It's a terrible time to be a teenager, or even the parent of a teenager. That message is everywhere. Television, magazines and newspapers are full of scary stories about teenagers and families. They say that American families are falling apart, that children don't care and that parents are having trouble doing anything about it. Bookstores are full of disturbing titles like these: Parents of an Out-of-Control Teenager, Teenage Wasteland, Unhappy Teenagers and Teenage Torment. These books describe adolescent problems that include apathy, violence, suicide, sexual abuse, depression, loss of values, poor mental health, crime, gang involvement, and drug and alcohol addiction. Naturally, caring parents are worried about all this. Their concern surfaced in a 2005 national survey in which 76 percent of parents said raising children was “much more difficult” than it was when they were growing up (“A Lot Easier Said”). But just as popular television shows don't give a realistic view of American teenagers, these books and these frightening statistics don't provide a complete picture of what's happening in today's families. The fact is that not all teenagers and families are lost and without values. While struggling with the problems of our culture like everyone else, successful families are doing what they have always done: finding ways to protect and raise their children. They are fighting the battle for their families in three ways: fighting the loss of quality family time, fighting the loss of community, and fighting the influence of the media. It's true that parents these days face more challenges than ever before when it comes to finding quality time to spend with their children. Economist Edward Wolff explains the loss of... paper halves... and relaxed, self-confident parents are so rare these days. Probably most notable were the children's long attention spans and their willingness to sit and listen to adults talk. The family had a manageable amount of information to deal with. They were not stressed by more information than they could assimilate. The children were not overstimulated and nervous. Nor were they sexualized like most kids are today. (107)Pipher's words describe children raised by parents who do not give up on the idea that their children are lost. These parents structure ways to be present in the home, build family ties to a community, and control the impact of media in their homes. Through their efforts, they manage to raise well-mannered, grounded and successful children. These parents recognize the challenges of raising children in today's America, but they are up to the task.