Raising Kids:
Parenting Skills for the 21st Century
Internet/TV/Music
Every generation feels that what their children are watching, wearing and listening to are more outlandish than anything they were ever exposed to. While that may be true to some extent for all generations of Americans, it has never been more true than today. The fact of the matter is that 20 years ago it simply was not possible to turn on the radio and hear songs about killing cops, click on the wrong web site and see hard core pornography, or tune in a cable T.V. channel and view extreme violence or hear offensive language. Today, all of these are commonplace.
One of our primary duties as parents is to protect our children. This includes protecting them from seeing and hearing things that are not age appropriate or are inconsistent with the values we are raising them to live by.
There are two primary things you can do to protect your children from the pervasiveness of inappropriate material from the media.
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Limit their exposure. Use parental blocks on your T.V., set up web filters on your computer and keep it in a common area of the home, tune radios only to inoffensive stations and encourage use of CDs and recorded music. Pay attention to ratings on movies, T.V. and video games. If ever in doubt, check it out. Preview movies and video games and seek out reviews via the internet, especially from Christian sources. Check up on what kids are watching and listening to elsewhere. Ask parents and the other kids what they are watching or listening to at their house.
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Teach them to dislike inappropriate material. One of the most effective means for training your kids to avoid this crap is to show them from an early age how much you personally dislike it. When parents change the channel on the T.V. or radio or stop watching a movie before it's over, it makes an impression on kids. Explain to them why you're doing it and tell them that it conflicts with your values. Show them that you try never to contribute, through your spending power, to studios or performers who create material that has no redeeming social value.
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Remind your kids that when they are adults, they can make the choice of what to purchase, view or listen to. When children see the restrictions you have as being tied to life in your home, it is sometimes easier for them to accept. Most children are keenly aware of the concept of fairness. They will usually see that in fairness, you can decide what is or is not acceptable in your home.
After all, it is impossible to police your kids 24/7. However, talking with them early and often about your standards can make a big difference. What’s more, the better job you do instilling these values into your oldest children, the easier it will be with the younger ones. Kids learn by example and there is no more powerful example than that provided by an older brother or sister.
Sports & Activities
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