Generation Clean

I've heard my older kids say a hundred times, "Why can't I have a cell phone? Everyone else does." I used to just roll my eyes and say "Everyone!?" Then I realized, um, yep, just about everyone does have a cell phone. I still haven't given in. I especially don't see why kids need internet access on a phone. We work so hard to make sure that their computer access is monitored and filtered, and to let them have their own tiny online world in their hand would make it impossible to keep things clean. However, I found a great resource for parents who choose to get a phone for their kids. It's called, Sex and Cell Phones: Protect Your Children .It's got questions to ask the cell phone provider when you sign up (pages 6 & 7), and a chart of several providers and what they offer (pages 10 & 11). I don't see a publication date on this, and I know things are constantly changing in the tech world, so be sure to do a thorough check and not re

Now would be a great time to get some modest swimwear! I know it's January, but hear me out. We all know it's hard to find modest swimwear in the stores, and that means that unless teenagers want the same swim suits their grandmas wear, they will be looking for more stylish ones. There's a great sale going on for the next two days at Lime Ricki . This cute suit is normally $60.00 and is now just $25.00.

You can let all of your tweens and teens watch this music video by Jonna Christensen . It has a fantastic message about the beauty of modesty! Rating: Squeaky

Recently we took a trip to the local library and one of my kids wanted to check out one of the Kidz Bop CDs. These are a series of albums that take popular songs and have a chorus of kids sing along with a low rent singer that stands in for the original artist. I was curious and didn't recognize a lot of the songs, so I said we could check it out and I would listen to see if the songs were appropriate. I just finished listening to it, and out of 18 songs I have approved 9 of them. I'm disappointed that a CD marketed for kids had so many songs with inappropriate themes for their age group. I thought maybe the lyrics would be changed to be a better fit for kids, but they stick pretty much to the original lyrics. The songs I didn't approve had references to relationships that would maybe be age appropriate in the latter high school years. However, teens want to hear the real thing, not a copycat with a kids chorus. Just because it's packaged for kids, doesn't mean