A: In the media-managment food chain, music often finds itself at the bottom. This is, in part, because kids get music from friends (they burn CDs, which then get imported into computer playlists without you ever knowing), bypassing parents entirely. But there are a couple of things you can do if you\'re concerned about music -- and music video -- content.

Don\'t let younger kids download without you. Even though most music stores are set up with your credit card to allow for easy and instant purchases, you can make sure your kids don\'t have access to it by protecting the password you choose. iTunes also lets you create an allowance for your kids so they can purchase at will. The simple solution? Don\'t use that feature. Or, if you do, make a content check of downloaded songs and clips a part of each renewal. Have your kids earn your investment.

Spot check your kids\' new music and video downloads. Under the "view" section of your online music store, you can click the "date added" box to instantly check for any new song or video. If the content is explicit, you\'ll know right away because it says so on the display. Look at your kids\' music libraries so you can spot songs from friends you might not be keen on.

Enjoy music with your kids. Ask to listen to what they like (just promise not to sing or dance). If you don\'t like the messages, try to open a discussion without being too judgmental -- nothing will make them defensive faster. A headfirst assault will only result in head butting. It\'s important that kids be able to challenge what they hear, but they\'ll only do so if they don\'t think that you hate all their music.

Take a moment to check out song lyrics. This can provide a great opportunity to discuss song messages and language with your kids. As they get older, they\'re going to listen anyway, so it might be useful to put your two cents in now. Here\'s a list of Web sites that offer lyrics to most of the popular artists\' songs: