improved model comes out. IPods are definitely a step up from the Walkman I used to carry around as a college student. An ipod is an amazing gadget. Depending on the model and the GB it can store hundreds and even thousands of songs. Whether or not someone would actually listen to that many songs is something I’ve never been able to determine. You can download audio books to an ipod and never have to lug around a cassette or CD player around anymore. You can even download a movie to an ipod. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? It is a wonderful piece of technology. I really don’t have a problem with ipods. My concern is that some of us parents of a certain age don’t seem to know too much about them.
I wasn’t very familiar with ipods myself until I realized that I really had no idea what my teens were listening to since I didn’t know how to operate an ipod. I consider myself fairly curious when it comes to all things related to technology but for some reason I just wasn’t interested in ipods. It took a couple of hours of fiddling with it and reading everything reliable I could find about ipods but I did figure it out. I scrolled through my teen’s lists of songs and found a few that I didn’t think should be there and I told him as much. I checked his video file but found nothing alarming. Some may say that this amounts to an invasion of my son’s privacy. I say there is such a thing as too much privacy.
When I consider the task that is before me as a mother, I am strengthened in my resolve to do my part by remembering the words of President Hinckley:
…”Not one of us, neither I nor any one of you, can become involved with such things as sleazy videotapes, suggestive television programs, debasing movies, sensual magazines, so-called 900 numbers, or the kind of filth that evidently can be picked up now on the Internet. Avoid them like the plague, for they are a serious and deadly disease… You can reach out to prevent a foolhardy decision on the part of a boy or girl. Your interest, your caring attitude, and your voice may make the difference between life and death in a very literal sense…Stand up for integrity in your business, in your profession, in your home, in the society of which you are a part.”
Ipods, cell phones, television sets, and computers are all wonderful tools but that is all they are – tools. They are not a necessity that my child has to have if it comes right down to it. We parents have a daunting task. It is a task that we must tackle head on if we are to have a fighting chance of staying ahead of everything else that is competing for our children. Technology is wonderful but you and I still have the power to put technology in its proper place. We use technology to help us, we control technology, it doesn’t control us.
