Information has never been more easily accessible as it is right now. The internet has ushered in a brand new time in our history and we can not deny the role it will play in continuing to shape how we live and how we act for generations to come. Most of the internet is made up of explicit and pornographic content and the need to talk about it is urgent and needs to start younger than most are comfortable with. If this email hits close to home we understand, but the fight for our kid's brains and health must be worth the cost of the awkwardness, embarrassment, and work on our personal lives if needed.

It is our responsibility as parents to Provide for the needs of our children, Protect them from threats, and Prepare them for the future. School is often a second home for our children but home is most often the first school. Parents hold the most influence over our children and we can either take advantage of that guidance or abdicate the seat of influence in our child's life. Our society is ready and waiting to educate our children and if we aren't discussing sex, love, and relationships with them, the internet, social media, and pornography are all having these conversations for us... daily.  

For younger children explaining to your kids the importance of limiting screen time is a great starting point.  For tweens and teens talking directly about pornography and other threats on the internet it the best approach. Multiple sources site the average age of exposure to pornography is somewhere between 8-10 years old. Fostering a safe environment to discuss mistakes and struggles is paramount to maintaining a consistent door into your child's life. Being online in some way is an unavoidable reality for nearly all families, but we have the wonderful opportunity to provide the tools necessary to navigate the internet, protect them from damaging content, and prepare them to make responsible choices on their own.  

Deuteronomy 11:19 says "You shall teach [these words] to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up."

God speaks to us about always being intentional with revealing the heart of God to our kids. The stakes are high and the consequences are damaging.

Matthew 6:22- “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light."

A thief does not need all of our windows and doors open to rob us, just like the enemy doesn't need access to our entire lives to steal, kill, and destroy. One point of entry is enough. 

Conversation Starter:

• Is the internet good or bad? What good has it brought to the world? What harm?
• Have you ever been talking to someone who kept checking his or her phone? How did that make you feel? How would you want to be treated in that situation?
• What habits can you build that will help you show people that you value them more than you value your phone? 
• Have you ever come across sexually graphic content online, particularly while using your smartphone? If so, how can we create support and accountability if it happens again?

Encouragement: Parents there are great resources available to help you monitor and restrict your child's experience on the internet.  Take time to look through a few of these and see what will work for you and your family.  Remember that you are the parents and caretakers, it is your right and calling to oversee what your kids are doing so that you can provide, prepare, and protect your kids.

Additional Resources:

A Parents Guide to Internet Filtering and Monitoring
A Parents Guide To Pornography