Consider This


On average, our nation's youth spend more time consuming various

forms of media than on anything else...


According to Pew Research Center, 92% of teens report going online daily from their smartphones- including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly.” 

Today’s youth spend an average 9 hours a day consuming media — watching TV, listening to music, surfing the Web, social networking, and playing video games.
(Common Sense Media)


How does all this exposure
affect our kids?
  • Produces significant delays in developmental milestones, which effects social, interpersonal and literacy capacity.
  • Damages a child's self regulation and attention skills.
  • Increase of physical, psychological and behavioral disorders.
  • Difficulty in determining what is real and what is fantasy.
  • Heightened state of stress.
  • Overstimulation but less personal connection.   

"It's important to come together as parents, teachers and therapists to help society "wake up" and see the devastating effects technology is having not only on our child's physical, psychological and behavioral health, but also on their ability to learn and sustain personal and family relationships." (Cris Rowan-Pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, speaker, author).

safeguard you kids' devices


Apple Devices


Within Apple's Settings on iOS devices, click on the option for Screen Time, parents here you can:
  • Set Content & Privacy Restriction
  • Prevent iTunes & App Store purchases
  • Prevent explicit content
  • Restrict Siri web search
  • Restrict Game Center
  • Prevent web content

Android Devices


Within Android's Google Play Store Settings, under Parental Controls, parents you can set age limits for:
  • Games
  • Films
  • Shows
  • Magazines
  • Books
  • Music

Google


Searching on Google unfiltered can be daunting, thankfully Google has what they call SafeSearch. Parents in order to activate this feature, follow these steps:

  • Type SafeSearch into the search bar
  • Click on Settings (or the settings icon) and go to Search Settings
  • Check the box to Turn On SafeSearch
  • Here you can Lock SafeSearch so that it may only be chanegd with your password.

Digging Deeper

According to recent data, 90% of young men age 18 have been exposed to pornography-much of which is hard-core (meaning it often involves violence and overtly explicit imagery). Of the 90%, the average age these young men were sexualized by pornography was between 8-11 years old. Similarly, 60% of young women by the age of 18 have been exposed to porn as well. Almost 80% of this exposure, which isn’t always voluntary, is happening in the perceived safety of their homes.


71% of teens keep their online habits from their parents and 90% of the 8 to 16 year olds who have viewed online porn did so while doing homework.


Here’s an interesting correlation, 60% of families who give their children smartphones, do so between the ages of 10 and 11. (20% give their children phones between the ages of 8 and 9.) This is in fact the same age that the average child in our nation is exposed both voluntarily and involuntarily to explicit material.


If you are wondering what potential impact this can have upon a child, buckle your seat belt. Though exposure to explicit material affects each individual differently, the overall damage it can cause is sobering to say the least. The truth is that ongoing exposure can lead to sexual addiction, unplanned pregnancies and puts children in a higher risk of being victims of sexual violence. It molds and shapes their values and attitudes towards themselves how they view others around them. This can often lead to a distorted perception of reality, a devaluation towards human life in general, as well as trivializing violent behavior. 



Simply put, it damages a child’s development, and unless it is dealt with properly and carefully, these children will take these destructive patterns, perceptions and behaviors into their future.

Covenant Eyes, internetsafety101.org/pornographystatistics, growing wireless.com


What Can you Do?

Get informed and protect your kids.


Find out all you can about this issue. Netnanny.com, Qustodio.com, Kaspersky.com, accountable2you.com, covenanteyes.com, meetcircle.com, endsexualexploitation.org, internetsafety101.org, unglue.com, life360.com, commonsensemedia.com, family.mcafee.com and OpenDNS.com are good places to start. 


If you really want to protect your kids, you need to lovingly talk to them regarding the dangers that exist and help them see that they are just ONE CLICK AWAY from something that could be damaging if they are not careful. 


There are a number of great filter/accountability programs you should consider putting on all your electronic devices. In fact…it’s a must! 


Here are a few articles reviewing some top products:


BEST PARENTAL CONTROL SOFTWARE OF 2018: PC MAG

BEST PARENTAL SOFTWARE OF 2018: TOP TEN REVIEWS

BEST FREE PARENTAL CONTROL SOFTWARE 2018: TECH TRADER


Another part of this is being mindful not to deflect shame onto your children in the communication process. If there has been exposure in the past or if something happens in the future, you want them to feel comfortable coming to you first so you can help process them through it. Isolation and shame are the factors that keep many children (and adults for that matter) in this deadly web.  


If you have any questions, concerns or just need someone to talk to:  click here.


Family media plan

"Media should work for you & work within your family values & parenting style. When media is used thoughtfully & appropriately, media can enhance daily life. But when used inappropriately or without thought, media can displace many important activities such as face-to-face interaction, family-time, outdoor-play, exercise, unplugged downtime & sleep.


By creating a Personalized Family Media Use Plan, you can be aware of when you are using media to achieve your purpose. This requires parents & users to think about what they want those purposes to be. The tool below will help you to think about media & create goals & rules that are in line with your family’s values."

American Academy of Pediatrics:  Healthychildren.org


CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR FAMILY MEDIA PLAN