Porn-Proofing Our Kids :: Kristen Jenson [Ep 256]

Access to the internet is everywhere in our modern world. And that means access to pornography and sexual imagery is everywhere too. Rather than bury our heads in the sand or cross our fingers that our kids won’t see porn, we can choose to be proactive and to give them a plan for how to react. 

Kristen Jenson, the best-selling author of "Good Pictures, Bad Pictures", joins me to share some simple ways to talk with our kids about porn and protect their minds. 

Pornography makes a child more vulnerable to sexual abuse. So if you porn-proof your child by starting these conversations early, you are actually helping your child to be more protected from child sexual abuse. When you start these discussions it's not as hard as you think. And once you do, you've begun this journey with your child to trust you for answers. You tell them, ‘Don't go on Google to ask these questions. Come and talk to me.’

This may feel like a super heavy topic, but I promise it’s worth taking the proactive approach now vs waiting till you have teenagers. Kristen shares a lot of resources and makes it easy to get started. 

What we chat about:

* What led her to write Good Pictures Bad Pictures**, a book that helps porn-proof young kids, and Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.*** How pornography is a public health crisis and the negative effects it has on children and adults* Taking the proactive parenting approach helps kids be more resilient when they see porn* When a child has any exposure or access to the internet you need to warn them about the dangers of the internet in simple, age-appropriate ways* These conversations are the same as talking to your kids about why we don’t eat or drink poisonous chemicals-- it’s all about safety. * Helping kids learn about their “thinking brain” and their “feeling brain” and how to use them appropriately* Teaching your kids a simple plan for how to respond when they see porn* CAN DO: Close your eyes, Always tell a trusted adult, Name it when you see it, Distract yourself, Order my thinking brain to be the boss.

Connect with Kristen:

* Website: protectyoungminds.org* Facebook: facebook.com/ProtectYM * Instagram: @protectyoungminds 

Links Mentioned:  

* Episodes with Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson from Birds and Bees [PODCAST]* Birds and Bees Curriculum [RESOURCE]* Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today's Young Kids [BOOK]* Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds [BOOK]* Resources and a Quick-Start Guide for Proactive Parents [WEBSITE]

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