This is just some horrible writing. Whatever parenting lesson you were trying to describe was lost in a flurry of unnecessary details.

Thanks for the comment, @Name. The great thing about expressing an opinion is that no one person is going to share the same opinion for the same reason. As a teen, your position is much different from that of a mom's (not that I am one). But I'd imagine a mom does feel a responsibility to use these situations to make sure her kids understand certain values and boundaries. On the other hand, when my mom got in the way of TV time (which, by the way, I earned and cherished every second of it—so interruptions were NOT acceptable), I was not happy.

While I understand your shock at the show's content, I think it was incredibly stupid to cut the show off before the moral ending. The message you sent to your children was, "These cool Glee kids are drinking and having fun and I don't want you to see it." This does more damage than the show could have. If you had watched until the end, you would have seen the horrific (and gross) effects of drinking and the mature, respectful pact the students made with their teacher, Mr. Schue.

Also, you completely overdid the drama here. I was wondering if this was edging on satire, but, alas, it was not. You're a parent. Standing up to your kids isn't scary, it's your job. Stop worrying about being their friend and start worrying about what a pushover you have become.

Wow, the anonymous literary critics are particularly cranky today.

My kids are much younger but I still feel bad having to turn off cartoon network when the content goes from appropriate to not so much. Anyone who actually has kids knows one of the hardest words is 'no'.

I do have kids. It's a pretty easy word. One syllable, actually. If you feel guilty about telling them not to do something, they'll know that, and it tells them that you have a reason to feel guilty. It tells them that what you did was wrong. So long as you are certain your decision is the right one, saying 'no' is really very simple, and in the long run, they will respect you all the more for it.

Maybe it's the weather - teasing us with 50 degrees and now more of this white stuff!

I agree, Tony. I had to go to a training class to learn the word NO.

Ironically, of all the episodes, the one described here was the first I've seen - and I watched it with my daughter and niece. I was "warned" throughout the show that they are normally not this controversial (that was the exact word my 12 year-old used). They were the ones squirming and truth be known, I was amused and captivated not so much by the content (I've seen much worse in my teen years - live and up close) - but rather, observing their reaction. We stuck it out and as my daughter and I were in the car driving home moments later (where most of our talks happen these days), it was a great springboard for conversation about choices, peer pressure and the underlying moral. I wouldn't tell the network "bring it on", as hopefully, they are not going to continue in this direction because their ratings will drop (at least for the younger and family viewing audience). However, the reality is, this stuff happens. No community is immune to the negative affects of poor judgement by their youth. While a sensitive subject, it's better to just face this head on - maybe not Rambo style - but definitely accept the reality and realize many of the stupid things we do when we're young really do make for good comedic material (and it breeds wisdom, if processed in a healthy way)!

The problem seems to be that somewhere along the way, people got the idea that Glee was a "kid's show" which is very far from the truth. Not sure how old your kids are, but they're probably much younger than the demographic the show is targeted towards.

Ms. Goughs angst was understandable. It's pretty amusing and the songs are pretty good but it's not High School Musical it's TV made for ratings. Fair warning to parents who have trouble saying No, don't even think about the show about cheerleaders called Hellcats. Dads, check it out so you know. Just to be safe.

Perhaps Name and pesco are unfamiliar with feature and opinion writing, in which story-telling certainly has a place. While the author not only made a very clear connection between her story and her purpose, she was also confident enough to claim it as her own, attaching her full name to it. I believe that's what Patch requires (or am I mistaken?). I very much wish that those who join into Patch conversations would keep in mind that they are communicating with their neighbors, who are to be respected even when they hold different opinions.

To Renee: I have no doubt that "no" can be difficult at times, especially when everyone else seems to be saying "yes." It doesn't matter how old we are or how many kids we have, being the "bad guy" is something we all would rather avoid, even when we know it's what's right!

I think Glee does a fairly good job of introducing topics (teen pregnancy, abstinence, homophobia, bullying and last week teenage alcohol abuse) that affect teens. My daughter is a long way off from discussing these topics (19 mo.). But I'd like to think I'd do what my mother did, watch it with me and tell me what behavior (drinking and stripping in this episode) was inappropriate. I do think kids need to know what is out there and what we consider wrong behaviors, preferably before they are confronted with the choice to participate in them. I'll never forget my mother taking me to see my first rated R movie, Schiendler's List, it was an incredible opportunity to talk about making a real difference in others lives. I hope conversations I have with my daughter will inform her moral decision making someday. In the mean time I'll take comfort in the fact that Elmo isn't likely to start binge drinking anytime soon.
Renee, Julia, and Kimberly good luck with your tweens and teens.

I find it interesting when parents complain that Glee is inappropriate for their children. First off, the show is rated TV-14 which clearly suggests that it is not a show for young children. I am quite confused when parents and critics say that Glee "pushes the boundaries." What boundaries? The show is meant for people over the age of fourteen. Also, a reality check is needed for any parent who thinks that their kid will never be exposed to these sort of things. Sheltering your kids from what could happen in real life does not help them by any means.

I'd like to apologize to the Wheaton community for not responding individually to each of your comments. Due to an error on my behalf I have only just seen them collectively now. I am very grateful to all of you who took the time to write your comments. Praise or not, it's always exciting to get a picture of a community by the flurry of opinions that a story generates. Thank you for reading The Mediocre Mom! Renee Gough

Renee - The toughest part for me about Glee is that I WISH it was a kid-friendly show. I would love to sit and watch it with my girls and sing and dance and all that. I've watched it since the beginning and figured out pretty quickly it would be for an older crowd. (My girls are 9 and 7)

Kristin, you hit the nail on the head! We need a G-rated Glee! :))Renee

[soapbox on/] TV continues to push vulgarity and sex into material aimed at younger and younger kids. Even at PG-14, a drunken lap dance - really? That's OK?

