Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents to talk to their kids and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. Join in along with guest experts for open conversations covering topics of prevention, communication, sexual exploitation, addiction, healing, and more! We are here to encourage and guide parents through the challenges of raising kids in a media-saturated world. For complete show notes, visit parentsaware.info
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[4-10] One Mom’s Mission to Help You Untangle The Tech with Your Teen
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Tell me if this sounds familiar? You love your kids, you love technology, but when they're together, you’re terrified of both. Ok, terrified might be too strong a word. But, when you stop and think about it, there’s just so much that can go wrong with kids and tech. Yet we live in a digital age. We're all on screens—for homework, entertainment, and…
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[4-9] The Art and Science of Talking to Teens About Pornography
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With the ease of access to today’s online pornography, it makes sense to have open, honest conversations with children from an early age. That’s the ideal. But it’s not often how it goes, right? In fact, you may have a teen already—and you’re just starting to think about how to broach this sensitive topic. You’re not alone. My guess is you want to …
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[4-8] Unrestricted Internet for Kids is Like Asking Little League to Compete Against Pros
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Imagine your child’s little league team facing off against top NFL players. Ridiculous, right? A mismatch in every sense of the word. We would never allow it. It’s dangerous. It’s reckless. Our children would get hammered. They might never recover. Yet every day, children and teens enter an arena with just as many odds stacked against them. Unrestr…
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[4-7] The Secret to Building Safer Screen Habits With Little Ones
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Ever tried to distract a restless child in a grocery store, doctors' office, or while traveling? Portable screens can feel like a magical pacifying gift, right? But what if they become the norm? Are there long-term implications? Does excessive screen time affect child development? Or are we just letting the guilt and fear get the better of us? It s…
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[4-6] Empowering middle-schoolers to make safer media decisions
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Ever have trouble motivating your young teen to follow the family rules around tech and screens? Kids this age still need lots of love, guidance, and direction. Yet, they’re naturally prone to push boundaries and gravitate toward peer influence. That can feel scary for us moms and dads. But following their peers is not ALWAYS a bad thing. Especiall…
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[4-5] New Bill Aims to Protect Minors from Exposure to Pornography
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You try everything in your power to protect your kids from online pornography. Yet, you know it’s probably not enough. You’re swimming against a raging current. The content coming at kids is relentless. Exposure seems inevitable. At some point, we have to say enough! Governments across the globe must act. We need real legislation that can protect m…
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[4-4] Want to Trust Your Teen Online? 3 Ways to Model Honesty
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Let's talk, trust and honesty. Thinking about all the things that could go wrong for kids is going to stir up some big worries. Yet, kids are online every day. Whether they’re on a smartphone, tablet, gaming console, or school-issued laptop, we want to trust that they will be safe. That our child or teen will make smart decisions online. The best w…
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[4-3] Protect Children NOT Porn: A Rallying Cry for Online Age Verification
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What makes you most angry, upset, or frustrated about parenting in the digital age. Think about it and make a mental checklist. Next, shift your focus to what in this world is most worth protecting? Finally, imagine if the internet would protect children not porn? What if you could help? In this episode, I talk with Helen Taylor the Vice President …
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[4-2] Dear Savvy: Is it worth starting the conversation with an older teen?
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We often try to wait for the perfect moment or the right age to talk to our kids about pornography and other tricky topics. Then, in a blink, our kids have grown up. The perfect moment never arrived. What do we do then? Are we too late? Is it worth starting the conversation with an older teen? Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organ…
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[4-1] Establishing Direction in a Media-Saturated World
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Ever made what you thought was a great resolution only to be defeated before you start? Yup, you and me both. So what do we do to build safer screen habits? How do we resolve to improve knowing full well we’re going to face challenges, obstacles, and maybe even failures right at the outset? It comes down to establishing direction. Keep in mind that…
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[3-40] Decoding boys and Their Journey Through Puberty
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I’ve said it a gajillion times. I’ll say it again. Our kids are waiting for us to start this conversation! But what if we get mixed signals in return? Like slammed doors. Or a son who suddenly grunts most of his words. What then? Is there a different approach for boys than girls? And how does a boy’s journey through puberty impact their response to…
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[3-39] I Don’t Think I Can Tell My Parents About This
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I’ve heard it both ways. Either “I could never tell my parents” or “telling my parents was the best thing I ever did.” Sometimes from the same kid! The truth is, it’s often when our kids need us the most that they retreat and distance themselves from help. Think about it. If it’s hard for us to talk to our kids about pornography, imagine how they m…
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[3-38] Helping boys build identity and self-worth free from pornography
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Porn is a health issue that impacts EVERYONE—women and men, girls, and boys. Still, the statistics are clear that boys consume porn more frequently and earlier than girls. So while we work hard to dispel the myth that “only boys struggle” we certainly don’t want to minimize or dismiss their specific challenges. What do they need? How can we reach t…
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[3-37] Dear Savvy: How can I avoid scarring or scaring my child with too much information?
