What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

Marcelino answered…

We read the scriptures every night together as a family. This ensures everyone is home to read. We also have our family home evening each Monday. We have chosen not to have TV service. Though we watch movies as a family, our kids don't have access to TV or cable. Miraculously, TV is something they have never wanted even though their friends talk about TV shows and the like. We monitor closely internet activity through filters and auditing their Facebook activity periodically. We have frequent discussions with each of them (not as formal as interviews that some people have) to discuss their lives, friends, school, etc. We spend a lot of time together and so far, our house has been the magnet for other friends so we know them.

Deborah answered…

My biggest step was eliminating television nearly 20 years ago. We do have a TV, but it's used primarily for cycling videos while we're on our trainers in winter. The only times we sort of wish we had cable are during the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Tour de France. We have slow dial-up internet at home, so streaming video is out of the question, too.

Instead of television, we spend our free time volunteering, participating in cycling events, exploring the outdoors, writing, reading, crafting, gardening and enjoying each other's company.

I've found this lifestyle also helps me avoid the depression and hopelessness I feel when I'm bombarded with news of all the devastating things happening around the world non-stop. I think hope plays a bigger factor in my life because I'm not so focused on everything wrong in the world.

Steven answered…

One of the best things my wife and I decided to do when our children were young was to disconnect the cable TV. We were watching too much, and as passive subscribers, we were allowing TV networks to dictate what media messasges were coming to our home, most of which was trash. We turned to renting DVDs or borrowing them from the library or friends. This made us active choosers of uplifting media instead of passively accepting whatever slop the world pushed at us.

Another great thing we did was council together as a family and decide what media was acceptable. We decided no rated 'R' movies, no rated 'M' video games, no music or movies with foul language or sexual themes. We wrote our family policy down. We all signed it. And we have it posted near the TV. It has been liberating: now we have been able to focus on great movies and music that we never would have discovered if we had no standards.

Camille answered…

Several months ago I had a very vivid dream. In this dream, I packed my three young children into a cardboard box and put them into the back of my car as if I were going to drop them off at the nearest thrift store. Days passed by, and I forgot about the box in the back of my car. When I finally remembered it, I rushed to open it. The children had miraculously lived, but were terribly weak, and I'll never forget the look in their eyes as they stared up at me from the inside of that cramped box.

Of course I couldn't go back to sleep after that dream, so I opened up my journal and began to write. The impressions that came to me related my dream-box to the use of media in our home. I realized that I had been using the television to babysit my children for hours every day so that I could "get something done." I had quite often put them in that figurative box, and forgotten about them.

I woke my husband and shared my feelings with him, and together we decided to set some very strict household rules concerning our television use. We did it not because we were watching destructive shows, but because too much television could become a form of neglect.

Later in the day, I wondered if we were being too extreme and was about to lower our new standards when a strong spiritual reminder came to me of the casual feeling I'd had as I was putting my children into the dream-box. It was a warning to not treat casually the influence that television and the media can have on my children, especially when they are exposed to it for hours every day.

Because of this warning, we have made significant efforts over the last several months to limit our use of the television, and to increase the time we spend together as a family. The children are learning to employ themselves in more meaningful ways, and joy in our family relationships has increased. I hope that these efforts will result in well-balanced and well-developed children. I'm grateful to have inspiration as a mother.

Nina answered…

Cut the TV cable! That may not be right for everyone. And we still have internet which has plenty of its own trouble. But cutting the TV means that our children aren't exposed to constant commercials telling them to buy this or want that or be like this fictional person. It also saves us a cable bill every month. We go to the public library and borrow DVDs (for free!) instead. And sports are more fun to watch with friends anyway, so we often go to other homes to watch games.

Jared answered…

Each week on Monday evening we have dedicated family time called, Family Home Evening (FHE) where we discuss principles of the gospel at a level appropriate to our kids. We place a specific emphasis on talking about principles that help our kids to make good choices while they are away from home. In the church we teach that clean language is one way that we can stay clean in the sight of God, and so when our young kids come home and tell us they heard a "new word" at school we use family night to talk about our standards and how we can be an example of Christ, despite what might be going on at school or in the world. FHE really blesses me as a father and us as a family.

Becki answered…

I think teaching my children the right choices from the earliest age has helped. We have Family Home Evening every week, where we teach and discuss principles of the gospel. We also have family activities. We share love and respect. I try to help my children make good choices, and the gospel gives them the reason to make good choices. Studying scriptures together, attending all our church meetings and activities, and praying together helps them to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost and the love of God in their lives. They naturally want to be good!

Karen Meyer answered…

Our home has network protection so that minds cannot be poisoned on our watch. We do not keep alcohol or tobacco or other non-prescribed drugs in our home. We try to never watch an R rated movie unless it has been released on television and the words have been edited. In this way, we are making our home more of a haven against the world. We live in the world, but we are not of the world.

We love our non-member friends as our brothers and sisters and they respect us for our beliefs and convictions to protect our children. We try to be an example of goodness and love to all.

Kevin answered…

My wife and I work to protect our family from two unwanted influences, crude language and pornography. We have limited the primary channels by which these can enter a home- the television, DVDS, and the computer. We don't have cable. We occasionally watch programs online, but access to these is password protected. We therefore avoid a lot of the programs and commercials with words and images we would not want our children to see. We preview movies before allowing our children to see them and base our judgment not on the rating of the movie, but our impression of it. Our computer is also protected with filters and parental controls. 

Clark answered…

As a family, we have found great influence and protective power in what we like to call the "patterns of promise". These patterns have been emphasized by the prophet and apostles of the Church, as well as local leaders. These patterns are simply family prayer, family scripture study and family home evening. Gathering the family in prayer daily invites the Spirit of The Lord into our lives and gives us an opportunity to express gratitude to our Heavenly Father for our blessings. Daily scripture study helps us to deepen our understanding of gospel principles and how to apply them in our lives. Family home evening is a time set aside on a weekly basis just for family time together without other distractions. This is a time to study the Gospel together, sing together, counsel together and enjoy some type of an activity together.

These patterns have brought promised blessings. They have strengthened our family relationships. They have helped us build our lives on a firm foundation of truth and nurture our relationship with Christ.

Jason answered…

In the world today, you might say it's impossible to completely shield yourself or your family from unwanted influences, and you might be right. But we can make efforts to eliminate them within the walls of our own home, and we can teach children to recognize right from wrong and to choose the right when we are not there to help them. Our newborn son is still too young to be able to begin teaching him these things, but we are trying to develop good habits now to be able to set the example for him in the future. I feel that television and internet, more than anything else, are the major sources of unwanted influences in the home. Our rule for television is that we only turn it on when we all agree that there is something worthwhile to view and the entire family is going to participate. As you might guess, the television is not on very often in our home - in fact, we don't even own one but use our computer when needed - and when we choose to watch a movie or television program, it is bringing us closer together as a family. To regulate our internet use, we have installed filters and protections to prevent inadvertently visiting bad websites, and our computer is in a common area of the house, where others will be around when it is being used.

Katheryn answered…

I am single, but I have found great merit in shielding myself from unwanted influences. Being careful Of what television I watch, or what music I listen to has made me a calmer more confident person. I used to listen to music that reflected my mood but now I use music to change it I don't watch anything that makes me feel uncomfortable. I have lost all interest in horror films and anything graphic. I take no pleasure in shock value anymore. I don't think i ever did, it was more of a fascination of what would they get away with? that's not healthy. I find by sharing my beliefs with people, they are more respectful and take care not to swear around me.