There is a school of thought that because "it's happening out there in the real world" it's OK to expose your kids to it. I disagree with that, and submit that it is the responsibility of the parent to show - by changing the channel or better yet, turning off the tube - how they feel about that type of show for that age viewer. Certainly you can explain why, but it's important that your kids know what you feel is right and what is wrong, and that "walking away", "shutting it out", "avoiding the situation" are all valid responses to something like that "in the real world". Everyone knows that our kids are going to be exposed to things as they get older. No matter what they decide to do, at least they will know what is right and what is wrong - that there are standards of behavior that their parents hold for them.

Somewhat related to the topic at hand, I'd like to direct folks to a movie review web site http://www.kids-in-mind.com/
I have no connection to the site, but it's a great resource for movie reviews with detailed content explanations. It won't tell you whether the movie is good or awful, but it will dispassionately relay information about the level of violence, gore, sex, and language. Once you calibrate it to your own parent-o-meter with movies you know - it's really useful.

How fantastic to have so many parents take the time to write about something they feel passionately about. There are so many great points of view here! Thank you for sharing!

Renee, I don't think your a Mediocre Mom by any means. Standing up for your beliefs is a good thing.... If your kid are under the age of 13 I wouldn't let them watch either. Over that age you need to maybe choke it down and watch it with them and then maybe have a discussion as it goes along. Yep, hard I know but .....
Although I really didn't feel bad telling my daughter NO! Mean mom that I am!
yes, she tried to find ways around me it's typical, but you need to stick to your guns girl!
When she would say I HATE YOU my retort was GOOD I'm doing my job!
I know she really didn't... she was just upset. Especially when I made her stick to a curfew I was NOT a popular person! However, we did have talks about not so good subjects and I would like to think it made her think twice at last sometimes..... it's basically the best anyone can do.
You have to remember you can't make decisions for them you can only lend guidance and hope they don't get into anything massive. However, EVERYONE has to make their own mistakes! it's part of life unfortunately!
Anyway, I do think because I was that way she turned out to be very well rounded person and someone I am very proud of. In fact I almost think she is more of a Mommy than I am now! lol.

As TV gets further and further away from the Gilligan's Island and Brady Bunch years I can say it gets a bit scary, but with the right guidance it doesn't have to be horrible. Kudos for your bravery! Keep them children for just a bit longer...

As a 24 year old, still among the "not quite adult/parent" crowd, I want to weigh in on the subject.
I have been a Glee fan from the very first episode. In fact, I have been a Ryan Murphy fan for even longer. If any are familiar with his work, you know what type of show he is known for. That being said, the most recent episodes of Glee haven't sat well with me. I understand the importance of exposing young adults to the reality of life, and that this show is trying to do that. I don't understand why, aside from a well-hidden moral, the show is inadvertently glorifying these subjects.
Tell me, are there homosexual issues on the show? Yes. We know who the character is, we know his story, we know his relationships with friends and family. Have we seen vulgar and/or inappropriate scenes involving this character? No. Does that expose us to the homosexuality issue any less? No.
So why do we have to see well-liked characters stripping down to almost nothing to learn about drinking? Does it teach us anything special? No. There isn't a point to some of the things that are shown and I truly do feel that they are purely for ratings.
Those that harp on the fact that the end of the episode showed us the "horrors of drinking," obviously turned a blind eye to the fact that the entire glee club was COMMENDED for their performance. Did the kids learn a lesson, really? No. They found out that if they hide behind their songs and costumes, they can get away with anything.
Just my 2 cents..

I like your 2 cents Alyssa! You are wise beyond your years...Renee Gough

All TV decisions are ultimately driven by ratings. Expect to see Glee sexed up if that gets more viewers. Also, the network prefers 15 yr. old viewers to 10 yr. olds and 20 yr. olds to 15 yr. olds.

Hi -- Great article and interesting comments being posted here! I have an almost 11 yr old daughter and this is a very timely conversation for me. Some of her friends are allowed to watch whatever they want -- Glee, etc. and others have parents that won't let them watch PG or PG-13 movies. I think every parent has to make their decisions based on the maturity of their child and what they are encountering in school/with friends. I have talked with our daughter about certain situations, but there are others that I know she wouldn't understand, so I will handle them as I see appropriate. It's true that kids are growing up way faster than "we" did and they unfortunately encounter some things at an earlier age. However, I don't think we need to push everything at them at too young an age. As parents we still reserve the right to say "hmmm, not yet". I read in Kimberly's posting where she was looking for a website that reviews more than movies. One website I have checked for years is Common Sense Media -- http://www.commonsensemedia.org/. They rate everything from books, video games, movies, music to tv shows for all ages (infant to teen).

“Courage is standing up in a room full of people who are doing something wrong and doing what is right.”
This is like all the citizens who fought Navistar's diesel engine testing that knew it was WRONG for Lisle and stood up !!!

Courageous behavior is exciting isn't it?

From a mom's perspective the writing couldn't have been more perfect. Thanks so much. I relate to this on so many levels, including the matching of the socks!!!! What a delightful piece. It's like you crawled into my psyche.

Thanks Susan! Matching socks may be my least favorite job on earth. And writing this column my most favorite!