Injuring yourself on purpose by making scratches or cuts on your body with a sharp object — enough to break the skin and make it bleed — is called cutting. Cutting is a type of self-injury. It is more common among girls, but guys sometimes self-injure too. Teens may cut themselves on their wrists, arms, legs, or bellies. When cuts heal, they often leave scars or marks.
     People who injure themselves usually hide the cuts and marks and sometimes no one else knows.

Cutting is a physical release of overwhelming emotional stress. It is a way some people try to cope with the pain of strong emotions, intense pressure, or upsetting relationship problems. They may be dealing with feelings that seem too difficult to bear, or bad situations they think can't change. The pain releases endorphins that help soothe and clear the mind of built up anger and anxiety.
     People who cut may not know better ways to get relief from emotional pain or pressure.

If you know of a teen “cutter”, encourage other ways to cope with difficulties. The help of a mental health professional might be needed for major life troubles. For other tough situations or strong emotions, it can help put things in perspective to talk problems over with parents, other adults, or friends. Believe it or not, getting plenty of exercise can also help put problems into perspective.

     People who cut may not have developed these skills. When emotions don't get expressed in a healthy way, tension can build up — sometimes to a point where it seems almost unbearable. Cutting may be an attempt to relieve that extreme tension. It's a confused way of feeling in control.

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html

     They play video games that involve everything from street fighting to shoot em' up car races, poker to brain busting puzzles. They even compete in tournaments. Yet another stereotype has been broken. Watch for more girls to be interested in video games.

This obviously is unhealthy behavior. First of all the word of God tells us to be faithful to one spouse of the opposite sex. This fad encourages bisexual tendencies, having more than one partner, and using sexuality to get attention and self worth. Whether or not your teen has participated in such a trend, they are definitely seeing it on national TV and possibly being influenced that this type of behavior is acceptable or at the very least entertaining.

     Even with the very mini skirts being so popular, we’re saved by leggings making a come back! As for above the waist, layering tank tops and other shirts that would normally be very revealing is the latest fashion look. So moms and dads, embrace this fashion miracle and start shopping!

     These novels have a wide appeal to both teens and young adults. Some concerns have been raised about the adult content found in these novels. Many graphic novels contain provocative sexual images, cursing, and graphic violence. Although the novels that contain sex and graphic violence claim not to be intentionally aimed at youth, they still have a certain youth appeal due to their comic book similarities. As graphic novels continue to grow in popularity make sure that you check out the content of each novel before approving it for your teen. Just because it looks like a comic book doesn't necessarily mean it is harmless.

     No, its not an animal or a Sesame Street toy. You have probably seen teens dressed in this new style around their school, church, or the mall and never really paid much attention. Now you are about to get your emo education. Emo is more than a way to dress, for many it has become a way of life. When referring to a person's personality and attitude, most definitions of emo hold that an "emo person" is open about their emotions, sensitive, shy, introverted, broken-hearted, glum, and often quiet.
     Emo personality is often connected with writing poetry or listening to music, which addresses confusion, depression, loneliness, and anger, all resulting from the world's inability to understand their life. Emo’s are generally emotional boys who wear their feelings on their shoulders. The term emo became popular through the development of a musical genre. Emo music is understood to mean "rock music with emotionally-based lyrics or effect." This has been made popular by such bands as Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessionals, My Chemical Romance, and Panic! At the Disco.
     The emo fashion is marked by by tight jeans (often made for girls) on males, long fringe bangs often brushed to one side of the face, hair dyed black, straightened hair, tight t-shirts which often bear the names of rock bands, studded belts, belt buckles, Chuck Taylor All-Stars, Skate shoes, or other black shoes - often old and beaten up - and thick, black-rimmed glasses. Many critics believe that this is a trend that will soon pass like boy bands in the 90’s, but only time will tell. For now there are many teen boys who fit the emo mold.

What do I do if my teen fits the Emo mold?

     First of all, don't freak out. Try to see if there is more going on here. Sometimes teens simply want to fit in and they have taken on this look or attitude because it is the “cool thing”. Or possibly they can genuinely relate to the feelings being conveyed by this lifestyle. If that is the case you should know that a lot of teens that are considered to be emo battle with low self-esteem and depression. Not all, but a lot of the emo message focuses on depressing experiences and hopelessness of life. If your teen is into this then there is a possibility that they may feel the same way.

Each of these gaming systems feature an online playing option. This feature allows gamers to play their favorite games online with people from all over the world. The real explosion with online gaming has come from other areas - such as the ability to get game demos, to access new content for your games, to communicate with friends, to create an online identity for yourself and even to download entirely new games or retro titles over the network. Multiplayer gaming is just a small part of what is now a much larger tapestry.

