The Threat of Pornography in the Home

I raised seven boys during a time when home computers and the Internet were gaining momentum. These tools have become invaluable resources for teaching your child at home. Unfortunately, left unsupervised, your child can get drawn into pornography. It happens innocently enough…a click on a link takes you to a less than wholesome site. Or curiosity takes control and the search engines like Google or Bing lead us to sights and web sites that our child’s young brains and eyes aren’t prepared to handle. Before long, this curiosity can become an addiction.

This video explains how pornography works on the brain and better yet, provides hope in that the addiction can be reversed. This video does not have adult content but because of the subject, you may want to view it when the younger family members aren’t around.

If you discover your child looking at inappropriate web content, or overhear them talking with their friends about it, respond in love and understanding. Have a heart-to-heart chat with them and use the opportunity to educate them on the physiology and emotional commitment of sexuality if it’s appropriate for their age.

The best defense is to monitor your child’s usage of devices that can access the internet, including smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles. Then at the appropriate time and maturity level, have frank discussions with your child.

Another tool you can provide your children is to help them engage in wholesome hobbies. Using their hands and minds to be creative and inventive is one of the best ways to divert their young minds from browsing the Internet.

Lovingly help them through their adolescent and teenage years. They will appreciate it as they grow older.