Every parent has to decide for themselves.
What will you allow your children to be exposed to? Which books and movies are okay? Which video games are okay? Is social media a good idea? Should they have access to the Internet?
So many things are fighting for our children’s attention. With the ever growing range of access to images, thoughts, ideas, and opinions in the world, trying to protect our children’s minds and maintain their innocence is harder than ever before. The truth is we’ve lost this battle. Even before it’s begun. The average parent has no way to keep their child from being exposed to things they feel are inappropriate.
But, the war is not over.
Yes, our children are savvy (just ask my eight-year-old how to program any electronic device known to man). But, they still need direction. They still need guidance. And they still need a skill set to help them succeed. As parents, we can help provide a skill set that encourages them to make their own decisions regarding what they allow and don’t allow into their hearts and minds.
From the time my children were young, I’ve talked to them about protecting their mind. I’ve encouraged them to be careful what they allow themselves to see and hear, explaining that once images or sounds are in your mind, you can never get them out.
Encourage your children to start building their own mind-protecting skill set:
Be Pro-Active
Teach your children to use discernment when choosing what comes into their lives. We take a pro-active approach in our family rather than a reactive one. And you know what? We’ve seen great success. While they don’t always make perfect choices (hey—we learn from mistakes too!), my children have grown to see and understand that what they allow in their mind does shape who they are. More importantly—not to mention more effectively—they’ve also witnessed that people who allow negative things in often put negative things out.
“We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
Consider the Consequences
Ask any teen from the 80s and 90s if seeing the Freddy Krueger movies caused them to lose sleep. If they say no, they’re lying. More often than not, there are negative consequences to allowing things into your mind that aren’t positive and life-giving. While the world may think nothing of it, teaching our children to discern between what is good for them and what isn’t will go a long way in other areas of their lives—including their relationship with Christ.
“I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.” Psalm 101:3a
Promote Self-Respect
Teaching our children to protect their mind also teaches them self-respect. Self-respect is the feeling that you are handling yourself with honor and dignity. Teaching your child to monitor what they allow to enter their mind, teaches them to respect their own honor. To put a high value on being an honorable person, regardless of what others do. When we make good choices for ourselves, further good choices are likely to follow. When we see the consequences of our actions are good, we long for that same feeling again.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Even though it feels out of control, we do have things we can do to help our children protect their minds. While starting at a young age may seem unfair compared to when we had to start thinking about such things, building this skill set into our children’s lives at a young age (or any age!) will make it simply become a part of who they are.
Do you think protecting your child’s mind is important? Please share your thoughts with us.
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