Kjersten answered…

The world around us is full of violence and immoral things. Everything seems to invade the home and family, TV, Video Games, Internet, media of all kinds. Even most schools have forgotten the importance of God in the lives of Children.

I don't have a family of my own but I can share the things that my parents have done to help us avoid the 'unwanted influences'.

Spending time as a family instead of time in front of a TV helped me growing up.
With this world it is impossible to completely keep these influences out. Growing up we had Television at one point, then the TV broke. My parents saved up to buy a new TV but when the time came, we didn't want it back. Instead we spent our time with each other and using our creative minds to entertain instead of letting electronic devices do that for us.

The most important and most helpful thing for me growing up was watching my parents and siblings. When we are young we follow the example of those we admire and follow the example of our parents. The way my parents conducted their lives helped me to understand how I should conduct mine. Now that I am older I can see the influence my "role models" really had. My family became my 'role models' instead of anything in the media or my school teachers. My friends and my family is what keeps me on the right track and helps me to avoid the unwanted influences.

RD! answered…

My wife and I have done a number of things to help our three young children grow up in a safe and loving home. We know too well that we, in the US at least, are bombarded every day with unwholesome, filthy, degrading, secular beliefs and relativism that seem to downplay the importance of values, spirituality and family. Something that has been a beacon to assist us as a family as been an inspired document entitled "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." It can be found at
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=5158f4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD
This wonderful text is full of eternal truths that can strengthen any family, and give more hope to parents and children who are striving to keep their family together.

Additionally, we read from the scriptures every night, typically the Book of Mormon or from the Bible. Even if it is just one verse that we manage to squeeze in between asking for water, looking for the favorite stuffed animal, or a tickle war, it has become a part of our bedtime routine and our children see how important it is to their parents. It also gives us an oppurtunity every night to discuss with them why these things are so important to their lives.

We also have family prayer, both morning and night. Our children see that it is important to show our gratitude to our Heavenly Father, and to ask for His help in overcoming the struggles we face in life. They also hear us praying for each of them and they understand that we love them and want them to succeed. Finally, prayer helps them understand that they are never alone and they always have a Heavenly Father to turn to, who always willing to listen and answer their prayers. We also have taught our children, even as they were just starting to talk, to pray to God. We have found that with our oldest now, he is asking, on his own, to have help in understanding the Gospel, to comfort him when he has bad dreams, and to find out if something is right or wrong. By empowering our children to make such decisions, they will be able to navigate through the unwanted influences in their upcoming lives more easily.

We also have family home evening one night a week to have a game, sing songs, have a short spiritual lesson that we can apply to our lives, and of course, a treat of some sort! This has been a great opportunity to teach our children every week about the dangers that we can face in our lives, how to deal with them, and how to receive strength from our Heavenly Father. It also strengthens our relationship with one another so that we can have an honest relationship.

We limit and monitor what our children are exposed to in movies and through the internet. We are very careful what they are exposed to and often will sit with them and talk with them about what we are watching and perhaps have discussions about the content and how it relates to the blessings of the Gospel or the desires of Satan. Kids seem to easily grasp good and evil if we give them a chance to learn about it.

Any parent can make their family stronger as they seek divine help and are willing to put the needs of their family first. While we still struggle at it, we are finding that it has been paying off! :

Gary McCallister answered…

When our children were young we recognized that they would be influenced by many unrighteous influences. So we made plans to make sure that we utilized the influential things og the world to our advantage. We take pains still, even with our grown children to select and share good and wholesome movies, music, concerts, museums, art, lectures, and books. We have made a conscious effort ot discuss these kinds of issues rather than people, or more trivial events and activities.

This has included regular reading of the Bible and other scriptures, both personally and as a family, with discussions of the meaning behind the stories and events. We attended church regularly and faithfully and tried to talk about the things at Church as a family.

When the children were young, both my wife and I would set aside special time to be with just one child at a time on a regular basis so we could talk about what was happening in that child's life.

None of these ideas were invented by us, but were things we heard discussed and recommended in our own study and Church meetings. Like many, I really had no idea how to be a Father when i became one. But I think I was a far better father than I would otherwise have been because of the Church.

Andria answered…

I am a "mother bear" when it comes to protecting my children's innocence. A couple years ago my husband and I made the big decision to cancel our satellite TV. We thought that we would miss it but were pleasantly surprised that we didn't-and miracle of miracles neither did our kids! We really enjoyed being able to better control the influence of media in our home. Our kids watch very little tv and when they do it's usually educational or parent approved DVD's. I love that their minds are being filled with good, wholesome entertainment instead of worldly influences that are sending contrary messages to the values and morals we are trying to teach them in our home.

The stereo also went out in our car a few years ago. Initially it was the expense that kept us from putting in a new system but now I've noticed that not having pop music on in the car has been another way that I've been able to shield my children from unwanted influences. It's been amazing to me how many deep conversations I've been able to have with my children driving to and from school, or soccer practices just because there's nothing there distracting us and they ask the most interesting questions. We still listen to music at home, but by accessing it from our personal itunes library we're able to control the quality and content of the music and have one more way to ward off the influence of the world in their lives.

We also have a filter on our computer to protect us all from pornography. But even with a filter we still closely monitor our kids time spent on the internet.

Janis answered…

I can look back at the times in our family’s life and I can see the difference that was made when we were more diligent about the things we are encouraged to do regularly, family prayer, family scripture study, and family home evening. Doing these things really does make a difference in strengthening our family against the adversary.

Going along with that is teaching our children about the importance of their own personal prayers and personal scripture study. We need to teach them why we pray, what to pray for, and how to pray.

"Teaching moments" are also important, whether they happen spontaneously or they are planned. It is important to let our children know what we stand for and what we believe in and then to live accordingly. When I stand strong my children respect it and it is an influence for good in their lives.

Teaching our children to serve with a willing heart also helps them to be strong. Helping them to understand the good feelings they have when they serve and follow the commandments facilitates their ability to understand what it means and how it feels to follow Christ.

This wouldn't be complete without mentioning how important it is that our children know that we love them. We cannot think that they just know -- we must know that they know they are loved and cherished. They must know that our love for them is unconditional. We must be willing to listen to them with Christ-like love in our hearts.

Renee answered…

I try to live as an example of purity by only exposing myself to positive, uplifting movies, books, radio etc. I stand up for what I believe. In our home, my husband and I follow the counsel we have received by our prophet, to dedicate our Monday evenings for family time. We refer to Monday nights as Family Home Evening. After dinner, we begin with a prayer, share a spiritual thought from a lesson we have learned on a Sunday in church, or sometimes take turns reading articles to each other from a church publication like the Ensign Magazine. Sometimes we end with a bowl of ice cream or some other home made treat. These evenings spent sharing our feelings about our beliefs, have served our marriage well, as we continue to increase our love for the Savior and our family.

