As a porn/sex addict whose first exposure to pornography was at age 7, I understand better than anyone how important it is to approach your children early about the dangers of porn. Back in the day, all I had access to was a stack of magazine's my buddy's Dad kept under the bed. However, these days porn is readily accessible by our children with the click of a mouse.
That's why I think resources like
The Porn Talk are so valuable. This website is loaded with good and timely information and tips to help parents get a leg up on talking to their kids about this delicate and difficult subject matter. Under the Porn Talk tab on the front page, you'll find links to conversation starters, the do's & dont's of engaging in the discussion, how to overcome your fears in approaching the subject matter, guidelines for age-appropriate discussion, and tips for conducting family follow-up.
Under Action Steps, learn the warning signs that your child may be using porn, understand your responsibilities as a parent, get tips on how to protect your child, explore a list of helpful resources (such as kid-friendly search engines), and download wallpapers and banners to help spread the word.
The Critical Issues section breaks down the characteristics and development of kids by age group and offers parents ideas for protecting them from internet porn.
Watch & Listen features brief video clips from kids and parents who have had the talk as well as public service announcements plugging the website. The Expert's Corner explores issues of intimacy vs. porn and the consequences of porn use. And, for those parents who find themselves facing a serious and pressing issue that needs to be addressed immediately, a large red Panic Button on the homepage provides answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Overall, the information presented is very good and parents should find it very helpful. However, as a Christian parent, there was one thing sorely lacking and that was any mention of God and His plan for sex, marriage, and sexual purity. Although the Porn Talk team includes pastors, the information takes a decidedly secular (but not necessarily worldly) viewpoint with God completely missing from the conversation.