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TMI, too much information. It’s a real thing. And it can present real challenges when talking to kids about pornography. How do we balance the desire to protect children while preparing them with the information they need? This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning question. These shorter epis…
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[3-36] Managing Media and Tech with Multiple Ages Under One Roof
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It's tricky enough managing media and screens with one child, right? What do you do when you have a whole crew of kids? A lot of well-meaning parenting advice tends to gloss over the reality that most families are navigating multiple ages and stages of development simultaneously. How do you shelter the youngest while giving your older children the …
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[3-35] Ready, Set, Get Off the Fence: Talking to Kids About Pornography
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Time and again, the same questions come up. When should I talk to my kids? How do I get started? Won’t I make them more curious? Almost every parent feels this, I think. This is why I am excited to announce that Get Off the Fence is finally available! This course is a guided method to help parents move from feeling anxious to confidently talking to…
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[3-34] What it Takes to Realize a City Free From Porn
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Think about your city. Then think about the children that live there. What are their needs? What are their wants? What is their cry? Once we start asking the right questions, that’s when we start to get answers—solutions. For one woman the solution was to collaborate with her mayor and launch the City Free From Porn campaign. This week, I am thrill…
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[3-33] Ready to Start Bold, Brave Conversations with Your Kids?
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When it comes to talking to kids about pornography, what’s better, boldness or bravery? The answer is YES! With a topic that takes most of us far outside our comfort zone, we need to gather all the strength we can muster. A phrase I often repeat is: be bold, be brave, be honest. I believe these are the secret sauce ingredients to building, not just…
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[3-32] 5 Tips to Ensure A Safer Sleepover Experience
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Did you grow up going to sleepovers? Do you have fond memories? Best friends, hanging out all night? Are you eager to carry on the tradition? Or would you rather it disappear altogether? What about the risks? Are they greater in the digital age? Or is there any way to ensure a safer sleepover experience? Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAwar…
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[3-31] Healthy (Not Awkward) Sex Talks with Children and Teens
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The sex talk has gotten a bad rap for decades. Awkward. Uncomfortable. Embarrassing. Does it have to be that way? Not at all. Many of our preconceptions about sex talks with children and teens are actually false. If we want to help our kids understand the harms of pornography, the truth is, we have to start with healthy and positive conversations a…
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[3-30] Clean vs Toxic Tech Habits: Spotting the Difference
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Raising kids in the digital age means there is no escaping the question about screens. Actually, it’s a long list of questions. How much screen time is ok? Does it depend on the activity? When should my child get their own tablet, device, or smartphone? What’s healthy? What’s not? And what is meant by clean vs toxic tech habits? In this episode I t…
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Dear Savvy: My child feels excluded without a smartphone [3-29]
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There’s a lot of pressure on parents to get their kids a smartphone and the latest social apps. What if you’re not ready to give in but your child’s insisting they need a phone to feel included. Is this a valid reason? If not, how do you say no? This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning quest…
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Sport vs Smartphone: Confidence, Self-Esteem, and Body Image
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There’s a trend that has coaches worried. Participation in youth sports is down across the board. And the steady decline seems to correlate with the rise of smartphones and other technologies. For many coaches, the concern goes beyond the field, pitch, or pool and are urging parents to pay careful attention to their kids’ confidence, self-esteem, a…
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Helping Kids Build a Safe Network as They Go Back to School
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Back to school is the perfect time to review safety strategies with kids. One that’s simple and effective is asking your child or teen to come up with a list of trusted adults to add to their Safe Network. Having a Safe Network is a concept we highlight in our 5 Body Safety Tips for Kids guide. That’s something you’ll want to print out and stick on…
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OnlyFans: from Likes and Follows to Trafficking and Exploitation
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Ever heard of Only Fans? It’s an online platform where content creators get paid directly by their followers, a.k.a. fans, for the photos and videos they share. But the site is rife with porn and exploitation. And worse, it’s targeting young women in droves with promises of turning likes and follows into instafame and fortune. In this episode, I sp…
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6 Ways to Talk About the Threat of Pornography with Other Parents [3-25]
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In this episode, I share not one but six ways to transition casual conversations to the topic of pornography. These tips are designed to help you talk openly with extended family, neighbors, and close friends. We know that pornography grows in the shadows. It thrives in secrecy. When we stay silent, it wreaks havoc on people's lives. This is about …
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Dear Savvy: My middle schooler is sending nudes. What should I do?
