Here's another way to get involved in the fight to keep child-appropriate tv on the air. Check out this site.

Protect Children's Television
Whenever media ownership rules are loosened, quality TV programming for kids suffers, argues Children Now. The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to rule on whether to relax media ownership limits by June.
Web site

Had to rejuvinate this post because it is such a good one.

I have found myself being grateful my youngest is now 15. I figure so much of what we have needed to teach our children is done. Especially this whole television/ movie viewing part.

By now they know how we feel about all the TRASH on t.v. They can laugh at certain shows and I no longer have to sit and give the moral side of everything...exhausting.

I remember sitting and laughing hysterically at Saturday Night Live with my mom and friends and so much of that was off color. Even though it was suggestive and they made fun of people, Mom still sat and laughed with us. I think it's time for me to lighten up with some of this stuff.

Do you beleive there comes a time when some of the parenting ends on these issues?

Parenting NEVER ends. Never.

However, I do agree that there comes a time when you have to trust that the foundations you have supplied for your children are going to kick in. You have to learn to trust yourself in knowing the morals/lessons, etc that you have taught your children are going to pay off. You also have to learn to trust your children. But most of all, you have to learn to watch them fall, and get back up. And fall, and get back up. I think one's children would surprise them by making the right decisions for themselves if one would let go a bit and learn to trust.

After all, if life lessons and your love haven't caught on by...say...age 11 or 12, well...I doubt it ever will.

I think it's interesting that older teens know what's trash and what isn't, just like we do. In fact, they may be more aware of what's trash sometimes. A few years ago, my older son got me to watch the Simpsons with him, which I thought was trashy, but I found myself laughing hysterically at it. After that I was able to loosen up and watch things that my kids liked. We don't always laugh at the same things and sometimes it's because I'll get jokes that they don't. But at least we're together and laughing.

DJ... In your post you said...But at least we're together and laughing. I think this is so true. I am enjoying being at this stage in life when I can laugh at the same things with the understanding that they know right from wrong...for the most part!