The Internet has made our lives a whole lot easier, nobody can deny that. Today we have almost everything at our disposal, just a fingertip away.
Do you want to watch an old-time classic movie from your childhood? The internet has it for you. Those new shoes you wanted? One-click and they’ll be at your doorstep!
You don’t even need to leave your house to shop anymore. But, with all these pros, also comes along a set of cons.
You can’t deny that there are various pitfalls to the internet. But, pornography, in particular, is one of its biggest pitfalls.
How Harmful Watching Porn can be for Your Child?
Viewing pornographic content excessively has a negative impact on people of all ages.
However, it’s even worse when it’s a child watching it. While adults are advised to consume explicit content in moderation, we fail to ensure that this content exists on the internet only for the pleasure of adults.
It’s troublesome for a kid, with developing impressionable minds to be watching such content, it can sometimes cause irreversible damage.
Every other kid, with access to the internet, finds themselves caught up in the vicious cycle of using porn. Often these kids aren’t even aware of how they got there.
Traps have been laid all across the internet, to lure curious young viewers into watching such explicit content.
As parents, it is only natural for you to want to protect your kids. But, you must also be aware that you cannot physically be with your kids every moment.
Sitting right by their side as they browse online websites is not a sane option.
Instead, what you can do is be alert to any warning signs. We have mentioned below that can let you know when something is out of order.
If you’re doubtful that your child has started watching porn, here are some signs to look out for to confirm your suspicion:
- Empty browser history
- Spending excessive amounts of time online at night
- Fidgeting with the screen when a parent enters the room
- Carrying their phone/tablet into the bathroom
- Secretive and defensive behavior
- Withdrawal from regular social activities
1. Empty browser history
If you have previously never looked at your child’s browser history, now is the time to do it!
Although the browser history does give much insight into your child’s internet habits, it can definitely have some hints for you.
For example, if you come across an empty browser history, it’s a tell-all sign that your kid might’ve been up to something suspicious in the last few hours.
It is also important to keep in mind that, if a child has started looking at porn in secret, there’s a strong chance they may have also Googled how to hide it, like using an incognito window.
2. Spending excessive amounts of time online at night
Excessive use of phone/laptop screens can be harmful to people in every age group.
While it’s good to limit your usage of screens, you need to keep in mind your child’s school and homework requirements before judging whether their screen time is excessive.
You can always determine and set a reasonable amount of screen time for your child, keeping in mind their school and entertainment needs, and set up an app or software to disable the internet for the kids at particular at night.
If you find your child constantly breaching these rules, it might be a sign that they have started using porn.
3. Fidgeting with the screen when a parent enters the room
If your child quickly changes screens when you enter the room, then this is a pretty good indicator that whatever was on the previous screen was highly inappropriate.
It might be a good decision to investigate this further and have a quick chat with your kid regarding how they spend their time on the internet.
4. Carrying their phone/tablet into the bathroom
The loo is easily one of the most convenient places to watch porn without drawing attention.
Tucked away in a corner, with locked doors, it undeniably provides great privacy. There might be many other reasons for your teen to carry their device into the bathroom, like wanting to follow a make-up tutorial or watching a youtube video to give themself a new haircut.
But truthfully, this one is the most likely. Hiding the use of electronics is one of the signs that a child could be viewing porn.
5. Secretive and defensive behavior
Kids are very expressive with voicing their thoughts and opinions.
They often lack a filter and rarely think twice before saying something.
Keeping this in mind, if you notice your kid is being rather secretive, there are chances that they have started viewing porn.
Experts say that once a child falls into the habit of watching porn, they tend to become more secretive with their life and tend to act defensively in almost every scenario.
6. Withdrawal from regular social activities
One of the signs a child is viewing porn is they are no longer happily participating in activities they used to enjoy.
The reason behind this is that once a kid starts viewing porn, it hijacks the brain making the individual feel like nothing else is more important or exciting or even worth their time.
Look for signs like their declining interests in their favorite sports or hobbies, playing with toys or imaginative games becomes dull, and they get increasingly irritated by family time, which they thoroughly enjoyed before.
If you’ve recently noticed all these signs in your child, it’s quite possible that they have started watching porn.
In this case, the first thing that needs to be done is, have a chat with your child.
Right now, your kid needs you!
They need you to be understanding and loving, instead of lashing out at them with anger. Tread with caution and care, in such a situation.
Take the time to explain the dangers of pornography and predators on the internet.
Once you’ve spoken to them, the next step would be to download parental controls on all their devices, to ensure their safety. A really good porn blocking software also always does the trick. All parents face this situation someday, it’s best to be prepared!