X-Box 360  has more online options than the most systems. In order to play online you do not have to pay a monthly subscription fee but to access most of the content available on x-box live you must pay a monthly fee to be a gold member. X-Box live offers gold members an extensive list of video games, T.V. Shows, and movies (many of which are rated R) that they can download to their system (for a fee). This makes it easier for you kids to download questionable content without your permission. The good news is the 360 does have parental controls. Which means you can decide what kind of content your child can download, you can also dictate who they can have contact with while gaming on-line. If set up properly this makes for a safer online gaming experience. X-Box live also offers voice chat, text messaging, and with the
proper accessory (not included with the system) video chat.

The PlayStation 3 online capabilities are not quite comparable to the 360 but they are working on a daily basis to upgrade their online experience. There is no monthly fee to play the PS3 online with other users. There is a play station store available where games and demos are available for download. (some are free others are not).

     The PS3 does offer a free web browser so if you have wireless internet access you can surf the web using your PS3 and your television would serve as a monitor. PS3’s online experience also offers text, voice and with the proper accessories (not included with the system) video chat.

     The PS3 also has parental controls, when set properly you can decide what content is appropriate for them to download.

The Nintendo Wii seems to offer the safest online experience. There is no monthly fee to play the Wii online with other users. Wii only allows open communication between users who have exchanged Friend Codes so communication is limited to users you want to interact with.

     Unlike the 360 the Wii also offers parental control options that allow you filter the websites that your child is allowed to view. Game are available for download some free but most cost. Movies & T.V. Shows are not available for download with this system.

1.) Better Graphics equals realistic scenes. Advances in technology has made this generations video gaming experience close to real life. Gory sciences in M rated games can be ultra-violent and look very realistic at the same time. When watching these games it is often hard to tell whether your watching a movie or a video game.

2.) Nintendo Wii- going through the motions. Their unique controlling systems allows you to be the one in charge. As you hold the controls in your hand the character on screen does the same thing you do. This can be a little overboard on The M rated games where you are making the motions to hit, shoot, and strangle your enemies. Nintendo’s gaming system is designed to be family friendly for the most part, but don't let that deceive you, like other systems they do offer M rated games.

3.) Parental controls: YOU’RE in charge: All three of these systems feature very good parental control options. This allows you to set a password on your gaming system and gives you the final word in what content you child is allowed to play on their gaming system. This option allows you to choose based on ratings, which games and movies you want your system to block. Each system operates a little differently so I suggest you check and see all of the parental options that are available to you. This goes a long way to ensure a safer gaming experience for your child

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings are designed to provide accurate and objective information about the content in computer and video games so you can make an informed purchase decision. ESRB ratings have two equal parts: rating symbols suggest age appropriateness for the game and content descriptors indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern.

To take full advantage of the ESRB rating system, it's important to check both the rating symbol (on the front of the box) and the content descriptors (on the back).

EVERYONE
Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

TEEN
Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

MATURE
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

RATING PENDING
Titles listed as RP (Rating Pending) have been submitted to the ESRB and are awaiting final rating. (This symbol appears only in advertising prior to a game's release.)

     Although the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) has worked very hard to develop a rating system that works, it still has its flaws. The video game rating system exists to inform parents on the content that each game contains. This system is designed as a helpful tool for parents purchasing or renting their child these games.

     Unfortunately the majority of children who are renting and buying video games are doing so without the presence of an adult or in the presence of an uninformed adult. Unlike the movie rating system, all stores are not required by law to regulate who they sell M (mature) rated video games to. Which means in some cases children of any age can purchase games that contain sexual content, strong language and graphic content.

     Remember these ratings are simply guidelines to help parents know the content each game contains. Each stores policy varies with how they regulate the selling of M rated games but a recent survey showed that 50 percent of boys between the ages of 7 and 14 successfully purchased M-rated video games.

• Help your kids set guidelines for the type of games they are allowed to play.

• Spend an afternoon playing video games with your child or at least watch them play. If for some reason they object or start to feel uncomfortable with your participation, that says something about the game they are playing.

• Set a time limit for how long your child is aloud to play each day.

• Set the parental controls on your gaming system.

• Become familiar with the video game rating system and pay close attention to the ratings of the games your child plays.

• Don’t stop at the ratings. Go online and read the reviews that the games in your house are getting. These reviews are often more detailed than the ratings.

• 58 % of female characters in movies had comments made about their looks

• 24% of male characters in the movies had comments made about their looks.

• The average height and weight for a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs, and the height and weight for the average woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs

• 6 out of 10 teenage girls think they’d be happier if they were thinner’.

• While only 19% of teenage girls are ‘overweight’, 67% think they ‘need to lose weight’.

• 2/3 of teenage girls would consider plastic surgery and 20% would do it right now.

• 90 percent of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25.

• 9 out of 10 teen boys are unhappy with their appearance.

• 25% of teen boys would consider cosmetic surgery to try and improve their looks.

• 84% of boys surveyed feel if they could tone up and get in shape it would improve their life and they would be happier.

