Stop Selling Sex to My Children

Parents, what are we doing? Why do we sit back and silently watch our kids be bombarded with unhealthy images of sexuality? No place is safe.

It comes through the television, the internet and the movies. We couldn’t even take our kids to see “Courageous” without exposing them to previews with explicit sexual content.

Drive down the road and, unless you blindfold your children, they will encounter billboards and signs emphasizing sexuality. Whether in pictures or in words, advertisers try to persuade us (and our children) that we should covet a sexy appearance.

But perhaps the most irritating location for all this demonic garbage is the grocery checkout line!

This mom happens to have two daughters and a son. Now there is already a lot being said about young girls and body image. Girls flaunt their sexuality at a much younger age. Our culture sells them on the idea that their value depends on how much a man wants them. There is something very wrong with this picture.

Why would we ever want to encourage our daughter to “take pride” in being a sexual prize? Decades ago women with this type of focus would have received at least a measure of scorn and disapproval. Today, it’s not only acceptable, it’s glorified.

As a result, I have spent many a night telling my girls how important it is to remain modest in dress and appearance. I am all for a fit body and a desire to look nice. However, when it crosses the line of flaunting sexuality, it’s time to speak up.

Surprisingly, however, I am equally disgusted by the impact this exposure has on my son. When he was as young as five he would point at magazine covers and say it was wrong for the woman to be so – well, undressed.

Now that he is older, I worry about him glancing over and reading some of the article titles that cover a wide array of sexual content.

Perhaps the issue really hit home when he came to me stating his new favorite bible verse was  Ps 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure”. This boy is only eight. But the truth is, our whole culture is dead-set against our men keeping their way pure. We set them up for failure, and generations suffer the consequences.

As parents, we must take an active stand against the pollution that seeks to harm and ultimately destroy our children.

We may not be able to change industry trends, at least not overnight. But there are practical steps each one of us can take to begin to turn the tide against the promotion of impurity and immorality. Parents please, step up and do all you can to protect your children. We cannot afford to remain passive.