Digital Standards: Parents, How Clean is Your Content?

We parents expect our children to keep their digital diet relatively clean. How are we doing living up to that standard in our own digital consumption-especially when no one is looking over our shoulder?

I have always enjoyed a good love story. The old boy meets girl tale never gets old for me. But it has become increasingly difficult to find clean romance stories, free from sex scenes that can quickly become pornographic – whether in visual or written form.

My children will lose their digital privileges if they are caught purposefully consuming inappropriate content. Are we parents willing to live by the same rules we set for our children? Honestly, I want to justify a few exception clauses for myself. I’m an adult.

Why should I live by the same standards?

·       Children are experts at detecting hypocrisy.  

·       Parental actions have spiritual consequences for our children whether or not they are aware of what we are doing.

I would argue that we parents best safeguard our household and teach our children by our own example more so than by our words. If, for instance, I allow pornographic content for myself, I open up a door to temptation through which the enemy will likely enter. My pornographic use would make it more probable that my children would fall into the same behavior even if they never knew I accessed it (similar to genetic alcoholic propensity). The enemy wants to gain a foothold wherever he can in our homes and use it to influence the rest of the family. And if my children were ever to find out about my pornographic content they would certainly be more likely to justify using it.

I recommend breaking digital content into four categories:

1.     Enriching: This material is wholesome, educational, inspiring, and life-giving.

2.     Neutral: This content is fun, entertaining, and a good way to escape and relax.

3.     Vapid: This type is enjoyable, but questionable, and can be harmful if consumed in large doses over time.

4.     Pernicious: This kind is harmful, poisonous, and totally unhealthy.

Let’s expect our families to consume mainly Enriching and Neutral content and steer clear of Vapid and Pernicious content. As parents, let’s lead by example.

I was deeply engrossed in two novels recently, great stories. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. But midway through, graphic sexual content showed up. I was so tempted to justify continuing to read the books just to find out how the stories end. I waffled for a few days. But I knew I didn’t want my kids to see what I was reading. I reluctantly closed the books and haven’t finished the stories. It was difficult at the time, but I’m pretty proud and clear of conscience to be able to tell you and my children, why I don’t know how those books ended. In fact, I was even able to share with my kids the fact that I was tempted. I asked them to pray for me for strength to resist the temptation. So, my children know that temptation is normal and we all need communal support and accountability to be able to withstand it. Which content most tempts you - horror, graphic violence, sex? We are all vulnerable to that pull. So come on, parents. Let’s clean up our digital diets and humbly share that process with our children.