• 52% of teen boys are unhappy with their overall body shape.

• 35% of teen boys are unhappy with their height.

• When asked “Do you worry about your body size and shape?” 58% said two or three times a week, 11% said hourly, and 28% said every day.

• 7 out of 10 envy other males with great physique. ( specifically: 64% envy celebrities, 22% envy their best friend, 46% envy other classmates in general, and 13% envy their brother)

• 76% of teen boys say they have felt down about their looks.

• When asked “Do you think you are attractive to girls?” 13% said very attractive, 32% said reasonably attractive, 55% said not attractive at all.

In today’s world the standard of perfection for females is warping the way teenage girls see themselves, not to mention rearranging their values and priorities. To them the most important quality they have is outward appearance. Girls beg to use make up and have trendy clothes at a younger and younger age. It’s not simply about taking care of your body and being healthy it’s about a constant up hill climb to be prettier or thinner and always striving to go to the next level. There is no satisfaction with oneself and there is definitely no embracing the gifts and talents God has given us to use towards our purpose in life. There are a frightening number of girls who are convinced that they must go on diets to lose weight which leads to eating disorders or at the very least unhealthy eating habits.

All of this stems from the root problem of the way a person defines themselves. Teenage girls are bombarded with media that urges them to be beautiful because that’s all that matters. Or what might be most disturbing is that many young girls learn these ideas from their mothers. Perhaps they have watched their mothers or other female role models unintentionally demonstrate this behavior to them by becoming dissatisfied with who they are and pursue any avenue to find “peace” with themselves. Whatever the cause we should stop the madness and see what God has to say about it.

“Finding ourselves” consists of discovering what God has put us on this earth to do and developing our unique gifts and talents to fulfill that purpose. The best way to teach any life lesson is to live it out in front of your teen. Encourage your teen to truly know and love who God made them to be.

This year, the average consumer will see or hear 1 million marketing messages....

That is almost 3,000 messages per day. This can be extremely overwhelming for a teenager that is going through one of life’s biggest transitions. By the media’s standard we are taught that the outward appearance is the only thing that truly matters. It doesn't matter how kind, generous, intelligent or loving a person is. All that matters is how they look on the outside. Unfortunately the standard that is set is almost impossible to achieve. In fact, today's models generally weigh 23% less then the average woman. What is it that we are being enticed to believe? Do we believe if we look a certain way, we will feel contentment, happiness, be successful, or feel more attractive? It is so easy to believe these lies. Even as adults we find ourselves buying into these false ideas of what truly makes a person worth while. If you and I struggle with this, just imagine how much more your teen feels the pressure to be somebody other than who they truly are.

The way teens define themselves affects their choices and actions. An unhealthy self image can be damaging spiritually for anyone. We must remember the things that really count. We need to be reminded that we were made in the very image of God. We have to help our teens realize that God made them just the way they are. God looked at his creation and he said “It is good”.

www.screenit.com (Gives detailed content of each movie)

www.commonsensemedia.org(Gives ratings on movies, books, games, shows, etc)

www.imdb.com (Find out info on all the upcoming movies)

www.the-numbers.com (Get the scoop on all the movies in production)

www.cmu.ca/library/faithfilm.html(Provides questions about the film that will make great discussion with your kid)

www.hollywoodjesus.com (the site that "looks for the deeper more profound meaning behind blockbuster hits")

www.cpyu.org (A great site for staying up to date with teen culture)

Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. This signifies that the film rated may contain some material parents might not like to expose to their young children - material that will clearly need to be examined or inquired about before children are allowed to attend the film. Explicit sex scenes and scenes of drug use are absent; nudity, if present, is seen only briefly, horror and violence do not exceed moderate levels.

Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. This signifies that the film rated may be inappropriate for pre-teens. Parents should be especially careful about letting their younger children attend. Rough or persistent violence is absent; sexually-oriented nudity is generally absent; some scenes of drug use may be seen; one use of the harsher sexually derived words may be heard.

Restricted-Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian (age varies in some locations). This signifies that the rating board has concluded that the film rated contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their children to see it. An R may be assigned due to, among other things, a film's use of language, theme, violence, sex or its portrayal of drug use.

No One 17 and Under Admitted. This signifies that the rating board believes that most American parents would feel that the film is patently adult and that children age 17 and under should not be admitted to it. The film may contain explicit sex scenes, an accumulation of sexually-oriented language, or scenes of excessive violence. The NC-17 designation does not, however, signify that the rated film is obscene or

1. Allow you teen to be a part of the decision process.
When you incorporate your teen in this decision it is no longer just another rule you are enforcing it has become a standard that you trusted them to help set.

2. Review the content of the movie in question.
Always check out the material that is going to be in the movie your teen wants to watch. Don’t always rely on the ratings. This way there are no surprises.

3. As a family set a standard for the movies you will watch.
Prayerfully decide what content is acceptable and unacceptable in a movie.