Looking for Guidance on Movies and Websites for Your Teens?

How do you decide if you’ll give your teen permission to see a new movie? Short of viewing it first yourself, this can be tricky. Often the kids begin pressuring you for permission before you’ve even heard of a new movie, let alone seen it. Guiding your teens’ consumption of media – be it movies, television shows, websites or what have you – from an informed viewpoint takes time and effort and, let’s face it, that isn’t always available. Common Sense Media can help. This rich and resourceful website promises to make your life easier.

Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families. Their public statement says: “We exist because media and entertainment profoundly impact the social, emotional, and physical development of our nation’s children. As a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, we provide trustworthy information and tools, as well as an independent forum, so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume.”

Want to check out a movie? You can read reviews from three sources: Common Sense Media, parents like you and kids, providing input on overall quality using a 1 to 5 start rating. They also provide additional commentary in 6 key areas: violence, sex, language, consumerism, drinking-drugs-smoking, and message & role models. For those of you with particular concerns and values you want to emphasize, this can be really helpful information. Additionally, you can access “recommended movies” listed by category such as Thrillers, Coming of age, high school love stories for teens and many more.

The site is conveniently organized by kids’ ages, and in addition to the teen categories of 12 – 14 and 15 – 17, they offer help all the way through the age spectrum down to 2 year olds.

Movie reviews are just the beginning of valuable content at Common Sense Media. In addition to the full range of well-organized movie reviews, you can access input on websites, games, TV shows, books and even music.

The site offers a whole parent advice area where they offer suggestions and tips to monitor and limit your teen’s screen time, as well as help to determine if your child may be addicted to the screen.

Common Sense Media can be a real tool for parents who are attempting to mitigate the never-ending onslaught of cultural messages aimed at your kids. If you are concerned about the messages about consumerism, materialism, sexual activity or social norms that your teenagers take in, check out the advice for parents at CommonSenseMedia.Org and you’ll know you’ve found a trustworthy friend you can rely on.