Lisa answered…

We live in a world where more and more things that years ago were not acceptable in our society. My husband and I have talked with many people through work and our schools that agree with us and there is a major moral decay in our communities. We have tried to take some steps to help our kids with making good moral choices and to surround themselves with people who do the same.
We gauge what is on television. We limit how long it is on. We talk openly about what they see so that they feel like they can make choices with discussion. We try to help them to look at the content and not just whether it is a popular show or not. We go to the movies with our kids, too. It is has been a really good way for them to learn how to see the true content. We have really involved our lives in theirs. Their friends come to our home knowing what the rules here are. They know there are boundries and rules - and I have never had any of them come and not want to follow them.
One thing we do in our home is to pray as a family, morning and night. We pay attention to what is going on in the individual lives of our family members and pray for each other. We spend time together as a family doing fun things together. We take our kids individually and do things with them to talk to them about things that sometimes they don't want discussed in front of their siblings. We have really spent time with them. If you don't want your children in places that are going to pose choices to them that you don't want them to get involved with, spend time with them. Love them, love them, love them...even when they do things that you don't agree with.

Jared answered…

One thing my wife and I have chosen to do is to not have a TV. My wife and I have seriously been disappointed by the TV programs coming out recently. We miss the programs we had when we were younger, a lot more wholesome and fun. With out a TV we have greater control over the media that our children watch. We also have a lot more family activities in the evening meals, games, or other activities.

Philip answered…

As a young adult I concluded that the Mormon Church offered me the best hope of learning how to raise happy and productive children in a world which I felt had gone quite mad.

Thirty plus years have brought a portion of joy and sorrow and where I once had hope I now have experience which testifies of one simple truth The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints is providing the direction on how families can be happy. While I do wish I had done a better job as a parent and companion to my spouse I will always be grateful for the direction, the support, the great comfort the teachings of the church brought into my home.

One example, a pamphlet, "For the Strength of Youth" was a huge blessing for our family. When one of our daughters was asked to go on a date by a young man with a different faith and background, my daughter would ask them to read this pamphlet and tell them that her mom would quiz them on the content when he picked her up. This pamphlet was a great blessing for our family.

Susan answered…

We have a 'PG' home. Our TV is set on PG for language, sexual content, violence, etc. and even PG shows are carefully scrutinized. My husband and I taught our sons to not view movies or shows in which women are portrayed as mere sex objects. Our computer is in a open and public place where anyone can see what is being viewed, and we taught our sons about the addictive and destructive nature of pornography. In addition, every Sunday we would hold a Family Counsel and calendar our events so we could support each other, plan uplifting and fun activities to do together, share our morals and values, and talk about whatever was on our sons' minds. Monday nights, we would have Family Home Evening and we would take turns sharing lessons from our faith including how to avoid unwanted influences in our home and lives, play games, laugh and just relax and enjoy each others' company. My sons are all adults now and they have each thanked my husband and I for these practices along with daily family scripture study and prayer. They are all happy productive adults!

Britty answered…

One big thing we have done is we stay away from higher than PG-13 movies. We are a young couple and our friends are often seeing movies that are R rated or going to clubs and parties. We miss the social interaction, but we gain much more by keeping the Spirit with us. We hope to set a good example for our friends and hope they will want to recieve the blessings that we recieve.

Justin answered…

I don't have TV.
Sounds crazy, but what I have done is networked iTunes to run on my TV. I don't have commercials and I only watch what I want. I get to pick what to watch with my wife and company. I know there has been times that family has come over to watch our cat while we are gone, and they enjoy the experience. No commercials? That is the best part. I will continue this when we have kids. This way they are not influenced by the media on what the newest trend is (until older) and pester me at the store.

Lee answered…

I am thankful for the standards of the church that have taught me about avoiding media that is not uplifting. When I am with my children, while we enjoy fun music and dancing, I have learned that there are some lyrics that do not provide a positive environment. We are fortunate to have the teachings of the church to lean on as we talk to our children about these kinds of choices. I have also learned so much from other men and women at church and the kind of parenting strategies they have used to minimize threats to inappropriate websites and media. My children have learned at a young age that keeping negativity out of your life brings you closer to God and we are there as parents to help them with that relationship. It will always be a challenge to fight these influences ourselves and for our children, but the church has been a real beacon to me personally as I have helped my children to learn how to make good choices.

Michael Alan answered…

We all need to be prepared. The difficult choices that we will have to make in the future can be made before the event occurs. Decide now to never do drugs, and later when you are offered drugs, you can say no more easily. As we have had family councils to decide ahead of time how to protect us from unwanted influences, it has been easier to fight off the temptations of the adversary.

Arelys answered…

We strive on a daily basis-- "baby steps", towards the pursuit of obedience. Learning the things that makes Heavenly Father happy, doing the things that we know are right to do because it is stated in the Scriptures. These things that are good for us.

Yes, as a convert is not easy. Especially when you are the only Mormon in the family. However, is NEVER impossible.

Jacob answered…

As parents of 3 wonderful daughters, my wife and I are always looking for opportunities to reinforce gospel principles. It's so easy for unwanted influences to enter the home, whether through internet, tv, movies, books, and even friends unfortunately from time to time.We value our family home evening every Monday night. This is a time set aside where we are together as a family and do activities together. We often have a brief lesson relating to something going on in the world, or some challenge a family member might be having. Also, when driving my kids to gymnastics, soccer, or just to school, there's often opportunities for me to talk with them about what's going on in their life. I'm often struck by some of the things they are dealing with, but these little opportunities give me a chance to bear my testimony in simple ways of how the gospel has helped and blessed our life as well as living correct principles will certainly lead to happiness. It's important to have good, open and constant communication with family members. Not always easy, but it's not really hard either. Just have to be interested in and supportive of your kids!

Ronald answered…

My family and I search the scriptures regularly. As a family we read them each night before we sleep. Our Children ages nine and ten have just recently completed the reading of the book of Mormon from cover to cover. We pray individually and as a family each day. We hold Family home evening in our home each and every week and attend all church meetings. In essence, we follow the directions of our Prophet Thomas S. Monson. We believe by doing so, we are becoming perfected in the Lord Jesus Christ and our home is heaven on earth.

shanna answered…

we do not watch pg13 ,movies, we don't listen to the radio, i find wholesome, and inspiring songs, that we listen to together. we don't surf the internet, and i stay away from a lot of the news. we try to just be caught up into doing good around us.

Brigham answered…

 My wife and I decided very earliy in our marriage that the media had to be controlled in our house. Before we had our son, he is the oldest, we decided that we wouldn't have any type of gaming console in the house besides our personal conputer. We are both big book nuts so that became another goal that we would have exciting a fun books in the house to read to our children and for them to read as they get older. Everyday before my son goes to school and my daughters to pre-school we read the scriptures as a family. Ever since my son was born he has been a very hyper child. There were days that both my wife and I were at our wits end with him. We found that if we read the scriptures as a family in the morning and had a family prayer, he was able to be more calm and listen better. Now that we have 4 kids this in no long something we can skip for our own sanity. We also limit the time we spend watching TV. One day a week and on special ocations, such as a movie might, or special reward for doing chores is all we allow. While these are not requirements to be a member of the church they certainly make our lives more managable.

Susan answered…

I am a stay-at-home mom, so I have a lot of control of what comes into my home. I want my home to be a haven from the world; a place my children can feel safe, happy and loved. So many of us allow evil into our home through the media. When we really stand back and look at what type of shows we (and our children) watch, what type of images they are seeing and words they are hearing, most of us would be shocked. Satan is attacking the home and family. He wants in very badly and we welcome him in when we watch those movies/shows or through various video games.

