Tag: pornography

Posted on

Tips to Keep Your Teens Safe From Online Sexual Exploitation and Harassment

teen VR online gaming

Jenna Greenspoon of Kidas is here this month to talk with us about keeping our kids safe while they are gaming online. Since January is Human Trafficking Awareness month, it’s the perfect time to explore the dangers of sexual exploitation and harassment while gaming.

Children spend hours and hours online daily for both educational and non-educational purposes. You have likely seen this in your own home or read about it. Many parents worry about what their children are exposed to during their time online engaging in a hobby, such as gaming, and how they can prevent sexual exploitation and harassment from happening. They want to protect their children.

Continue reading “Tips to Keep Your Teens Safe From Online Sexual Exploitation and Harassment”
Posted on

Sexting: Helping Our Children Heal From This Epidemic

Kristen Miele of Sex Ed Reclaimed is with us to talk about sexting. I met Kristen when she and I were each presenting at the SHE Recovery Summit. Her topic was sexting, and I quickly asked her to share her expertise at Hopeful Mom. I’m so grateful she agreed.

Sending nudes. Sharing pics. Snapu puas (sending nudes, the words upside down and backwards!). Texxxting. ‘You up?.’

Slang and teenagers go together like pumpkins and pie. There are many terms for sexting: sending explicit photos over the phone, in messages, and online. As adults, we’ll never understand all of the current slang. We actually don’t need to. However, what we do need to know is how to help our children prevent and heal from the epidemic of sexting.

Continue reading “Sexting: Helping Our Children Heal From This Epidemic”
Posted on

What You Need to Know About Consent

what you need to know about consent man woman

In the show Ghosts, a modern-day character, Samantha, sees and hears ghosts who reside in the mansion she owns. Each lived during a different time period in history and died in the mansion. In one episode, Hetty, who lived in the 1880’s, has the opportunity to converse with the maid her husband had an affair with while she was living. Hetty has been holding a grudge since before her death. She confronts the maid, accusing her of chasing after her husband.

Wide-eyed, Molly responds, “He pursued me. I wasn’t interested. I didn’t know what to say. So I didn’t say anything.”

Continue reading “What You Need to Know About Consent”
Posted on

Defining Love

Defining Love banner

What is love?

Yesterday, I asked this question in several ninth-grade classes. In each, at least one student said, “Fake.” Actually, to my surprise, most of the answers were pessimistic. And their faces showed signs of distrust.

Several teens implied that love is hard to define. Yes, defining love is confusing and tricky. The purpose of the question was to challenge them—to help them think about love and comprehend how complicated the word itself can be. The goal was to distinguish between a deep-seated meaningful relationship based on genuine love and one based on infatuation or lust.

Continue reading “Defining Love”
Posted on

Is Porn Bad?

It’s my distinct privilege to introduce John D Foubert. I recently read his book, Protecting Your Children from Internet Pornography, and immediately asked him to share his knowledge at Hopeful Mom. I revere him as a distinguished expert on the harms of porn. He’s been researching, writing, and speaking on this problem for over two decades. In addition to his other jobs, he serves on the Board of Directors at National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). I’m grateful he agreed to speak with us here.

The story of how I became interested in studying the harms of pornography is anything but typical.  Many, if not most, of the authors and researchers in the area have a profound personal experience that led them to an interest in the topic.  Though I have people close to me who have gotten tangled in the sinister web of pornography, my motivation for studying pornography came originally from anger that pornography was being celebrated by a community of which I was a part.  Being the research nerd that I am, when I get angry, I do research.  Thus began a crusade of sorts to identify, document, and publicly share the many harms of pornography with as many people as I can reach.

Continue reading “Is Porn Bad?”
Posted on

Young Children See Pornography, Too

Anne,* a friend of mine, contacted me recently about her daughter. That’s not unusual. Since I began Hopeful Mom, formerly Difficult Conversations, many friends have called, messaged, or emailed me concerning their children’s, spouses’, and even parents’ pornography use. I’ve heard stories of parents scrolling through their child’s history and finding pornography, stories of parents learning their child was molested by someone engaged with pornography, and stories of parents who’ve battled pornography in their home for years.

I’m grateful for this space where friends, as well as people I’ve never met, are comfortable explaining their dilemmas and expressing their emotions.

Anne was compelled to tell her story at Hopeful Mom. So, we sat down to chat. The following is from that conversation.

Continue reading “Young Children See Pornography, Too”
Posted on

The Four Lane Freeway

four lane freeway Dr. Sheri Keffer

I am over-the-top thrilled to have Dr. Sheri Keffer here with us. Her book, Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal, changed my life.  While the book is primarily for wives who’ve experienced betrayal, the information also pertains to parents who’ve experienced betrayal. The following post, first published on Dr. Sheri Keffer’s website, is applicable to both spouses and parents. I’m sure you’ll find the article informative and transformative. ~Barb

Several months ago I was driving on the freeway. From the corner of my eye I noticed a car coming directly toward me. It was surreal. In a fraction of a second I was broadsided – no fault of my own. I just happened to be in the wrong lane at the wrong time.

It was unavoidable. The car crossed ALL four lanes in a horrible attempt to exit the freeway. My car was white. They didn’t see me. On impact, I saw black.

Continue reading “The Four Lane Freeway”
Posted on

Preventing Social Media Addiction

boy with phone and earphones

I’d like to introduce Larissa Mills, Founder of Iparentgen.com, The Mental Game Academy and Digital & Mental Wellness HR Solutions, our guest author. She has some practical advice for parents concerning social media and pornography addiction.

I have twenty years of experience in education and I’m a mother of three. So, I can safely say that phones with social media should never have been invented. Phones, yes! We, as adults, love them but are just as addicted as children. Once a child has one, they are sucked down the proverbial rabbit hole, never to talk to you again.

Continue reading “Preventing Social Media Addiction”
Posted on

Do Internet Filters Really Prevent Children from Seeing Pornography?

Our home owner association recently put a locked fence around the amenities in our neighborhood. We have a pool, a sports area, and a small playground for young ones and their families. Our fees pay for the upkeep and allow us these perks. Each home received a fob for our key chain, which unlocks the fence and allows us into these “members only” places.

Continue reading “Do Internet Filters Really Prevent Children from Seeing Pornography?”
Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress