Mom of Tweens: Should Your Tween See that Show? Three Web Sites with the Parental Guidance You Need

I found out the hard way that I really didn't want my kids to see the original "Bad News Bears," the one that came out when I was nine-years-old. As soon as Tatum O'Neal spouted her first curse-laden, vitriolic rant at Walther Matthau, I realized that "Rated PG" meant something else entirely when I was a kid. Also, that movie standards were surprisingly lax for kids back in an era when harmless fare like The Donny & Marie Show ruled the TV.

Since then, I've bookmarked a few great web sites and blogs that give me what I need to know about the latest movies, TV shows and video games for kids - and those notfor kids. If you're looking for some parental guidance when it comes to what your kids watch and play, check these out:

Common Sense Mediahttp://www.commonsensemedia.org/If only I'd visited this comprehensive site before I'd rented "Bad News Bears." They rated it okay for 12+, but warned that "Adults and children use extensive profanity." Oh, #*$@. Movies, TV shows, games, music, web sites and even books, new and old, are reviewed here rather thoroughly. You'll get the run-down on everything from violence to language to sexual content, plus reviews from both parents and children. It's the first place I visit when a new movie comes out, or I get the (sometimes not-so-clever) idea to show my kids a movie from back in the day.

Reel Life with Janehttp://www.reellifewithjane.com/Jane Boursaw's gorgeous web site is the next best thing to getting the scoop on the latest movies your mom friends. Not only does she provide an insider's look at what's on the big screen, she breaks down exactly what moms need to know under "Just the facts, ma'am." Find out, for example, that "Journey to the Center of the Earth" has "mild flirting," attacks by hungry dinosaurs and curse words in German. Jane not only answers the question, "Will your kids like it?" but also, "Will parents like it?" So, you can decide ahead of time it you want to sit near the wall at the movie theater so you can "rest your head" during the latest kid flick.

Smart Television Alliancehttp://www.smarttelevisionalliance.org/site/PageServerA refreshing alternative to the "TV will melt your kids' brains" attitude of some sites, STA is based on the premise that there's plenty of good TV for kids. You just have to know how to find it. They offer up a chart of program recommendations for tweens like mine. If you've got Tivo, you can even click over to record great-for-tweens show like "Mythbusters" or "Everyone Hates Chris." I liked their site so much, I even started blogging for them. Drop by to read my first entry,"Is TV Making My Tweens Old?"