Additionally, it is vitally important that children are shielded from the Internet by delaying its introduction, limiting the time they spend on Internet-connected devices, and using all available filters (or, better yet, by adopting a minimalist or devise-free approach to childrearing). You wouldn’t take your child to an XXX store, but parents do just that when they give their children unfettered access to the Internet. Even robust filtering and monitoring is sometimes not enough to protect children from the cornucopia of worldly influences and predators just clicks away on the Internet. Developing a family philosophy regarding technology use and teaching your children why it matters will aid significantly. For more information on managing Internet access and social media use in your family, see our Social Media page.

It is also prudent to be cautious about the other children your children play with. If the parents of your children’s playmates are not equally vigilant about protecting their children’s innocence, it is highly likely that your child will be exposed to pornography, and potentially initiated into sexual behaviors by other children. Thus, discussing with the parents of your children’s playmates the measures they take to safeguard their own children is another essential component of protecting your children.

Steps such as these, along with faithful prayer for God’s protection, will help your children grow up uninhibited by the distorted views of sexuality portrayed in pornography. Under your proactive guidance, their own sexuality can unfold naturally, and they can learn to cope with life’s struggles and stressors in healthy ways, rather than resorting to pornography as a coping mechanism. By doing all we can to create safe environments for children and equipping them on how to respond when those safety barriers are broken, children can learn how to love and bond with others without the broken view of sexuality created by pornography.

For more information, see the resources for parents.