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Filters installed. Devices monitored. Online safety taught. All of this, and children can still make poor choices—like sending nudes. So, how do we respond when we learn of this behavior? This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning question. These shorter episodes are designed to give you just …
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How Dads Can Empower Kids to be Internet Safe with Matt Richardson
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We know the term cyberbullying. So do our kids. But what about cyberstalking and sextortion? Not so much. Yet, these are serious online threats putting more kids at risk than most of us realize. What do we need to know to empower kids to be internet safe? In this episode, I speak with Matt Richardson, an awesome dad of two and founder of the Digita…
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Root Out Pornography with Care, Attention, and Community Awareness
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Dandelions. Clover. Weeds! Most agree that these invaders are to be eradicated from our lawns and gardens ASAP. If not they will spread and take over. Similarly, we want to root out pornography before it takes hold. Today, Lisa Whitsitt and I are having a conversation about weeds and pornography. Lisa is our Director of Educational Outreach and is …
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Amazing Resources to Fortify Teens Against Pornography with Clay Olsen
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Do you know a teen who is struggling to quit porn? The reality is that many kids get caught in a porn trap. They want to quit. They try to quit. Yet, they find themselves returning again and again. Imagine, what if there was a tool that could help fortify teens against pornography? In this episode, I am joined by Clay Olsen, Co-founder of Fight The…
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Dear Savvy: How do I talk to my child about sexting without being awkward?
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We keep scratching our heads trying to figure out why young kids are sexting. But the fact is the formula is pretty basic: (curious kids + digital devices) x (sexualized media) = sexting normalized. So, the question is not if I need to have this conversation but how do I talk to my child about sexting without being awkward. This episode is part of …
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What to tell kids when a parent struggles with sexual addiction with Tara McCausland
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Porn harms families. No question there. So what do you do when a parent struggles with sexual addiction? Instinct may be to keep it hidden. Your spouse knows—but not the children. You reason the truth would be too painful. Better that they never find out. And yet, experience and research show that children actually suffer more from the weight of hi…
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Good, Better, Best. How often should I monitor my child’s smartphone?
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Involved parents worry about their child or teen’s safety online. And rightly so. The nature of the internet means harmful content could come across their screen at any time. Dangerous situations seem to be lurking around every corner. So, many parents wonder, how often should I monitor my child’s smartphone? Should I check it daily? And is that re…
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Building Mom Confidence In a Media-Saturated World
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Every mom is amazing! There’s no question there. Yet, we are often our own worst critic. When things don’t go according to plan, the negative self-talk comes flooding in. So, how can we start to believe in ourselves again? And how can building mom confidence change the dynamic we have with our kids and their tech? In this episode, I ask Leah Davids…
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The New Puberty Talks for a Media-Saturated World with Rowena Thomas
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It’s normal. It’s natural. Everyone goes through it! And every kid has LOTS of questions. Yet, for many families talking about puberty still feels awkward and embarrassing to mention—leaving kids to sort through confusing information on their own. Often, that’s whatever media and friends throw their way. That doesn’t seem fair or terribly healthy, …
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Are you a mom to boys? Do you worry about helping them mature into sexually responsible teens and adults? How often do you defer to dad for “The Talk?” Have you ever questioned, can moms talk to boys about pornography? If so, you’re not alone. This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning questio…
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Pornography’s Role in the Rise of Child-on-child Sexual Assault with Heidi Olson
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Yes, it feels easier to say, I don’t want to go there, I don't want to talk about it. But we know sweeping tough issues under the carpet doesn’t make them disappear. In fact, it only increases the trauma. Children are hurting. Families are being torn apart. So, we’re going to be bold. We’re going to face this issue straight on. And we’re going to t…
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You caught your child watching pornography. You talked about it and have a handle on the situation. But now you are wondering: Should I bring up the subject again? And, if so, how often should I talk to my child about pornography? Will my relationship with my child stay healthy if I go back to the topic too often? This episode is part of our #DearS…
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Harnessing the power of youth to end exploitation with Cheryl Perera, OneChild
