Four out of ten teens watch porn, this is what you can do
Photo Canva.com, APF, Attila Kisbenedek
Christian Life
Does your child watch porn? That’s not unlikely. Four out of ten teens do. How can you protect them in a sexually immoral world?
In recent OneHope research about Global Youth Culture, the numbers about youth engagement in porn were shocking.
As many as 40 per cent of 13 to 15-year-olds watch porn. And this number increases with the age of children. Moreover, several teens stated that they were first introduced to graphic images when they were much younger, still school kids.
Many Christian parents believe their kids are safe because of their church attendance, Sunday School classes and Bible reading. But they are severely mistaken. Of kids who attend church regularly, 42 per cent watch porn, the research shows.
The church cannot protect kids from the world around them. Parents also cannot do that. After all, we don’t live in a safety bubble.
Many parents look for internet filters and boundaries that can help to protect kids. Protecting our children is our primary calling. But filters and rules are not enough to help our children stay pure in a sexually immoral world.
Taboo
Why do kids watch porn? They are often curious and want to know the “why” and “how” of everything. Unfortunately, some children believe that certain topics are taboo to discuss with their parents (like sex). Instead, they try to learn about these things by talking to their peers or by looking them up on the Internet.
It might be difficult for parents to tackle topics proactively when it comes to sex education. However, because we cannot protect kids against the sexually aggressive culture, we must teach them how they can deal with seeing something graphic on the Internet. And we have to explain why those images are perverting the true meaning of sexual relationships.
So, are you ready to do so? Check yourself. You are if you feel comfortable answering the following questions with a coherent biblical answer:
Why did God create two sexes?
Why did God create sex? (besides procreation)
Why does God only allow sex within marriage?
What does a healthy sex life really look like from a biblical perspective?
Is all sex okay in marriage?
Powerful
Even though sex and marriage are common themes in Scripture, very few Christians can answer these questions. One thing we should stay far away from is answering questions with a typical “Because God says so”.
The questions might not be easy for you. But let them challenge you to look for answers and discover the Biblical perspective on sexuality. Understanding God’s heart on marriage, sex, and gender will make it harder for sexual sin to take root in our kids.
Backgrounds
Knowing this, we should be proactive and open up the topic, even if our kids are too shy to ask questions. We must realise that we might not even understand fully how far the conversations between pupils at school go, as they all come from various backgrounds and families.
I learnt that kids are more open to talk about “hard topics” with other adults. Sometimes parents even ask me to talk about “it” during the sessions of the Children Club.
It is always good to have also another adult who loves kids and can teach them. However, the first place of influence is home. It is powerful when parents talk about sex and display healthy, loving relations at home as kids learn while growing.
Related Articles
