Sex-related conversations can be awkward. That’s why many parents dread having the “birds and the bees” chat with kids. It can be super weird, but you absolutely cannot dodge discussing it. Sex in the right context is beautiful. When done in the wrong context, you get pain, shame, and regret. Nowhere is this more apparent than with pornography.
Pornography is addictive, destructive, and harmful for kids mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Many kids will find it from natural curiosity. Kids are eager to learn and want answers about sex. For many young people, that inevitably leads them to pornography, which is undisputedly the worst possible version of sexual education. If they don’t get the answers they want and need from you, they’ll look for them elsewhere. You may not like that.
It’s estimated that more than half of males and one-third of females view porn before their teenage years. First exposure is trickling down into the elementary years. Pornography offers kids dangerous and nonconsensual views of sex. Kids who watch it are more depressed, anxious, and ashamed than non-users. Even if kids are not looking for it, porn can still find them. It’s everywhere – movies, television, the internet, and social media. Basically, if your child has access to the internet, they have access to porn, which will hunt them down and steal their innocence. The industry makes $3 billion annually in the United States and leads to body-image issues, negative attitudes about sex, and fears of physical inadequacy. These are all things from which parents should try to shield their kids.
It would be irresponsible for a parent to toss their child the keys to the family car and say, “Good luck, sweetie.” Refusing to train a child how to handle potentially dangerous activity is a terrible teaching strategy. Why, then, do so many parents handle the subject of sex and porn this way? We shouldn’t.
Porn is stalking your children. Teach them how to defend themselves. Check out this video from our Child Safety Series.and get involved today.
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What makes a video or movies inappropriate for kids to see?”