Through daily prayer, we ask for the Spirit to be in our home. We listen to good (clean) music, encourage kind speaking, spend time playing, reading and talking together, and try to be ever vigilant in what influences come into our home. Daily family scripture study is also aiding us in our efforts to strengthen our family and to welcome the Holy Ghost.

Also, due to various problems my children were facing at school (bullying, "mean girls", bad language, etc), we pulled them out of public school and are now homeschooling indefinitely. My husband and I work hard to keep our home a sacred place, only to send our very young children to a place where they were daily being "attacked" by unkind people and bad influences. It is not something I ever thought I would do, but the increased happiness of my children is worth any extra effort on my part. I love my family, very very much and I want us to be together forever with our Heavenly Father.

Stanley answered…

I physically stay away from harmful people, places, and events. I also try to keep my mind focused on wholesome thoughts.

Matt answered…

I feel so blessed that my wife and I share similar values. We both agree that many popular TV shows, movies, and music have contributed to the moral decay in the world, and the separation and desensitization from morality of what is right and wrong. We also agree that these influences are harmful to ourselves, and our current and future children. Therefore, we have opted out of watching TV, yet participate in Netflix - having the option to pick and choose what we watch as a part of our leisure. Furthermore, there are many great TV shows and movies out there - and quite frankly, we could do without the profanity and vulgarity in them. So we have also invested in Clearplay - a DVD player that allows you to filter virtually all TV shows and movies of unwanted profanity and vulgarity.

We believe our bodies are temples, as the apostle John taught in the bible. We should be able to feel close to our Heavenly Father, yet negative influences that we choose to engage in can soil these temples, and make it more difficult for the Spirit to abide comfortably within them, and within our homes, when we invite these negative influences in by our own choice.

It's not to say we should shelter ourselves entirely from any experiences or relationships in the world which may be negative - nor can we. But we believe we should be "in the world, but not of the world." Every individual is at a different place in life regarding their personal progress, and no one is perfect. But when there is a choice involved, we choose to seek after things that are wholesome and clean. We feel this helps us come closer to Heavenly Father.

Christine answered…

There's a lot of negative things in the world that could weaken my family and influence them to make choices that may not be good for them and may lead eventually to sad consequences for them. My husband and I work together to make sure things we watch on TV or see on the Internet are things that reflect our values. I can't shield them from everything, though, I know. We try to teach them why things may be negative, so that when they are faced with choices on their own, they can use their freedom to choose to make positive choices. We try to create an environment where they can be happy in our home, where they can learn about who they are, where they want to go--some of those things are eating together as much as we can, going to Church together on Sundays, doing things together as a family, and especially have prayer and scripture study together so they can learn for themselves who their Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, are--so we can be close to them and have their help in raising our family in a world that can be confusing and presents many alluring, but negative things.

Carson answered…

We hold weekly family meetings where we discuss gospel principles and talk about how we can help our children make good choices in a world where there are increasingly bad influences.

Brandi answered…

I feel a little extreme in this measure, but I've started limiting my personal exposure to regular music and we canceled our cable subscription. We still watch shows through streaming online programs, but I just didn't want my kids exposed to all the random commercials and programming. I prefer to be able to select the shows myself and the music. I still really love so much music that is out there on the radio, but I just hated changing the channel AFTER we heard something questionable for us.

Jon answered…

The best thing I have done for myself and my family was to ditch the TV. I spent over a decade weighing the pros and cons and we finally did it! It was impossible to protect my children from all the inappropriate material and the rapidly deteriorating values. Now we spend more time as a family, we are more active, we read more, and we get more sleep. The positive effects of not having a TV in the house have far outweighed any inconvenience.

Eileen answered…

Raising children can be a scary thing. My oldest is 5 and just started Kindergarten. There are lots of things that a child learns from their friends, peers, cousins, etc. that may or may not agree with what my husband and I would like for our children to learn. As parents, my husband and I talk with our children a lot about what is good and what is bad. We talk to them about good music, good movies, good words and vice versa. I believe it's more about communication rather than "shielding" our children from unwanted influence. We try and teach them what is good and what is bad, why they are good or bad; and then teach them to stay away from the bad. We, of course, try to only expose them to good and wholesome experiences and stay away from places and situations that aren't ideal for them, but you can only do so much. In the end it's about teaching and trying our best to teach, and hope that they make good choices for themselves in the end.

Joseph answered…

My family always kept our family computer out in the open, so that there was not much of a secret what we were doing on the Internet. That was helpful.

Sue answered…

We try to set a good example for our children and keep ourselves away from things we would not want them to be involved in. They learn at church and at home to be clean and stay away from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and to be morally clean. We do things together as a family and encourage them to choose good friends who will help them to make good choices.

Misti answered…

I feel that families and individuals are bombarded by unwanted influences. It is hard to avoid them all. We strive to shield our family from this by having Family Home Evenings. This is a special time our family shares together every Monday night learning and teaching each other about what is right and what is wrong. We talk about what the scriptures teach us, what the current prophet teaches us and how we can be a good example to those we are around, at school, work or wherever we may be. It's a time when our children can ask questions or share concerns they have. Our favorite moments are when we share our beliefs with each other. It is very sweet to feel the spirit when your child is sharing how they know Heavenly Father hears and answers their prayers. It's strengthens us all to avoid bad situations and unwanted influences.

Monica! answered…

In a world flooded with technology, we have tried to get back to the basics. We keep our TV in the closet. We spend our time focusing on each other, and building eternal relationships. This allows us to feel the spirit in our home and be more in control of the influences affecting our family.

Brian David answered…

Practicing what my wife and I call "The Big Four" has helped us shield our family from unwanted influences. The Big Four are 1.) Regular family and personal prayer, 2.) Regular family and personal scripture study, 3.) Weekly Family Home Evening, 4.) Attending the Temple regularly.

We have family prayer once in the morning together before we start our day and once in the evening together before going to bed. Since our boys are young, we help them with their personal prayers before they go to bed. We study scriptures together after dinner or breakfast. Again, since our boys are young, we use a lot of gospel pictures, although my wife and I strive to have a more formal scripture study together. Family Home Evening we have once a week. It is one evening set aside a week by our family, generally on Monday night, where we have a favorite dinner, a gospel lesson, an activity, and a special treat. My wife and I try to attend the Temple once a month, where we perform baptisims and other gospel ordaninces for people who did not have a chance to receive or know about the gospel in this life. These four things are simple practices, but done consistently, we've found that they strengthen our home. It ensures that no matter what the world outside, our home can be a shelter from the storm. These simple actions have been likened by others to small strokes of paint on a canvas. By themselves, they seem minor, but done consistently, the small things add up to beautiful piece of art.

Sarah Skabelund answered…

One of the most powerful influences in our children's lives is media. We have found that many of the shows that are geared towards children are sarcastic and show a disrespect for parents and other family members. There is also a great deal of fighting in these shows. We did not want this in our home. As a family, we have set up guidelines that help each person to self monitor what comes into our home. We use a simple phrase, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." The second question that we ask ourselves is if we would feel comfortable having Jesus watch or listen to what we are watching. If the answer is no, then we turn it off, or change the channel. We do not watch some of the more popular tv shows because we feel they do not measure up to these standards, but we have found that our children are more respectful and less sarcastic than other children that do watch a lot of the current shows on tv.

