Generation Clean

Beginning in 1848 when gold was first discovered in California, thousands moved west hoping to find chunks of precious gold metal in the hills and become wealthy.  I went on a field trip with my daughter’s school class to learn about the Gold Rush and was shown a big chunk of shiny gold rock called iron pyrite. We all were impressed by it, and were told how many gold miners came across these large golden chunks and thought that they had struck it rich. After they had gathered up all of this rock they could find, they tried to cash it in at the bank. They were told it was completely worthless. They had been fooled by its appearance. Iron pyrite does not contain the unique properties that give true gold its value. In fact it is not even a metal. It is made up of iron and sulfur. Hence the nick-name for it became “fool’s gold.”   All the time those prospectors had spent gathering this sparkling rock had been a completely wasted. They had nothing that they could tur...

They are a blessing and a curse. Screens everywhere: phones, tablets, games, televisions, and computers. Many things we find on them are good, clean, and fun. However, kids are able to find trouble or stumble across things that are not good for them too. As interactions with electronic devices increase, so does the risk of exposure to the trash that is floating around out there as well. There are numerous ways kids can see inappropriate things. Unfortunately, much of it is inappropriate for adults as well. It can seem so overwhelming- like there is no way to have control over what they find. Here are some ways that we deal with it in our family. We have only one computer in the house which is out in our main living area. We also only have one television in our house. I know, it’s shocking. It has always been very important to us that our kids be out where we can see them and not holed up in their rooms watching who-knows-what. But it’s getting harder to keep that up. ...

When I was a little girl I was uncomfortable with the word “woman.” I didn’t want to say it. I would substitute, “lady” or “girl” whenever I could. I felt the same way about the word “purse,” and tried to avoid that word as well. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to grow up. Maybe I wanted to be little and without the responsibilities that all women with purses have. I didn’t have an explanation. I just did not want to be called a woman or carry a purse.   I am over that feeling now. I am in the final year of my thirties and have a son that will be an adult in less than two years, so it’s time. However, when several months ago I started to feel a strong pull toward writing about womanhood, I felt an opposing pull telling me not to. Being the mother of a teenage girl and boy I find myself constantly running into issues related to this topic of womanhood. There has been a lot of discussion about modesty, controlling thoughts, body image, and feminism amo...

I came across a beautiful Christmas movie called "Silent Night." It is the story of how the German priest, Joseph Mohr, and the church organist, Franz Gruber, came to compose the famous carol in 1818. Mohr was known for his compassion for all, including the poor, and the hymn was born because of his desire to share a hymn with his congregation in spite of the church organ having broken. The film has a wonderful message of hope and is a hidden gem; much like another Christmas film produced by Brigham Young University in about 1980 called "Mr Krueger's Christmas" which stars Jimmy Stewart (whom we love so much in his most famous Chrismas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" ). So, if you are looking for a great family Christmas movie I suggest this one!

This video is so powerful! Leave it to Elder Holland to say this right. He gets right to the heart of the reason I do this blog. It's the reason my kids are still begging for cell phones of their own, and I have not caved in. It's the reason I have passwords on the computers, Wii channels like Netflix, and my cell phone. It's the reason I worry over which friends my children choose. And it's the reason my husband and I do scripture study and still say individual prayers (yes, even with the 13 year old) with each of our kids at night: I don't want to see my children suffer because of bad choices. Some may see me as paranoid or strict. I know that children need to learn how to be independent and how to take the consequences of their actions. Believe me, there are still plenty of choices they are allowed to make, and still plenty of consequences when they make poor ones. What I want to do is be sure that everyone in the family feels that home is a safe place. I wa...

