Parenting Archives - Page 7 of 13

April 11, 2022March 31, 2022

Get Off the Fence: Three Ways to Get Unstuck

I am beyond excited that Marilyn Evans of Parents Aware is here again to offer her words of wisdom to parents. Marilyn is my good friend and mentor. She has taught me so much about pornography and parenting. I love her hopeful attitude. Marilyn recently launched a course for parents, to help them get off the fence and talk with their children about this important topic. Read to the end for my review of the course and how you can find it.

You’re here. That’s amazing! It tells me you already know why it’s important to talk to your child about pornography. I bet you’re also keenly aware this conversation is not a one-time deal. You’ve figured out that every age and stage of development presents new challenges for your child online.

March 14, 2022March 13, 2022

GIVEAWAY! + 5 Keys to Parenting in a Pornified World

I recently finished reading The Freedom Fight and was impressed with how the author, Ted Shimer, addresses pornography addiction. The Freedom Fight has developed a thorough program for addressing the issue. I highly recommend reading the extensive book and perusing their website. I was so excited that Andrew, Director of Coaching and Onboarding, agreed to write a post for Difficult Conversations. But I was ecstatic when he offered to also give a book to one of our readers. Be sure to read to the end of the post to find out how you can enter the drawing to win a book.

When speaking with parents, there are two groups I interact with most: parents who have caught their kids watching porn and parents who don’t know their kids are secretly watching it. In today’s world, it is easier for an eleven-year-old with a smartphone to access porn lying in bed than to get a glass of water because getting a glass of water requires them to get out of bed. The reality is porn is pervasive, destructive, and addictive. We, as parents, need to be intentional about having ongoing conversations because if we don’t, the world is happy to fill in the blanks for our kid’s questions.

February 28, 2022October 16, 2023

Four Steps for Parents to Heal from Shame

Our children feel shame when they watch pornography. But do we, as parents, experience shame? I certainly did.

My friend and I sat at my kitchen table drinking coffee.

She took a sip of her coffee and set her cup on the table. “Your children are amazing. You’ve done such a great job raising them.”

Our children were in the backyard hanging out. This fellow homeschool mom and I were close. Shortly after meeting, we quickly knew about each other’s extended family and history. Whenever we got together, the conversation flowed freely from one topic to another without pause. We laughed together and felt each other’s pain when issues surfaced. I was comfortable when I was around her. But I kept a part of my life hidden.

February 14, 2022February 12, 2022

A Teacher’s Perspective

I’m thrilled to introduce Lauren Crews. I asked her to talk with us parents about her observations as a teacher. Wow! I definitely learned a few things. I hope you are enlightened and inspired to keep talking.

As a public-school teacher, I’m in a unique position and privy to behaviors parents often don’t see, and I overhear some startling conversations. The struggle is: What do I do? Do I confront the student? Do I tell the parent? Do I keep it to myself? I would love to share with the parents what I know, but I’m bound to respect the privacy of all my students. I also cannot assume we share the same moral standards, so I am often viewed as a busybody. I also wrestle with privacy issues. To what extent does privacy extend to a child? There’s the rub.

January 30, 2022July 5, 2022

Is My Child at Risk for Online Grooming?

What is online grooming for sex trafficking? Are our children at risk?

Why is it important to talk about this subject here at Hopeful Mom? Because the demand for pornography motivates traffickers. Those who watch pornography contribute to human trafficking. And our children are not only potential consumers of pornography, but also potential targets for sex traffickers. Yes, our children and their friends are potential targets.

January 17, 2022July 10, 2023

Human Trafficking Awareness: What would you do to protect your loved ones from a predator?

Antoinette Villarreal Human Trafficking Awareness

I’m thrilled to introduce Antoinette Villarreal, creator and host of the InHumane Podcast, HotPie Media, LLC. Antoinette is dynamic and passionate about protecting children from human trafficking. She and I talked on her podcast, and I was inspired and motivated by her zeal. I love her message and vibrant personality. I’m grateful she stopped by during Human Trafficking Awareness Month to chat with us about this tragedy happening in our own backyards.

What would you do to protect your loved ones from a predator? Are there any limits? How would you prepare you and yours to prevent being a target to these monsters? How do we prepare our children and other young people from being forced, coerced, or lured by fraudulent promises?

January 3, 2022January 4, 2022

Parenting Adult Children: The Magic Age of Eighteen

What’s the trick to parenting adult children? Even after two of mine had left home, I still didn’t think I knew the secret.

The summer before my son left for college, I fretted about his wellbeing. Would he make friends? Would he flourish? Would he fail? Would his emotions plummet? Would he fall back into his pornography addiction? Or would he leave that old habit behind? And how involved should I be with his college life?

December 13, 2021December 12, 2021

Holiday Child Protection

I was immediately attracted to Jessica’s enthusiasm, amazing smile, and upbeat attitude when I met her at the 2021 Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Online Global Summit. She is an encourager, urging me and others to continue working to make this world a safer place for our children. It’s my privilege to welcome her to Difficult Conversations to talk about child protection online and in-person during the holidays.

For many families globally the holidays are some of the most vulnerable times for children and families. Excitement permeates the atmosphere and charity fills the hearts of many. The joy of the season and the anticipation of joining family and friends causes a false sense of safety, leaving children exposed to predators and child sexual abuse material.

November 29, 2021November 24, 2021

How to Protect Your Kids Online with Holistic Online Safety

We are privileged to welcome Fareedah Shaheed, also known as CyberFareedah, to Difficult Conversations. I met her at the NCOSE Summit this past summer and was immediately drawn in by her smile and upbeat personality. Fareedah approaches online safety from a positive perspective, helping parents get over the scary parts. Be sure to check out her Safe Kids Movement website.

Protecting your kids online can be a daunting task. And the rise of online crimes against children makes everything even scarier. But with the rise in fear comes a rise of hope. And to truly protect your kids online you’ll need a lot of hope, love, and patience.

This is why I believe in holistic online safety. Holistic online safety means giving your kids the freedom that they want and the safety and security that they need. Holistic online safety is the foundation of fully protecting your kids online without losing your sanity or peace. In fact, the whole premise is to make it easier for you and your kids to maintain online safety while also cultivating a beautiful relationship with each other.

November 15, 2021November 15, 2021

Responding to Porn Use: Love, Not Shame

I grew up thinking people who watched pornography were shady characters. They were the ones slipping in the back door of the video store—the creepy people who couldn’t control their urges. I’m not sure where these thoughts came from, but I’m not alone. The culture is changing, but until a few years ago this picture was a good representation of how most of society saw the use of pornography, especially those who watched alone.

This stigma contributes to our regretful feedback as parents when we learn of our child’s relationship with pornography.