Hi there,

My son is 14 now and starting to ask the big questions whilst finding sanctuary in his Xbox, Ipod and nintendo DS. Time for the real world babe in the most gentle way I can show you.

Pulled him away from his technological narcotics and removed the social anesthetic and asked him to watch Bowling For Columbine. He got it and was quite philosophical about it. He said "not here in Australia" and I said "I bet the Americans thought that as well before it happened. Son, one does not have to experience it to learn from it". Didn't want him to be scared, just wanted him to know the deep traumas that some teenagers have to go through, no matter where they are from and how it effects the entire nation.

Then I got him Supersize Me. Put him off fast food for a month. "you can eat it, just in moderation".

I am proud that my seemingly oblivious, self absorbed teenager has a social conscious. It makes other issues seem unimportant.