We also reevaluate how we are doing every so often. Are there things we could be doing that are better than what we currently are doing? Are we letting our standards slip? Sometimes it is just refocusing our priorities that helps us to see what we need to be doing better.

Dave answered…

We use filters on the internet and put our computer in a central place so that we can be more sure that it's only being used for "good" things. We also don't watch rated R movies and are careful about the movies that we do watch (regardless of the rating). As an extension, we don't watch TV-MA television shows because they're basically just rated R TV shows. I know that we can't stop everything, especially outside of the house. But within our house, we strive to make it a "home" that's safe from unwanted influences.

Sarah answered…

I haven't had the privilege of having an eternal marriage or children yet. But I strongly feel that I can be bettering myself before I do. If I am able to sacrifice some of the things of the world now, when I am at a time in my life when I can be selfish, I know that it will be easier to sacrifice those things when I have my family.

The old phrase, "practice makes perfect", is one that I think can be used at this time in my life. If I practice at shielding myself from unwanted influences, how much the easier it will be later. I "practice" each day the things that will help me build strength to withstand the temptations of the evil one. I pray. I read my scriptures. I go to church and the Temple. I have pictures of the Savior and Temples in my home.

The world is changing and things that were once looked at as evil, are now looked at as good. Because of that, I choose to not watch PG-13 and R rated movies. There are very few that uplift, but many that can harm, so I find it easier to say no to all of them. I choose not to have a television in my main living spaces. I want to actively live and experience life's adventures for myself, not just let the characters on t.v. do it. And I choose to listen to uplifting music, music that encourages thinking, action, and sometimes meditation.

It's not always easy to turn off the world, but in the eternal perspective, it it so worth it!

Denise answered…

To prevent the intrusion of one thing we must fill ourselves with another.
From an early age I have used media and stories to shape the minds of my children. I have created a vision/picture and feeling of how things can be done and experienced. I have tried to infuse their early childhood with Light, Love and Goodness. Now they are older shielding comes through providing opportunities that allow them to serve or learn. Education is very important.
I need to let them talk constantly to share what they have been exposed to and how they are managing those experiences.
We attend Church every week. We have a Family Evening with lessons and games every Monday night. We read scriptures at mealtimes. I saturate them with alternatives to the World. And most importantly we pray, always pray.

Hope answered…

Years ago, our puppy chewed through the TV cable. That was the best thing that dog ever did!

John answered…

The Church provides many resources for identifying and addressing threats to my family's well-being. For me, this is one of the most amazing blessings of membership in the Church.

As an example, my children are not yet teenagers. But the Church has provided very clear guidelines (For the Strength of the Youth pamphlet) for the youth to avoid so many of the influences that direct their lives away from happy living. We are trying to live according to these guidelines now and to teach them to our children so they will be ready to make wise choices, despite their lack of years.

Greg answered…

 As a family we discuss what is appropriate and unappropriate and what we can do to to keep unwanted influences out of the home and our lifes. One thing we decided is not to have Cable television in our home. We found that as a family our children talk and discuss things with us more frequently than when we had television. This has brought us a lot closer as a fmaily and the children feel comfortable talking with us. 

Tiffany answered…

You can't always shield your family from unwanted influences. We have found in our family that open communication is key. We limit what we invite into our home in way of TV and movies. We love to watch movies and have realized how impressionable children and teenagers are. We openly discuss things that are happening in our town, at school, and in the news. We talk about role models and who we each want to become and how we will react in specific situations. Satan is very real, he will stop at nothing to tear down families. It's our job to be armed against the master manipulator.

Nichole. answered…

It is very hard to shield our family from all influences we do not want in our home, but it is something I know is very important to do. My husband and I have been very careful about the movies we go to and rent because even the slightest image or word can make a mind confused and clouded. We have seen that when we have watched movies that may have a more mature rating, that we are not as happy, our home is not as loving, and we do not act that way we should towards each other. The influences of these moviescan be very damaging to us.

Sheila Kibler answered…

The gospel is a guide in mine and my family's life. With these guidelines, I can help my family focus on spiritual values rather than undue influences from the outside world. We are told to "live in the world but not of the world." There are a lot of evil influences in the world today. Pornography is one of the worst. It destroys marriages and families. With the internet and shows on tv these days, it is all around us. We teach our children to avoid the pitfalls of pornography, pre-marital sex, drinking, and drugs by living their lives around the gospel principles. My children are now all adults and have used the guidelines of the church to live their lives for their betterment. They are strong, productive adults with incredible leadership qualities. I know the influence of the church has made them that way.

Emily answered…

My husband and I have chosen not to have a TV in our home. It isn't a "Mormon" thing; it's just something that we do to strengthen our new family. When we were dating, my husband and I both talked about how TV influences us in negative ways--it shows things different from how they actually are, it shows people acting very selfishly or behaving badly to other people. It is true that not all TV is bad, but frankly, we want to make our home a refuge from the bad things that are out there in the world, not invite them right into our home! Another thing is, since we do not spend any time watching TV, we have time for each other! If we watched TV we would not have time to do our farm chores or gardening, or house projects, yet all of those things have brought us so much closer together.

Matt answered…

I make it a point to listen to our families' favorites and laugh with them (and not at them).

Kurt answered…

We have tried to keep our children close to us through daily habits of working together, family prayer twice a day and reading the scriptures at night. We have a weekly family home evening that allows us to teach true principles to our children. They have participated in teaching these lessons to their siblings. We have limited the influences of the world in our home by being very careful about watching TV, video games and other media influences.

Hunter answered…

The media world we live in today has been overcome by Satan. Popular music, for example, seems to only be talking about sex, drugs, alcohol, and violence. I have begun listening to Christian music. It makes me feel happy inside and I know that Christ would be proud listening to it with me. It brings the Spirit to my every day life, and I love it. If I do download popular music, though, I am careful in choosing those songs, and I always get the clean version. I know it has helped me become more inclined to do what is right. It has made a HUGE difference in my life!

Eric C Lassen answered…

We monitor and filter out which media comes into our home. We watch tv that is uplifting and is educational. We read books and listen to music that is likewise uplifting. We enjoy the peace that comes from these decisions. The world is loud and noisy and full of rude obscene things. Our home is a refuge from all of the chaos and that has helped our family find more harmony and peace.

Hali answered…

I feel like it's an everyday effort to shield my family from unwanted influences. They are everywhere- on TV, the radio, the internet and many different media sources. Sometimes my kids will be listening and singing to a song and not even realize what the lyrics mean. We talk about them and either change the radio station or plug in an iPod where we can listen to the songs of our choice. We have also committed to not watching Rated R movies and really have to look at even PG and PG-13 rated movies. I monitor their online activities and have parental controls in place. I know this is not always fool proof, but I hope that as they come across questionable influences they will have the strength to turn the other cheek or walk away. I feel like as we have family prayer each morning, I am helping to arm them with the courage to choose the right.

Nathan J. answered…

I got rid of cable and satellite TV years ago. My kids, all under the age of 13, only watch movies that I know about in advance. I also offer them books, magazines, and other materials that I trust to be clean.