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When I say the words human trafficking what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Kidnapped? Overseas? Impoverished? Or maybe you think of street kids and runaways? Rarely, do we imagine this could be impacting our kids. But it does. Victim or not. Trafficked or not. This is part of the culture they are growing up in. But what if we could harness t…
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Empowering teens to make value-based decisions online with Lisa and Jason Frost
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Raising kids in a media-saturated world can feel a lot like shovelling in a snowstorm. So much tech, so fast. It feels impossible to keep pace. Try as we might, we can’t control everything that comes at our kids. Sometimes we can’t even ensure they’ll have a clear path to navigate. But we can teach them to think differently—to tap into their core v…
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Parenting Slump? Family POWER Meeting to the Rescue—Part Two
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When you need to communicate the next play in football, you huddle. When you need to regroup, you call a timeout. It’s not all that different for a family when you think about it. Each day, there are plays to be made, problems to solve, and new ground to cover. Why not huddle? Try a Family POWER Meeting to layout your next winning game plan. Media …
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Parenting Slump? Family POWER Meeting to the Rescue—Part One
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Do you ever find yourself caught in a parenting slump? You know, when it feels like the weight of the world rests on your shoulders; but your last ounce of creativity just flew out the window. How do you get unstuck? Try harnessing the energy of the Family POWER Meeting. If you’re a longtime listener of the podcast then you’ve heard me use the term…
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Addicted? Not Addicted? How a Teen Brain Responds to Porn with Mary Sharpe, Reward Foundation
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Addicted. Not addicted. How would you describe someone that can’t stop looking at porn? What if that someone is just a kid? Does that change your perspective? If addiction is not the right word, what do we call it? How should a parent respond when their teen feels trapped? Does it help to know how a teen’s brain responds to porn? These are the ques…
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The Importance of Self-Care When a Child is in Crisis
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Who has time for self-care when their child is struggling? As moms, we tend to put everyone else first, neglecting our own well-being. We take on guilt and lose our individuality. We assume we’ll have time to take care of ourselves after the crisis has passed. But while we’re frantically patching up the problems on the outside, our insides are dete…
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Racism in Pornography: Its Impact on Black Women and Girls with Dr. Carolyn West
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More than a half-century beyond the civil rights movement and America is still fighting to end racism. How does this connect to the conversation of pornography? Think about it. Porn thrives on exploitation. Racism included. But it’s something most people don’t consider. Why is that? What are the consequences of leaving racism in pornography uncheck…
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Finding the Courage and Strength to Talk to Your Kids About Pornography
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Does the idea of talking to your child or teen about pornography make you nervous? Why do you think that is? Perhaps, simply, it’s a conversation muscle that hasn’t been used. I’ve been thinking about strength lately. And all the courageous things we do as parents that take us out of our comfort zone. What do you do when you don’t feel strong? How …
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How to Safely Address Pornography in the Classroom
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When has sex-education not been a polarizing topic? One side against the other. Home against the state. But while concerned adults are still duking it out, internet pornography has swooped in and taken over. Not cool! Porn instructs children and teens through the lens of exploitation. So how do we set our differences aside and find a way to safely …
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Dear Savvy: When Should I Seek Therapy for My Child?
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Your child’s been caught looking at pornography again and again. How do you respond? Is it panic first? Quickly followed by a determination to “fix” the problem? Maybe you want to spring into action. Finding therapy for your child crosses your mind. Why? Because dealing with pornography is new to your parenting repertoire. But is therapy right for …
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Teen Inspires Families To Tackle The Porn Talk
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Imagine being a kid, all alone, and carrying the weight of a dark secret. For many teens, that’s how they describe using porn. What begins as curiosity quickly becomes a compulsion. Breaking free feels nearly impossible. Now, imagine being that same kid and finding out you have a whole team supporting you: parents and friends that love you enough t…
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Confessions & Clarity: Stepping into 2021 with Confidence
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Welcome, 2021! And welcome, third season of the Media Savvy Moms podcast. I’m excited to see where this year will take us. I'm an optimist at heart and I can’t help but think, no matter what life throws at us this year, we got this! I know you’ve probably gone through tough times. And you’ve got big worries. I have them too. But I believe that toge…
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