It’s not a matter of if, but when your children will be exposed to porn. Stats show that the predominant age of exposure is under 9 and getting younger all the time. It often occurs unintentionally, a child is exposed through an accidental discovery or click, then their curiosity is peaked.
Sadly, the younger a child is exposed to porn, the greater the risk of their addiction later in life.
So what can we do to guard the gates of our homes?
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Steve Etner of The Purity Coach shared with us on The Noble Man Podcast this week that the use of the word “heart” here is the place where thinking and decision making occur – my mind. What I think becomes what I do. We need to put tactics in place, both practical and spiritual in place to guards the eyes, ears, and hearts of our families.
Practical Tactics:
In the age of electronics, we have constant intruders in our home. Twenty years ago, a child’s first exposure to porn would likely have been discovered away from home or sneakily acquired. Now, our children often carry smartphones in their pockets 24/7 beginning in elementary school.
1. Know the risks.
It doesn’t stop at phones and computers. Even family TV shows and sporting events are often interrupted by inappropriate commercial breaks. Video games a are now a major culprit in hyper-sexualization as well as opening up the gates for children to develop online relationships with potential predators. Read books like THE TECH-WISE FAMILY, Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place and Tech Savvy Parenting to help you to get a good grasp on some of the attacks our kids are facing regularly and how to shield them.
2. Set healthy boundaries.
Put electronic use in its proper place. Set time and location boundaries. Dads, this is not a “do as I say, not as I do” protocol. We are not just creating rules for kids to follow; we need to set an example of use that they can follow and carry on into adulthood. Healthy use is not about age, it is about keeping it limited to productive purposes out in the open.
3. Put filters in place.
We are big fans of Covenant Eyes, and they have two short eBooks that can equip you to help your children right now. Even with healthy boundaries in place, our kids will inevitably see something we wish they hadn’t, whether it is at home or elsewhere, so having a system in place which will alert you of improper use is crucial. Learn about Screen Accountability™ and Filtering. $15.99/month is a small price to pay to help protect your family. It also opens the door for conversation about what is happening.
4. Keep talking about it.
It might be awkward, and you might feel unprepared, but we cannot afford to let our kids navigate this on their own. Despite our best efforts, they will be exposed. They need to know the danger that is out there. We wouldn’t send our kids into the street to play without first warning them of the danger of traffic. We must make them alert to the danger of porn and equip them with a plan for when it happens. Protect Young Minds has many resources which can help you teach your kids to reject pornography.
Guard. Watch. Keep. Protect.
Picture a guard, maybe it’s Roman a soldier in the days of Christ, or maybe it’s a modern military-trained protector. Each have in common the fact that they stand ready to protect and fight. They are equipped to take out the enemy with their weapons and training. Learn how to use your sword to have victory over the enemy. Don’t let the enemy chink away at the walls of your home without going to battle for your family.