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The Online Playground Rules
Written by Jessica Harris   
Thursday, 28 January 2010

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8

In recent months, I have been able to work with two mothers. One, whose fifteen-year-old daughter came to her confessing an addiction to pornography, and another, who discovered that her daughters (ages 11 and 14) have been sexting. These mothers were shocked. They could not believe it had happened to their little girls. They just could not believe this was happening. Why is it that we always think it is the other guy?

Pardon me for being blunt, but for being in such a tech savvy age parents are rather ignorant. Do not be surprised that your children are having porn and sex thrown in their faces. When you get them the newest Utouch phone with unlimited texting, do not be surprised when they use it for unlimited reasons. It is sad that you have to say, “By the way, do not send pictures of your body to that boy at school.” Sad or not, you still need to say it!

Face it. Times are changing, and technology is changing. The more convenient things are for you, the more convenient things are for the porn people. This filthy sludge is everywhere, and get this through your head, it is after you and your family. Remember when your kids were little? Remember those rules you gave them?

Do not talk to strangers.

Do not take candy from strangers.

Do not accept a ride from strangers.

Never let anyone touch you there.

Here is how you call 9-1-1.

Why did you do that? Is it because you knew that someday a stranger would offer your kid a ride? No. Well, at least, I hope not. Hopefully, you set down those rules to help your little one establish safe guidelines. That way, if perchance, a stranger were to approach them offering them a lollipop, you, as the parent, can have confidence to know that your child would at least know (and, Lord willing, do) the right thing. It is a moot point to teach your child how to diall 9-1-1 once the house has already burned down, right? It was preventative maintenance.

But. But those little children who could not talk to strangers grow up and get cell phones, laptops, Facebooks, myspaces, and yourfaces, and whatever ‘social networking’ (think online playground) sites. With a new improved playground comes new improved rules.

Do not friend, chat with, e-mail, or otherwise engage with people you do not know.

Do not accept gifts from strangers.

Never ever ever meet strangers in person.

Your body is your body, no one else needs to see it.

Here’s how you call up God.

If you let your children lose in the technological playground, do not be surprised when they are abducted, poisoned and mistreated (figuratively-speaking). Do not be surprised when they have found themselves stuck in an unpleasant situation. Your children are not immune. They may be the perfect little angel, but the truth is, strangers still lurk the playground.

Pornography does not sit back in some haunted house on the corner waiting for kids to stumble in. It is prowling. Did you know that there are at least 30 children’s cartoon characters linked to pornography? That means your child can hop online looking for a coloring page or a fun game based on his favorite TV show and be flung into the world of pornography. Are you watching out for that?

The devil is roaming around, looking for you and your family. The Bible tells us to be on guard. To be watchful. Never lose that watchful eye.

A friend of mine recently shared the irony of her parents’ outlook on pornography. One night they sat around discussing the poor demise of a young man who struggled with pornography. He had confessed and come forward for help but they were badmouthing him. “We just can’t believe he did that!” She said to me, “They sat around in disbelief that he could have had that problem, when meanwhile my brothers and I have unchecked, unmonitored internet access.”

Do not let that be true of your family. Put up safe guards. This is a new game, a new era, and there are new rules. Learn them. Live them!

Comments
  •   |24.138.68.xxx |2010-01-28 05:43:37 Katie  - awesome
    What an awesome article! Thanks so much for sharing this, will have to keep it in mind when our children are old enough
    to get on the computer/have phones/etc

    It really does amaze me sometimes that parents can be so ignorant to what
    their kids are getting into! It is so important to remember to be vigilant, to guard our hearts as well as our
    childrens. Thank you!!
    1 0
    Reply
  •   |71.110.220.xxx |2010-01-29 21:08:10 Anonymous  - April
    This was a great read, Jessica. Thanks for the reminder of how important it is to have safeguards. Not only that, but
    cyberstalkers are also trying to get to our kids. I attended a human trafficking conference a few months ago, and it was
    quite alarming. It's a scary world.
    0 0
    Reply
  •   |173.79.191.xxx |2010-02-03 09:34:34 Jessica  - Thank You :-)
    Thanks, ladies, for your comments. April, I had recently heard some statistics about sex trafficking. It was after I
    wrote that article, but I took it as a confirmation of sorts that this was something that is needed. I hear about it so
    little in the church that I thought, at first, "Maybe this is the wrong stuff to write!" But, sad as it is, it
    isn't.
    0 0
    Reply
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