Michal. answered…

My husband and I try to follow the counsel of prophets as we strive to protect our family from negative influences. One of the best ways we can protect our family is by preparing them to resist temptations and negative influences when they present themselves. Each morning at breakfast, our family gathers to read from the scriptures for a few minutes together. Then we sing a hymn and have a family prayer. In the evening we sing and pray together again. Each Monday evening, we gather for Family Home Evening, where we spend time together singing, teaching, learning, playing games or other activities, and enjoying a treat together. Our kids love it, and it unites us as a family, while giving us a set aside time to teach values to our children.

We also have firm rules about media in our home. Our computers and internet are all in public family places (like the kitchen and family room) to provide easy supervision. Our children do not use the internet when we are away from home. We decide as a family which television shows to record on our DVR so that it is easy to choose a show to watch that is appropriate when we are ready to watch television. We strive to keep the books, magazines, and music in our home uplifting and wholesome. All these things contribute to having a feeling of peace in our home, which strengthens us all and helps us avoid succumbing to negative influences when we are away from home.

Peter answered…

This is tough in the modern age. I wish that the culture wasn't so toxic. Here is what we do:

First, we don't watch much TV in our household. Its easy to find lots of junk that is not uplifting. Second, we don't watch any movies that we can't watch as a family. We are careful to avoid movies that glorify violence or evil. Third, we try to give our family a daily dose of Vitamin S and Vitamin P. Vitamin S is scripture study - we try to read aloud a few verses each day as a family and then discuss how to apply it in our lives. Vitamin P is prayer - we kneel together to pray each day and we encourage all family members to have their own personal prayers.

We also hold a weekly family session (Family Home Evening) where we talk about upcoming events, we share talents, and we teach from good sources. I think all of these things help provide some protection from unwanted influences.

Sarah answered…

The biggest thing has been distancing ourselves from people who drag us down emotionally and spiritually. While we know not everyone will share our standards for righteous living, we have found it necessary to keep our distance from people (both in and out of the church) who actively try to disrupt our marriage and influence us in negative ways. Being around this kind of negative influence is harmful to each of us spiritually, emotionally, and to our family cohesion. We try to do our best and hope our lives can be good examples for others, but when other people's bad examples and/or lifestyles start to affect us negatively, we must leave them behind.

We're also very careful about the media we let into our house. We only keep movies, books, and video games in our home if they are uplifting and do not desensitize us to violence or depict immorality as something glorious. We try to fill our lives and days with good habits and wholesome activities, and everything "virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy" (Article of Faith #13), and then there is no room for anything bad to creep in.

Dave answered…

My wife and I have really tried to control the media that we allow in our home. We avoid music that is degrading or vulgar. We limit our time on the internet or television and try to replace those influences with other activities. Recently my wife and I have had a lot of fun going on hikes and trying new activities in town.

Susan answered…

We keep our computer in an open public location so that there is no secret searching or unwanted influences touching our family through the internet.

Katy answered…

My friends joke at work that I'm "Baby Katy," because I'm so free of things that are more "adult" in nature. I encourage this as much as I can, and now, my reputation precedes me.

As a youth, I remember hearing that the best way to avoid temptation is to prepare for it before you're tempted. Know what you're going to say, how you're going to respond. Set expectations with your friends before they've brought anything up. I've adopted this mentality at work and have learned to say things like, "Yeah, I'm one of those weird (funny, kooky, you name it) Mormons who don't like 'adult language' (or any other number of things)." The great part is that people never seem to mind. They'll smile or laugh and then adjust their conversation accordingly.

As they say in sports, the best defense is a good offense. When you're prepared, you don't have to be on the defensive.

Mary Cate answered…

So much of what comes in through the media is harmful, often in subtle ways. Everything is so sexually charged these days, because sex sells. Many things are portrayed in dishonest and inaccurate ways that I feel are dangerously misleading. I feel that I myself was harmed by many of media influences growing up. Even something as simple as the news is skewed and sensationalized, so that it seems to do more harm than good. We've decided that we really don't need TV. We still watch stuff, but it is of our choosing on the when and what. Watching stuff together with your kids and talking about it is such a great way to teach them all kinds of things. We do love the internet because it is such a great resource for information and communication with others.

Brenda Kay answered…

When my children were young, the programs in the church, such as the Primary program, and youth programs called Young Men and Young Women were very helpful in providing lessons and safeguarding methods that assisted in my influence in our family unit. Like most families, as a parent, I faced the challenges of raising children in a strong media-influenced society, and used the practical applications of these programs to combat such pressures as immodest dressing, early dating, and distasteful entertainment. I tried to raise my children in a wholesome environment, while allowing them to grow and make wise choices, albeit not without resistance. As adults, I see them making good choices as a result of practicing strong gospel guidelines. I am pleased to see them using these same guidelines in raising their children. Our leader, Prophet and president of the Church, now President Thomas S. Monson, gives the members of the church guidance on how to best combat the pressures of society, which, if we follow the prophets, we will be stronger in keeping a higher standard of living.

Kimberly answered…

I love a good movie. Unfortunately, there are more and more movies that have a good story line, but add unwanted language, unneeded sex and way too much violence. We, as a family, have learned that just because our friends say it's a good movie, doesn't mean it really is. We have decided to not watch R rated movies. We rarely watch PG-13 movies. We heavily screen PG movies. My 17 year old daughter says she is movie deprived. I say she is better off by not seeing all the violence and hearing all the swearing and witnessing inappropriate sexual behavior. We are a better family by not letting the movie industry unduly influence our family.

Denny answered…

We do not have cable or satellite in our home. This is not a church teaching, it's just something that my wife and I have decided on. We have a very extensive movie collection and get enough entertainment from that.

Heather answered…

In 1976 my husband and I, then newlyweds, decided that television had become so perverted we wanted no part of it. We raised our kids without television. They did just fine. Our son, the class president, was asked to speak at his baccalaureate about the influences that shaped his life. He stated he was grateful to his parents for not allowing television in our home. I'm certain our daughter would have found it hard to become the National Merit Scholar she became had we allowed the addictive and destructive influence of television to disrupt her young world. Decades later I can say I haven't missed anything by not watching TV and have accomplished much I could never have done had I spent my life hooked up to that pernicious mind-altering drug.

Kristen answered…

I feel like familes are being attacked by the media. The principles and values that are portrayed by the media are not what I want my children to live by. We have decided in our home to be extremely selective in the kind of media that we allow in our home. If it is questionable or offensive, we turn it off. This includes music, TV, movies and even books. While my children are still young, I have noticed a difference already for my husband and me. I feel more peace in my home and am happy knowing that, at least in my own home, my children are being taught principles I agree with!

AnnaMarie. answered…

One thing that I believe is key is my decision to quit my job and stay at home with my girls. To be the main influence in their young lives is so important in this age of uncertain values and confusing messages.

Lisa answered…

I love television. I have never censored much of what I have watched. However, in resent days it has become more apparent to me that what I invited into my home through the television has a huge effect on me and our family. One of the things that have caused me huge concern is all the reality shows where people compare and ridicule each other. I have noticed that through the constant watching of these programs my mind has been filled with comparison and ridicule that has divided me from family and friends. It is so subtle and yet so dangerous. I have limited my television intake to those things that are up lifting and when an up lifting program cannot be found I have turned the television off. I believe a mother can invite or send the spirit away faster than any other member of the family; by putting myself in a position where I can be more like my Savior and feel the spirit more my whole family will be blessed.

