Posted: 2/3/06
Online pornography: Helpful tips for parents
Parents to be involved in their children’s lives, urges Leighton Flowers, who leads the Baptist General Convention of Texas youth ministry efforts. Internet activity is one area where parental guidance can be especially helpful.
He recommends parents follow these tips if they are concerned about their children viewing pornography:
• Keep the computer with Internet access in a public location such as the living room or den of the house.
• Have set times of the day that the Internet can be accessed. For example, cut off the computer by 10:30 p.m. and limit the amount of time each child spends on the computer.
• Make sure there are filters and/or accountability software on the computer so online activity can be monitored. Teenagers are smarter than most adults when it comes to working a computer, he noted. Many know how to erase their tracks and fool their parents. Become educated on what filters and accountability programs are available.
• Educate children about online dangers, and make sure they know nothing really is anonymous while they are on the Internet. Then hold them accountable for their behavior online. “Whether they are willing to admit it or not, teenagers like boundaries, and those boundaries must be clearly defined by parents. Don’t take the easy way out. Protecting your child requires parental involvement,” Flowers said.
For more tips on how to deal with Internet pornography, visit www.onlinepurity.com.
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