Lest you think we are only addressing issues that affect “less responsible” parents than you, ask yourself these questions and see how you score:

1. How many quotes from movie dialogue have you heard out of your mouth or your kid’s mouth in the past 6 months? (Or in the last week?)
2. How many quotes from ads have you said or heard your kids say?
3. How many times have you heard, “But Johnny does it” or “Johnny’s parents let him do it”?
4. What happens when all of your family is gathered around a TV program and someone interrupts to get something or accidentally flips the channel? How violent is the response? Does everyone get mad? Do they yell real loud, “Shut up!”? It may be an indicator that you’re so into the media that you value it more than the actual people in the room with you.
5. Do you find yourself acquiescing to your kids’ requests just to get them off your back so that you can have peace in the house? You let them watch that movie; you let them have that video game; you let them have that magazine; you let them wear those questionable clothes.
6. When is the last time you bought something you didn’t really want to buy for your kid after she saw so many ads that she just had to have it?
7. Can your kids quote countless lyrics from their favorite pop songs, but not much Scripture?
8. What would your kids say if someone asked them, “What are your TV rules?” or “What are the Internet rules in your house?” or “How are the rules enforced and how are they implemented?”
9. Do your kids know what is happening with Jamie Lynn Spears (younger sister of Britney Spears) right now, but they have no idea what your family values are?
10. Do they always forget that they have a church activity on a certain night, but never, ever forget what night their favorite TV show airs?
11. Do they know the storyline of multiple TV shows but have no idea of your family heritage?

If any of these touched a somewhat sensitive spot or hot button regarding your family, then perhaps it may be true that you’ve had more invasion of popular culture than you were aware of. The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay like this. You can turn your family around and  proactively shape the hearts and minds of your children. Not only can you do that, but you must. It is the only hope your children have in the midst of a culture that is bombarding them with missiles of deadly assault at a velocity once unthinkable but now a bitter reality.