Art answered…

We pray together almost every day. This helps us remember that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and as such have a divine potential. Knowing that God is our father helps us to avoid things that may be an impediment to our potential.
Sometimes we still make mistakes, but we also have faith in Jesus Christ and in the atonement that allows up to repent, move on and helps us avoid those negative influences in the future.

Karen M. answered…

None of our children are allowed to have a computer in their rooms. All computers have to be in our office or living room. We have installed programs on the computers that will prevent them from accidentally viewing pornography and other unsavory websites. We have cable television and have set the controls so that inappropriate shows or movies are blocked and can only been seen with a password which only my husband and I know.

The most important thing we've done is communicate with our children on a regular basis the importance of making good choices that will help them have the spirit of God in their lives and that will protect them from unwanted influences.

Stephanie answered…

I try and put my family in situations that are in accordance with the Gospel. I spend time talking with my children about thier day and try very hard to keep open lines of communication open. I take worldly questions and turn them into what we believe in the gospel and how we should handle different things, and why we don't say certain things or use bad language. We pray as a family day and night and I know that the Lord protects us through the day from evil thoughts and influences. We are always striving to be good examples in every place we are!

Steve answered…

My wife and I decided when our kids where young that we wanted to have a great experience talking to each of them about sex. I did some research and found a book by Richard and Linda Eyre called, “How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex.” The methods and principles described by the Eyres changed my perspective on HOW to have this important discussion so it is a start of a life-long discussion.

I’m happy to say we had a great experience with each of our children. A few years ago I was asked to give a lesson on our experiences talking to our kids about sex. As part of this I asked each of them to write down what they remembered and how it affected them. I’ll end with a quote from each of their letters and let them speak for themselves.

Oldest son written when he was 17 – It caught me off guard that sex was a good thing. I heard about it in the movies and on TV etc, but I always thought it was a horrible to do. Then when I heard it was awesome after marriage, if definitely changed my perspective…I feel I have a different view on sex than my friends. I see it as a sacred and only to be shared with my wife.

Daughter who was 15 – Having kids is a good thing and nothing to be embarrassed about, it has to be done with good intentions. I was relieved to know about “the most wonderful thing in the world.”

Son age 12 – While my parents were telling me about it, I really felt grown-up and like I had a really good relationship with my parents. And even though it was a somewhat embarrassing or awkward, it all of a the sudden was like a lot more things in the world made sense. One thing that that talk really changed was before when someone told a bad joke I just thought how bad that person was. But now I think about how lucky I am that my parents could teach me about sex in a mature manner. I love my parents and am very thankful for them.

Susan answered…

My husband and I want a strong marriage, happy children, and peace in our home. Because of these desires, we must be careful about what influences are welcome in our home.

About four years ago, we turned off the tv. We spend relaxing time watching wholesome movies, instead. We also are careful about what we allow in our home on the internet, using filters and strict guidelines for our children's use. We have collected good books over the years, and try to preview books we continue to buy or check out from the library. With a lot of open communication, we hope to teach our children why we want to protect ourselves from pornography's damaging effects. Talking openly also helps our children know how to judge for themselves the merit of certain media.

We might be a little obsessed with media cleanliness. But I believe protecting my family from the destructive influences of pornography, violence, demeaning language, or seductive material is vital.

Christie answered…

It's so important to avoid the negative in the world, but we don't really want to shut out the world entirely. If we did that, we'd be losing so much good! I try to monitor the media in the home. It helps to get recommendations from friends and read reviews online to figure out what will be appropriate. The other important aspect is not to be afraid to turn off the TV, put down a book, or walk out of a movie when it turns out not to be appropriate. I think it helps to let our friends and neighbors know what our standards are. My friends know I'm a Mormon, and they respect that. Many of my friends try to clean up their language when I'm around as a sign that they respect my standards. I always appreciate that. I think it's also important to make it clear that I respect the standards of others. I love my friends even when we don't see eye to eye. I don't want anyone to feel like I'm judging or condemning them; I just want what's best for my family.

Melissa answered…

As I have taught my children the principles of the gospel it has helped to shield them from the bad influences that are found everywhere. One of the things that I am most proud of is that both of my children have showen over and over that they understand the importance of living gospel principles. My son went with friends to a movie and when he realized it was rated R he choose to not see the movie and his friends followed his example. We believe that keeping your thoughts free from violent and sexual images such as you see in those types of movies helps you to keep your life in order and protect you from making bad choices. It is never good to desensitize your self to violence and sexual situations. We believe that there is a law given that we call the law of chastity which means that you keep yourself clean and pure old fashioned I know but so important in this world where things that are important are often scoffed at. We believe that these relationships are sacred and should only be had between a man and a woman who are married. The choices that I have seen my children make show me that they understand how important this is. We must teach our children the laws of God through word and through example. As we do so they will be blessed and so will we.

Gerardo. answered…

My family has filters on our computers to make sure that nothing unwanted accidentally comes on the screen. We also go to a number of websites that give information on the content in movies. We can see if there is anything inappropriate in a movie before we watch them.

Shilo answered…

 Unfortunately, you cannot completely shield yourself or your family from unwanted influences. You are going to encounter people who say and do things that go against LDS doctrine. Through following the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can know when we should avoid a situation. When it feels like a bad thing, it probably is a bad thing. You can shied your family from some bad things by researching movies, television shows, music, and other forms of media before allowing them to enter your home. You can also shield your family by teaching your children and other family members about what is acceptable and wha tis not acceptable. This will help them to avoid unwanted influences.

Jan. answered…

From the time my children were little, I have been given a bad time by other parents and friends who think I am too strict about media and electronic devices. I never bought my kids a Game Boy, Play Station, Nintendo, XBox, etc. I felt there was too much time wasted on those games and that they encouraged antisocial behavior and a lack of creativity and imagination. I saw so many kids who just didn't know how to play anymore and I didn't want my children to grow up that way. So I curtailed the time they could spend with friends who had those toys and who spent countless hours on them.

As they got to be teenagers, I didn't allow them to have a cell phone, email address or Facebook account until they approached age 16. My irritation with these electronic devices is that kids spend too much time in faceless relationships. I mean, they spend too much time "conversing" via text or email or in chat rooms, not in face to face encounters. I don't like that. I want my children to know how to communicate well with people, but to do so in person. I want them to be friendly and outgoing, comfortable in social settings, and to put real people ahead of virtual relationships.

We have also been very restrictive with the amount of TV our family watches, as well as the content, and we don't see R-rated and many PG-13 rated movies. So many of them are filled with unnecessary immoral behavior that just brings us down.

Because of this "strict" parenting approach, my kids - one who just graduated from high school and one who is in high school - are very well adjusted, happy, friendly, involved children who are active, outdoorsy kids who know how to have a good, wholesome time and who love people.

Natalie answered…

We only have 1 television in our home & it is in the basement. I encourage my children to play outside whenever the weather permits. We don't watch R-rated movies & as parents we try to be the best examples as we possibly can. Our children watch our every move & will live the way we live.

Stacey answered…

One way I protect my family is by controlling the entertainment that enters our home. I have come to understand that the best protection for my family is love. I want to make sure my family knows I love them, and my love is not dependent on actions, choices, or circumstances. I want them to know God loves them and will always be there for them. I want them to know about Jesus, his atonement, and how to use the atonement. I want them to feel the Holy Spirit, know the peace that comes from the comforter, and if they find themselves with out this comforter; I want them to know where to find it. I think miracles can happen with perfect love. I want my children to have the shield of faith spoken of in the scriptures.