Image by Castronova Designs I watched Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless with my daughters. It's a sort of documentary about Taylor's "Fearless" tour in 2010. It was great fun to see her personality and how she put the show together. She seems like a sweet girl who is still genuinely surprised by her success and enjoying sharing her songs and herself with the world. We really liked seeing how she treats her fans so well: walking through the arena and giving out hugs and bracelets, holding a tea (T) party after each show for some big fans they find in the audience... Stuff that's just fun and personal. As a mom I loved seeing the relationship "Mama Swift" (that's how she's known by all on the tour) has with her daughter. They seem to be happy spending time together and it's nice to see a daughter respect and love her mother so much. She even wrote her a beautiful song! (If you want to cry, or just feel warm and fuzzy watch  The Best Da...

I have a friend named Marilyn who is a professional story teller. I think that is just about the coolest job there is. She has such a talent. I believe it is a real blessing to be able to tell a story that is meaningful, interesting, imaginative, and teaches something. Entertainment is often noisy and visually over-stimulating, so it is a relief to quietly sit and listen to a story being told or read. And if there is beautiful artwork to go with it, that makes it even better!  Marilyn recommended that I look at  Barefoot Books , and I'm so glad she recommended it!   The next time I'm in Massachusetts I would love to go experience their studio with my kids. Their website is wonderful, and even offers podcasts featuring some of their stories, which are great for older children who are able to focus a little more and use their imaginations to create the pictures in their heads. For younger children, there are also some fun videos featuring book illustrations and so...

What is a Hero? A hero is a person of distinguished   courage   or   ability,   admired   for   his  brave   deeds   and  noble   qualities. A hero is a person   who   is   regarded   as   a model   or  ideal. A hero is someone who helps other people, or helps to make other people's lives better.   A hero is a person who tries to make the world a better place.   A hero is a person who does something that is more than what is expected. A hero is someone that doesn't do something for his or her own problems but for the benefit of others. A hero is a person that doesn't want to be a hero just to be famous.  sources:  dictionary.com  and  thinkquest.org "Hero In You" by KSM Here is a fun song to keep you heroes going: KSM - Hero In You Powered by  mp3skull.com Kids Are Heroes Kids are Heroes is an inspiration...

Zooey Deschanel Some songs I heard recently and have added to my Clean Music List : Oldies: Lets Twist Again  -Chubby Checker Higher and Higher  -Jackie Wilson The Way You Do the Things You Do  -The Temptations My Girl  -The Temptations This doesn't count as an Oldie, does it? Crazy Little Thing Called Love  -Queen A Newbie: So Long - Zooey Deschanel 3 free songs I downloaded from Amazon: Infomercial Ringtone Wild Bear (Yes or No Song) -Mister Doak The Bell Medley

Reese Witherspoon just made a new fan. I've always thought she was more respectable than most celebrities, but I just love what she did at the MTV Awards. There, she was given the "MTV Generation Award." I'm not really sure what that is, but she seemed to have a next generation in mind when she accepted it. She said, “I get it, girls, that it’s 'cool' to be a bad girl, but it is possible to make it in Hollywood without doing a reality show.... So, for all the girls out there, I t’s totally possible to be a good girl. I’m going to try to make it cool .” Two years ago she also made this impressive statement: "I had my first baby when I was 23, so I've always been choosing roles knowing that I have a daughter and I have a responsibility to her and to the world to be representing women of strength . These are the women I know in life. I think it's a natural extension of parenthood for you to feel like you’re responsible for the worlds you create,...

Phineas and Ferb Online Safety Video This is a nice short video that reminds kids of the online "Rules of the Road." There's also a parents section on this page that lists rules and gives tips on why they are important. Phineas and Ferb is a Disney channel show where two brothers entertain themselves throughout the summer by coming up with a new outrageous invention or project each day. The boys have an older sister who is always trying to "bust" her brothers for their crazy schemes, but her Mom never sees any of what they do. There is also a mild evil villain called Dr. Dufenshmirtz who is trying to take over the tri-state area with a variety of machines he has created. Phineas and Ferb's pet platypus is an undercover agent assigned to Dufenshmirtz and stopping his evil schemes. This is a really funny show. My favorite part of this show is the clever songs that are part of each episode. There are a number that we sing around the house because they're s...

