Chapter 13 of our Book Club Bringing Up Boys was all about the predators on our sons. I'm going to keep this review short and sweet and just make a list of the Predators, Dr. James Dobson focused on.
*Postmodernism thinking: nothing is good or evil, everything is relative, all that matters is what's right for me and what's right for you, in other words there are no absolutes...
Proverbs 23: 7 says "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."...so our ideas DO determine our behavior
*"What the media delivers to our children we are expected to rebut one at a time." Many parents go with the culture instead of counter the culture.
*"Many parents are overwhelmed by the culture. They feel relatively more helpless than their parents." For example: if everyone at school has a cell phone and ipad, and your child doesn't what will you do/say. If everyone has a TV or computer in their bedroom, and you don't what will you say/do?
*Now a days there is so much to say NO to.
*Parents feel more isolated, and it is much harder to raise a child in this day and age.
*We are at a constant battle with our culture with the TV, music, what happens at school, what happens on the bus, the internet, etc.
*Sometimes it feels like there is nothing wholesome left for our children and teens to enjoy.
*Our children are being exploited by what is geared for them to watch on tv and what they are able to watch on the internet...they are being targeted and companys are making big bucks off of them.
*"Boys and Girls are starved emotionally by disengaged parents" The pedophiles surf the WEB looking for needy kids. Do NOT let your child surf the net alone or unsupervised. The average length of time that exploitation occurs in an individual is 7 years!
*"The availability of p*rno*raphy on the internet is at the click of every mouse." Children can learn how to make a bomb or steps to committing s*icide on the internet. It's absolutely terrifying.
*P*rn and smut pose an incredible threat to our boys. A single exposure to it by some 13-15 year olds is all that is required to create an addiction that will hold them in bondage for a lifetime.
How do we as parents PROTECT our boys:
As parents we need to set the tone in our homes. It starts with us setting high standards and making this a priority. I know there are parents who don't allow the Celebrity Dance tv show in their home because she has sons and she doesn't want them to watch these women with barely any clothes on dancing around. She's taking a stand to protect her children's eyes even though she may be able to watch a show like that.
*"Many parents are overwhelmed by the culture. They feel relatively more helpless than their parents." For example: if everyone at school has a cell phone and ipad, and your child doesn't what will you do/say. If everyone has a TV or computer in their bedroom, and you don't what will you say/do?
*Now a days there is so much to say NO to.
*Parents feel more isolated, and it is much harder to raise a child in this day and age.
*We are at a constant battle with our culture with the TV, music, what happens at school, what happens on the bus, the internet, etc.
*Sometimes it feels like there is nothing wholesome left for our children and teens to enjoy.
*Our children are being exploited by what is geared for them to watch on tv and what they are able to watch on the internet...they are being targeted and companys are making big bucks off of them.
*"Boys and Girls are starved emotionally by disengaged parents" The pedophiles surf the WEB looking for needy kids. Do NOT let your child surf the net alone or unsupervised. The average length of time that exploitation occurs in an individual is 7 years!
*"The availability of p*rno*raphy on the internet is at the click of every mouse." Children can learn how to make a bomb or steps to committing s*icide on the internet. It's absolutely terrifying.
*P*rn and smut pose an incredible threat to our boys. A single exposure to it by some 13-15 year olds is all that is required to create an addiction that will hold them in bondage for a lifetime.
How do we as parents PROTECT our boys:
1. TVs, computers or VCRS should not be in the bedrooms. "Locate them in the family room, where they can be monitored and where the amount of time spent on them is regulated.
2. Watch shows with your children and use teachable moments to help them make right choices. Psalm 101:3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes"
3. Teach your children that God loves them and holds them to a high level of moral accountability.I think of the song: Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little ears what you hear, for the Father up above is looking down in love Oh be careful little eyes what you see.
4. Do everything in your power to reverse the blight of violence and lust that is so pervasive across the land. (maybe write a letter to your local congressman about entertainment moguls to stop producing explicit lyrics or producing raunchy shows).
5. Vow as a family to set for our children the highest standards of ethics and morality to protect them (maybe this means not getting the Victoria's Secret catalogue mailed to your home, or cable filters on your television, or filters on your computer, whatever steps you can take as a family to guard their eyes and ears)
As parents we need to set the tone in our homes. It starts with us setting high standards and making this a priority. I know there are parents who don't allow the Celebrity Dance tv show in their home because she has sons and she doesn't want them to watch these women with barely any clothes on dancing around. She's taking a stand to protect her children's eyes even though she may be able to watch a show like that.
Awesome post, Kristi! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first Blog Hop...and wow am I ever glad to have found you! I just came down from singing and praying my 7 year old son to sleep. What a blessing this post is for me...thank you! I am definitely your newest follower!
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Cath @ Home is Where my Heart is
http://cathhasablog.blogspot.com/