Parents

Parents are the most effective guard against children becoming involved in pornography. We have met many parents who are clueless about what is out there for their kids to get into.

"Well, my little Johnny wouldn't be looking at nude pictures on the web!"
"My house is safe because we have filtered Internet."
"My little angel only chats with friends online and would never talk to a stranger."

We love our kids and think they are the best. Often when a child gets into inappropriate material we dismiss it as 'kids being kids'. Well, parents should be parents. It is our responsibility to monitor and control the content that comes into our homes. We are called to protect our children to the best of our abilities. That beckons for us as parents to actively understand where our kids go and what they do online.

The reality is your son or daughter probably know much more about technology than you think. They likely know more about computers and the Internet than you. That is exactly why you need to be informed on what is out there. You must become aware of the possibility that your son or daughter could be into something inappropriate.

It's time for you to get involved in their life. Ask the tough questions. Talk about the dangers. We realize talking about porn is as hard as talking about sex. Get out of your comfort zone. Your children are worth it.

NEXT STEPS
1. Monitor
Download XXXchurch's free accountability software X3watch. It’s simple and completely free. This software monitors what is accessed online and sends a report of any questionable websites to email address of your choice.

» Download here - x3watch.com

2. Filter
Get a filter! It is time to block the junk from coming in. Safe Eyes is the No. 1 Internet safety solution for homes as rated by America's leading consumer advocacy magazine. Safe Eyes offers robust options that allow the creation of customized protection parameters for each member of the family, no matter what age.

Safe Eyes installs with preset monitoring and content blocking capabilities, providing immediate protection for PCs and Macs. Once installed, individual "accounts" can be created and customized for each user based on their age, abilities, homework, and even bedtime.

» Download here - safeeyes.com

3. Have the talk
Yes, have the talk. It may be a little awkward, but your son or daughter will know that you care. As a parent you must actively engage with your kids by taking a stance against inappropriate material through conversation. Tell your son or daughter the steps you are taking as a parent. Do not leave them in the dark. Let them know there is accountability software and a filter on the computer.

4. Get practical
Proximity is the best accountability-place the family computer in a space in your home that is well trafficked. There is nothing like mom peering over the shoulder at the screen. Do not let your children have a computer in their bedrooms.

Empower your kids through getting them resources that help them develop their stance against all the junk out there. Pick up some solid books for them and refer them to websites that will challenge and inspire them to be strong.

Know the warning signs of inappropriate activity on the computer:
- Late night Internet or TV sessions.
- Defensive or angry when these issues are discussed.
- Long periods of time on the Internet.
- Withdrawal from friends or family.
- Coarse sexual joking or slang.
- Unidentified media-CD’s, USB Drives or DVD’s from friends.
- Secretive behavior.
- Sleeping problems.

Shut down any other way porn could come into your home. Cancel premium cable channels and, Oh yeah, if you have a porn stash, now is the time to burn it. You don't want your son or daughter to get into porn because of you.

5. Monitor social interaction on Internet
- View Myspace, Facebook or other social networking pages regularly.
- Ask your son or daughter to show you their pages regularly.
- Set social networking standards for your children. For example, only allow them to be friends with those they know in real life, set time limits and limit their accounts to one social networking site, which will help you to stay on top of it.

6. Monitor peer-to-peer file sharing
Millions of files are exchanged every day through peer-to-peer file exchanging or P2P. Understand that these programs have thousands of pornographic videos and images available. Major file sharing software: eDonkey, BitTorrent, Gnutella, Morpheus, Limewire, iMesh, Shareaza, Bearshare.