When Mother Reads Aloud When Mother reads aloud, the past Seems real as every day; I hear the tramp of armies vast, I see the spears and lances cast, I join the thrilling fray; Brave knights and ladies fair and proud I meet when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, far lands Seem very near and true; I cross the deserts’ gleaming sands, Or hunt the jungle’s prowling bands, Or sail the ocean blue. Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud, I scale, when Mother reads aloud. When Mother reads aloud, I long For noble deeds to do... To help the right, redress the wrong; It seems so easy to be strong, So simple to be true. Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd My eyes, when Mother reads aloud. - From The Children's Book of Heroes by William J Bennett

My sister-in-law gave me the album Anchor , by Mindy Gledhill, for my birthday. I love it! Each song has great lyrics and the music is fun and upbeat while still feeling sophisticated. There is an airy, happy feeling to her music (the ukulele is super fun!). I especially like the song California. You can listen to a sample of it on her website . Mindy sounds like she's smiling as she sings, and my kids like her too, so I can get a break from the "kiddie" music once in a while we're driving about. Rating: Squeaky

Let's face it. Nobody really looks forward to "the talk" with their children. It can be uncomfortable for both of you, and we worry that what we say will be positive and informative, without adding more ideas and questions to our young child's head. Along with the growing up information, and a discussion of appropriate intimacy, we should also talk about the importance of modesty in dress and speech and about morality. I have always thought that these topics covered just about everything, but there is another issue that we should discuss. President Thomas S. Monson said this in 2002: "When I consider the demons who are twins - even immodesty and immorality - I should make them triplets and include pornography . They all three go together." Pornography is sneaky. It's not as obvious as immodesty and immorality. It can be hidden for a longer period of time. Many people don't see the harm in it saying it's just pictures and it doesn't hurt any...

I've added a new page! Clean Media lists books, magazines, movies, and television suggestions that have been given a "Squeaky" rating. As the length of these lists grow I may need to give them each their own page, but for now they're all conveniently located on one page! As always, please send me any suggestions you have (generationclean at gmail dot com) that I can look over and add to my list.

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. I haven't heard much about it before today, but it is a celebrated holiday around the world. "The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. ( internationalwomensday.com )" I'm mentioning it because it seems relevant after reading an article my cousin sent to me from CatholicMatch.com . This article addresses the importance of modesty for women. It quotes another article by Viviana Garcia that was quite compelling. Ms. Garcia writes of a lecture she attended by Dr. Pia de Solenni whose topic was The Quest for Identity Through Beauty . The following quote states so well what I have long believed: It is... of supreme necessity, especially in the world in which we reside, that a woman do everything wi...

One-piece enough for Miss Idaho : Kylie Kofoed, Miss Idaho 2010 and a 19-year-old BYU sophomore, made a choice that set her apart in the beauty pageant industry: wearing a one-piece swimsuit in the recent Miss America Pageant. Kylie Kofoed chose to be the only contestant to wear a one-piece swimsuit for the competition. I'm grateful for her brave example to young women. I love how she says in her interview with The Daily Universe that holding to your standards gains the respect of others: Being under the microscope, Kofoed said she wanted to emphasize to people everywhere the importance of holding fast to values and beliefs which they know to be true even in the heat of the moment. “LDS or not, it’s not worth compromising your standards,” she said. “People will respect you for not conforming to the world. Just be yourself.”

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off A Little Self-Esteem by Jamie Lee Curtis I love this upbeat picture book! It's a great one to read with little ones, and even the big ones like it. There are lively illustrations, and it shows kids that it's ok to like themselves even when they make mistakes or don't quite fit in. There's also a helpful PDF for teachers that parents can use to reinforce the message of the book. And here's a mini printable version you can have them fill out about themselves. Have fun! Rating: Squeaky

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...