Difficult Conversations: Talk About the Effects of Pornography

I am a mom of four and have been homeschooling for nineteen years. Over the past two decades I have teetered back and forth on whether parents should tell their children about the birds and the bees. And if they do tell them, what age is appropriate to have “the talk”? In Christian circles you will find a myriad of answers on when and how to expose your children to this subject. The spectrum widens in homeschooling circles because, as home school families, we have slightly more control over their environment. But let’s not kid ourselves; no amount of sheltering short of never leaving the house and having zero access to a TV or computer or phone will keep our children from hearing about sex. And if we think we can keep our kiddos from hearing about it, we are only deceiving ourselves. Continue reading “Difficult Conversations: Talk About the Effects of Pornography”

Are Our Children Victims?

Photo by Aliyah Jamous on Unsplash

Our home is a Christian home. We try to adhere to Christian principles. We teach our children right and wrong behavior. We openly tell them not to look at inappropriate photos or videos online.

For example, when I found out one of our older son’s peers had been caught sexting, I flipped out. I sat my older children down and made sure they understood that type of behavior would not be tolerated. They assured me they wouldn’t be involved in anything of the kind. And I believed them. I trusted them. (Although, I’m sure the fact that I was alarmed did not help them see me as someone they could trust.)

Continue reading “Are Our Children Victims?”

Parenting Is A Big Deal

Photo Credit: Pixabay, slightly altered

Parenting is a big deal. I mean a BIG DEAL! I cannot boast about always handling this role well. I didn’t want to be a parent to begin with. But I am so grateful to be a mom, and I take it seriously. I try to learn from my mistakes, and I think I have grown (dare I say matured) into the position.

My son that deals with porn addiction is not my oldest child; so, while I would say the day he confessed to watching porn is the worst parent-day of my life, I am grateful that before that day I had a few not-so-pleasant mom-moments under my belt. Otherwise I may not have handled the situation as gracefully as I did. Continue reading “Parenting Is A Big Deal”

Gag Me: My Son’s Watching Porn

The day I learned my son was watching porn, my husband and I were finishing a walk. We had recently moved to a new home and were enjoying the pleasant weather. As we rounded the corner and prepared to cross the busy street to return home, we saw our 14-year-old son standing in our front yard, crying hysterically, jumping up and down, and motioning to us. That moment is etched in my mind, a pivotal moment–the moment my mom-life changed. As my husband and I waited for the traffic to let up so we could cross the street, many thoughts swarmed through our minds. What happened? Was his 12-year old-sister lying in a pool of blood? Had someone broken into our house? Why was he standing there screaming uncontrollably? Continue reading “Gag Me: My Son’s Watching Porn”