I’m so excited about an opportunity I have to write for the newly launched Dove Parenting Blog! (Read the first post HERE!)

I’ll be contributing to the blog as a mom of teenagers. If you have teens, I’m assuming you have media issues (like we do at our house). And if you’re an intentional parent who wants to employ discernment and wisdom as you parent your teens, I imagine you feel a bit overwhelmed at times (like the two parents at our house do.) I’m also betting that you don’t feel much like a parenting expert when it comes to teens & media. (I know I don’t! Actually, I think of myself as a parent who experiments rather than a parent with lots of expertise!)

While I can’t promise you that the Dove Parenting Blog will give you no-fail approach to parenting, I’m confident it will be a great place to think through some of the issues facing intentional parents in today’s world of media. If you’re a mom of younger kids or a home school mom, there are two other writers on the Dove Parenting Blog, writing with you in mind! In addition, we have an entertainment insider mom, who will share her perspective. Get all the introductions here.

If you have any ideas for us, regarding parenting issues you face, questions you have, or topics you’d like us to discuss, please send those my way! I’d love to hear from you. (My contact info is here. If your suggestion or request is for one of the other bloggers, I’d be happy to funnel it her way!)

The Dove Foundation’s Tone & Purpose

Are you new to the Dove Foundation? Me, too. I had a vague awareness of what Dove did, but I’m much more informed now! Especially after meeting Dick Rolfe–the heart and soul of the Dove Foundation. Dick is a warm, kind-hearted man, committed to advocating for the family without bashing the entertainment industry. “We rarely take advice from our enemies,” says Dick. So instead, he chooses to be a helpful friend.

Dick has worked diligently to keep a positive relationship with friends in Hollywood, and in the process he’s earned their respect. On occasions, the Dove Foundation is even asked to watch and comment on a movie in rough format–especially when the industry is unclear on boundaries. And the Dove Foundation is happy to help! It has been Dick Rolfe’s passion from the beginning, to encourage the production of family friendly entertainment. (Read more about the organization’s history here.)

I especially appreciate the tone of the Dove Foundation. Rather than providing an angry rant, Dove laments what it cannot approve of, and applauds what it can.

I also love that the “dove” symbol is in deference to the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we are to follow the Spirit’s leading in every aspect of our lives–including our entertainment choices. Our entertainment consumption isn’t segmented apart from the rest of our lives. What we watch and engage affects our hearts and minds.

As a parent, I don’t wish to take the place of Holy Spirit in my kids’ lives, but nor do I want to deny my responsibility to parent well. The Dove Foundation is a fabulous tool for intentional parents like me. For newly released and archived movies, it offers an family-friendly review (one that I’m likely to agree with). But more than just a subjective opinion, Dove offers a handy little graph for each movie, which charts the film’s Sex, Language, Violence, Drugs, Nudity, and “Other” questionable content. There’s also a tallied list of occurrences a the bottom. (See reviews for “Now in Theaters” movies.)

Giving Your Kids the Remote

I also want to make sure you know about the Dove Channel–a mobile capable, streaming, faith & family version of Netflix. It offers thousands of family-friendly options, and it doesn’t  offer the rest. (Boy, do I wish this had been around when my kids were little!) You can set parental controls and preferences, then–with a clear conscience–give your kids the remote! (If you’re interested in a special offer of $11.99 for 3 months, click here and use the code GETDOVE.)

The Dove Channel is a great for purposeful parents and grandparents, and also for adults looking for wholesome entertainment options (without having to sift through the rest).

The Dove Parenting Blog

I had a conference call with the other Dove bloggers last Friday, which I mentioned to my 16-year-old son. He surprised me by saying, “I know the Dove Foundation! They do family friendly movie reviews. I didn’t know you wrote for them.”

I guess I had failed to mention it. It’s been a little hectic at our house. (That’s an understatement. Four spring sports, one play, and a high school graduation makes for a busy–and somewhat crazy–household this spring!)

I explained to my son that I’ll be writing about parenting teens. “Stuff like, ‘5 Ways to Limit Your Teen’s Screen Time’ or ‘Tips for Helping Your Teen Turn Down a Movie’… stuff like that,” I said.

With a slight roll of the eyes, my son said, “Oh, you’ll be really good at that.”

Ha! Let’s hope so.