{"id":22265,"date":"2023-06-07T17:22:54","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T17:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/?p=22265"},"modified":"2023-10-10T16:24:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T16:24:19","slug":"how-to-talk-with-kids-about-porn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/how-to-talk-with-kids-about-porn\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Talk With Kids About Porn"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was originally written for <\/em>Parenting Safe Children<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>

Pornography isn\u2019t what it used to be. It\u2019s vastly accessible, more demeaning than ever, and children are exposed to it earlier than you\u2019d like to think. I regularly receive phone calls from parents who learn their children have viewed porn and want to know what to do. This month I offer parents practical tips and conversation starters for talking with kids about online pornography.<\/p>

When Do Kids Start Seeing Porn? <\/h2>

The prevailing stat is 11 years old \u2014 the average age of first exposure to porn. The average age kids get their first phone in the U.S. is 10.3 years old. A connection? Perhaps.<\/p>

By age 12, one-third of children have seen pornography. According to research conducted by Dr. Matthew Ezell, Professor of Sociology at James Madison University 98% of boys and 83% of girls are exposed to pornography by age 17.<\/p>

Teens look at porn out of curiosity, for stimulation, or to impress friends. It\u2019s entirely normal for children to be interested in sex and viewing images is one way teens, particularly post-pubescent males, satisfy their sexual curiosity and urges. But online porn comes in flavors that are harmful.<\/p>

And children are being exposed earlier and earlier. In fact, during private consultations, it\u2019s not uncommon for parents to share that their 6\/7\/8-year-old children are being exposed to porn on their own, their parent\u2019s, or a friend\u2019s device. Either way, when you give your child a phone or tablet, you\u2019re not just giving them access to wonderful educational content, but also access to pornography.<\/p>

Why Should You Be Concerned?<\/h2>

Parents, particularly dads, wonder if looking at porn is a normal part of growing up, and then proceed to offer up themselves as examples that viewing porn didn\u2019t have a negative effect.<\/p>

I\u2019m not suggesting that engaging with porn inevitably leads to dysfunction, but the prevalence of violent and illegal images is mind-boggling, and these pictures send inappropriate and unrealistic messages about sex, sexuality, and gender roles. With millions of demeaning porn images swirling about the Internet, what are children and teens learning about what it means to be a sexual partner and what it means to have a consensual and respectful relationship?<\/p>

Did you know\u2026?<\/h2>