When I was growing up I would wake up every morning to graphic news reports of the war in Vietnam. In elementary school, during the Cuban missile crisis, we did practice drills of hiding under our desks in case of bomb attacks. I lived in south Florida, so the threat was close.
Parents Want to Protect Children
The world I grew up in did not feel safe, but not just because of wars. I remember walking to school alone when I was in 2nd grade, and being followed by a man in a car. He rolled down his window and called out to me, but my parent’s had prepared me for such situations. I ran as fast as I could to the nearest house and rang the doorbell, and the man in the car took off as fast as he could.
We’d all like our children to grow up in a safe environment. Unfortunately the world we live in has many dangers and the only way to protect our children is to teach them how to act in the face of a threat. I might not be here today if I had not known to run away from the predator in that car.
Uncovering Hidden Threats
Currently we face similar threats and greater dangers abroad and at home. From global terrorism to neighborhood bullies, it’s a fact of life that there are people with ill intent toward others. Some of these threats are hiding in the places we expect our children to be safe.
One of the biggest threats to our children’s future happiness has many hiding places and disguises online. Considering how quickly technology has developed, and how immersed in and dependent on the internet we have become, our awareness of the danger is lacking. The first step in being prepared is awareness. Watch this video for a disturbing report of how students are exposed to porn in the school library’s database system:
I know it’s shocking. Internet porn has changed our culture. The purity and innocence of youth faces a more widespread danger than ever before. But we are not helpless to stop the encroaching porn culture; we can do something about it!
Calling all parents and grandparents!
Do you want your children and grandchildren to grow up with a healthy understanding of love, relationships and sex? It starts in the family, with the example of happily married couples and the teaching of right relationships and respect for one another. We also have to teach our kids how porn can harm their the mind and body, and threaten their future happiness.
Start educating your kids with the book: “Good Pictures, Bad Pictures“; but don’t stop there. Stay aware of what’s going on in society through subscribing to The National Center on Sexual Exploitation. In an age appropriate way you can help your kids understand how “sexy” cartoons, videos, pictures and literature online contribute to sexual exploitation. Learn more about protecting your children from digital darkness at: Protect Young Minds, and check out puremind.online.
