XXXChurch: Parents Blog
It’s almost an understatement to say that teenagers today are obsessed with the way they look. Often this obsession revolves around being sexy. Unfortunately, the media’s standard for “sexy” is unachievable without surgery, professional makeup teams, and diet pills. One study reports that by age 13, 53 percent of American girls are unhappy with their bodies.[i] This number grows to 78...
Earlier this week, I touched on two common temptations teens (and especially girls) struggle with: (1) Getting involved in an online relationship and (2) Crossing physical boundaries. Two more common struggles that teens (especially girls) struggle with include: (3) food-related struggles, and: (4) fantasy & masturbation.
Like so many of these life compromises, food-related struggles and...
Last week, Kevin focused on the concept that many of our teens (especially our girls) struggle with: ‘If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It”. I remember back when I was in high school, this was a concept that I certainly struggled with. On the outside, everything looked pretty good, but on the inside, I was an insecure mess, and as a result, I felt as though I constantly needed the attention and...
When I was around 10 years old Donna Summers had a song out titled, “If you got it flaunt it”. At that time I was really into playing with my Hot Wheels, so if I heard the song I probably didn’t pay much attention to it. Girls had cooties anyways, so if they were flaunting anything it was something bad that could make me sick. But sometime in junior high that changed. Cooties turned out not to...
A number of parents have written me over the past year explaining that when they confront their son or daughter about their use of pornography, their teenagers reply that what they do online is “their private business”. So many of our kids have bought into the very popular myth that pornography is just “harmless fun”, and that they have the “right” to their own private life online.
Firstly,...
Or as she elaborated in this month’s Men’s Health Magazine, she believes the sex act itself is overrated. Given her status as a world-renowned sex symbol and Men’s Health’s #5 “Hottest Woman of All Time” I was pretty surprised to read what she had to say about sex, pornography and the sexualization of media, and I wanted to include a few excerpts for your thoughts….
MH: Are you surprised by...
As we’ve talking about over the past few weeks, as parents, we often need help talking to our kids about being safe online. If you missed our last three posts of conversation starters, check out part 1 here , part 2 here and part 3 here. To continue the conversation, consider using some of these conversation starters with your kids:
Let’s say that your worst enemy is planning on using...
He was one of the best boxers in the world. He won titles in five different weight divisions and was the first boxer to earn more than $100 million. But for 30 years he fought a secret battle in his mind and the pain was gripping. Sugar Ray Leonard was sexually abused as a teen. This secret finally came out as he was writing his memoir. Two men, an Olympic boxing coach, and another man he...
As we’ve talking about over the past few weeks, sometimes we need help (OK, let’s be real… a lot of help) talking to our kids about being safe online. If you missed our last two posts of conversation starters, check out part 1 here and part 2 here, and to continue the conversation, consider using some of these conversation starters with your kids.
Do any of your friends talk to strangers...
I recently came across a survey from Cosmopolitan that reported that 36 percent of women use pornography as a “sex enhancer.” In another Cosmo article, the magazine implores its readers to explore the many “benefits” of pornography. Pornography use has become normalized in our culture. Porn stars are now mainstream icons; little girls wear the Playboy bunny with pride on their T-shirts. The...