Nathan answered…

My wife and I are very careful what we let come into our home. TV, movies, music, magazies etc. have to be clean and free of unhealthy stereotypes and unclean content in order to be in our home. We spend more time reading good books and hardly any time in front of the TV. We eat dinner together and spend time each night reading a little from the scriptures.

Karla answered…

I think the most important thing that our family has done to shield our sons from unwanted influences is to teach them to listen to the spirit and follow it's guidance. I can't always be with them in every situation that they find themselves in, but I know that if they live righteously that the spirit will always be with them to whisper in their minds and in their hearts the right thing to do. To be worthy of the spirit they must live the teachings of the church and follow the standards that are set up for them in the booklet given to every youth when they turn 12 yrs old called "For The Strength of Youth". This booklet covers topics such as language, dress, dating, media, and much more. It is such a help to parents and any one that works with the youth. Acopy of this booklet can be found on the church website lds.org.

Bradley answered…

We have done a LOT of things, but for now, two particular "rules" come to mind. First of all, when we moved into our current home, Dad didn't bother (or have time, as the case may have been) to get up on the roof and set up the antenna. Our whole house had been wired for TV and satellite and so forth, but for one reason or the other, we never set up a way to get reception. About 3 months later, I pestered my mother again, asking her when we would get the TV antenna set up--I wanted to watch a show! "Well," she said, "I don't know if we ever will get the TV set up. I have really liked the way that family fighting and other things that you used to get from the shows have totally disappeared." "Whoa. Ok."

We haven't had TV since I was 11 years old, and I am more or less passionate about the fact that turning off the TV has done wonders to protect our family. By reading the paper or the internet news pages, I find that I am just as informed as others, and if I need a "discovery channel" experience, I can check it out from the Library. It has been, for me, a huge blessing.

The second thing is closely related. We have chosen, most of us in the family, to not watch PG-13 movies, or any movie that has crude humor or in which the people swear using "God" or "Jesus Christ." We just don't watch them. I have missed out on a lot of movies in my day, but I have never regretted my decision. I find that I am more filled with the Spirit of the Lord--that He brings me comfort and peace--and that I am often protected from things in shows and videos that I would have been very uncomfortable seeing or hearing. It has been wonderful.

Joshua answered…

Well, being single I have to answer for myself and my own life. But I would say the key to removing unwanted influences from my life has been to simply avoid their source. I don't read articles, watch television, see movies, or go to places that may have offensive, lewd, or immoral content. I am very careful as to what media I allow into my home, whether on the internet or the television.

Of course we have to leave the fortifications of our homes often to go out into the world, and that's where faith comes in. Faith is like a shield, it's portable and you can carry it with you wherever you go. I rely on my faith and the things I believe to protect me against moments of temptation and to help me choose the right. That means I do things to feed my faith. I read my scriptures, I pray often, I go to church, and I serve others. You wouldn't let your shield fall into dis-repair, so why would you do the same to your faith? As I live and exercise my faith it stays strong and serves as my defense against the unwanted influences of the world.

Janelle answered…

Family Time! We limit TV and other media influences in our home, but the most effective way we shield our children from unwanted influences is spending time with them. We bought an inexpensive used boat and RV years ago that we have used as the centers of our family enjoyment. Nearly every Saturday in the summer we take all of our girls out on a boat trip. Sundays are reserved for Sabbath day activities like going to church and visiting with family and friends. My kids are too young to ski or wakeboard so we take day trips on the boat to picnic areas or go bird watching. Winters are mild in my area so we often take RV trips to nearby campgrounds where my girls have learned to ride bikes, roast marshmallows and hike amidst towering trees. Just last weekend my girls were playing on the beach where our boat was docked and they imagined they were water people. For two hours they spent time collecting shells, made currency out of sea weed, and built a fort out of towels because they were "water people!" As I swung on a nearby hammock holding my baby and watching them play I thought, "Now this is what kids are supposed to be doing with their free time. This has to be better than anything they could find on our computer or TV."    

Laura answered…

We follow the council given to us by our modern day prophets and pray and study the scriptures together every day. I know that this is essential for us to feel the spirit of the Lord in our everyday lives, to help us make the choices we have to make every day, and to be guided by the Lord in the things that He would have us do. Our children are all still young, but I notice already the difference this makes. I know that I can't make my children's choices for them. Our Heavenly Father's plan is for us to be tested and tried during our life here on earth and each of us will be judged accordingly. But I believe that if I teach my children to follow the commandments and set a good example for them, that hopefully they will also desire to do these things.

Adam J. answered…

I strive to set a good example by doing what the Savior would do. Some of those things are having a love for everyone, not getting angry at a sibling even if they offended me, and doing little acts of service for my siblings just to show I care for them.
I have also found that not letting things that are unwholesome enter my home is a huge way to keep myself and my family happy. Things that could be considered 'inappropriate' for one age group is most likely inappropriate for all age groups that live in the home. Don't hide things from your family, be open with them about decisions, and show that you're happy with them. Always tell them you love them, and that will greatly keep a positive, bonding influence with each other that they will remember even when they aren't at home.

Lauren answered…

In my family, televisions and computers are not allowed in our bedrooms. The computer is always kept in an open space, such as the kitchen, so no sneaking around! 

Christine answered…

My children are still young so I don't have much experience in this subject. I try to teach my children how to choose the right. At this age they are influenced mostly by other children that they play with and what's on TV. My daughter will often repeat things that she has heard at school or on TV, if she says something that I consider offensive I will help her understand that it's not okay to say. To prevent this I make sure that the things she watches on TV are age appropriate. I also try to watch shows with her so that I can understand where she learned it from and how to teach her. My son is generally a gentleman, but he hits back. He is influenced by his peers. I also try to teach my children that although they can't control what other people do they can choose how they react. I try to teach them to choose the right and follow Jesus Christ's example.

The kids aren't the only ones in our family that suffer from unwanted influences. My husband and I refrain from watching rated R movies. The TV shows we watch are entertaining for adults, yet kid-friendly. We choose to listen to uplifting music. We keep our computer in a public area of our home so that no one is tempted to use it inappropriately. Our home is a sacred place as the temple is, we do not allow morally unclean things within it.

Kempe answered…

The only thing I think I could take a little credit for is, I married the right girl, at the right time, in the right place.

Jamila answered…

 Family is central to God's plan of happiness. Satan will do all he can to try to tear a family apart because he knows individuals are stronger when surrounded by the love of a happy and Christ centered family. Therefore, my husband and I do 4 simple things to ensure that our love stays strong and that we stay centered on Christ. 1 We pray as a family at least twice a day. 2 We eat breakfast and dinner together as a family. 3 We have a weekly gospel centered activity. 4 We have date night each week. In this way, negative feelings and emotions are minimized and we are able to support one another and keep our love strong.  

Brian answered…

One of the things we've chosen to do is to home school our children. We get the opportunity to look at everything we learn and do through the lens of the Gospel. We get to discuss gospel topics and spend time feeling the spirit every day as we learn about the world around us.

Ixchelle. answered…

We are careful watch movies and internet websites they use.