Why You Need to Talk to Your Teen About Porn

Learn How Pornography Addiction Affects the Teenage Brain – Infographic

The Internet affords us all kinds of incredibly useful information in just a matter of seconds. We just "Google it". Having access to such quick information makes us all wiser, healthier, and as informed as we choose to be. 

Unfortunately, the Internet also has a dark side. Just as anyone with access can tap into wonderfully useful information, anyone with access can also tap into horribly damaging information. Anyone. Including our children. 

Which is why talking to your kids about porn is such an important conversation.

Why porn is an issue for your kids

Children with unbridled/unmonitored Internet access can find themselves lost in the sea of "damaged for life". The teens years are so risky. Teens haven't quite grown all their effective reasoning brain cells, yet they take it upon themselves to make some really big, (or even seemingly small decisions), that can have a grave impact on the rest of their lives. 

One of those damaging decisions is the choice to watch pornography. When I was young, "watching pornography" was just stolen glimpses of an inappropriate magazine, or reading the dirty sections of the r reading the dirty section of the book Endless Love. We never saw anybody actually "doing it".

What a child can see these days...well...there's just no limit to what can be seen. While I am no prude, I am firm in my belief that pornography is not for children. Further, children must be protected from pornography at all costs. And the best protection you can offer is to actually talk to your kids about porn.

Come on Sara...

Is it really that bad? I mean...isn't looking at porn just a teenage right of passage, especially for boys? 

The short answer is "No".

I recognize that this short answer might leave you feeling like you're hanging a bit, so I have connected with the fab folks over at HelpYourTeens.com, who shared this detailed infographic in order to explain how the teen brain reacts to watching pornography, and what warning signs to look out for.

While it is true that a curiosity about sex, and the opposite sex (or the same sex) comes with the teen territory, we are increasingly understanding the impact this activity has on the human mind, how it can trigger addiction receptors, and how it negatively impact behavior and human relationships.

And that is just for ADULTS!

So now that you're convinced this is an important issue, how exactly DO YOU talk to your kids about porn? 

Talking to your kids about porn is no easy task. Failing to talk to your kids about porn can have significant consequences for them now, and for their relationships for the rest of their lives. 

Below are 3 great resources to help you understand how to go about this challenging conversation:

How to Talk to Your Kids About Porn - New York Times

I Caught My Child Looking at Porn Now What Do I Do? - HuffPost

How to Talk About Cyberporn with Teens - Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Use these resources, take a deep breath and jump in. While the conversation will likely feel very awkward, know that you are taking an important action to protect  your child from harm, and to help your child to have positive romantic relationships as an adult. You will be so glad that you braved this challenging topic!