Porn-Proofing Today's Young Kids with "Good Pictures, Bad Pictures: A Review

You have got to be kidding… 6 or 7 year old kids being exposed to pornography! That’s someone else’s kid, not my kid(s)! Right?

This is not nearly as unusual as you might think.  If your child has access to an internet-equipped device or a friend with one, s/he is vulnerable to pornography or other adult materials. The average age of pornography exposure is between 7 and 12. “When it comes to kids and pornography, ignorance is risk.” (p.VIII) Kids are particularly vulnerable to the effects of pornography; they are wired to imitate what they see and don’t have the capacity to control their impulses, which can result in an early pattern of sexual interest, sexual behavior, and/or pornography addiction.  

In Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, authors Kristen A. Jenson, MA and Gail Poyner, Ph.D. wrote a book to start a conversation between a parent and their child about the dangers of pornography. The story focuses on a conversation between a mother and her son. The mother introduces the thinking and feeling part of our brain and how kids have a hard time controlling their feeling part of the brain. Ultimately, one part of the brain can be tricked into developing an addiction to pornography and another part can help control and prevent addiction. Finally, the book outlines a CAN DO Plan for dealing with exposure to pornography.

Good Pictures, Bad Pictures is easy to read and has natural stopping points for a discussion between a parent and child. I found that the explanations would be understandable to most elementary age children. Even if a child does not know about sex, this book will still be something they could read with a parent. This is really the only resource I have seen that talks about pornography for children and what a child can do if they see inappropriate pictures on the internet.

I highly recommend that parents consider this book if they are serious about protecting their children from porn and its harmful impact. Take a look at this video to see more!

 

Good Pictures Bad Pictures from David Perry on Vimeo.

You can get more ideas on parenting, prevention, and healing on Kristen Jenson’s Blog at http://protectyoungminds.org/

 

Book Description

Good Pictures Bad Pictures is a comfortable, read-aloud story about a mom and dad who teach their child what pornography is, why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it. Using easy-to-understand science and simple analogies, this ground-breaking book engages young kids to porn-proof their own brains.
It only takes a few taps on a mobile device for a curious young child to find an endless supply of deviant, hard-core, and addicting pornography–all for free. Unfortunately, many young kids are being exposed to pornography without the slightest clue that it can damage their developing minds.

The 5-point CAN DO Plan teaches kids how to avoid the brain-warping images of pornography and minimize the troubling memories of accidental exposure that often tempt kids to look for more and lead them into a dark and destructive addiction. To stay safe in the digital age, kids must install an internal filter in their own brain. Good Pictures Bad Pictures shows them how.
Parents will appreciate this resource to porn-proof their kids because it makes a difficult discussion easy and empowering. How? By teaching kids simple concepts about the brain and the process of addiction, and by giving them a specific strategy for keeping safe from the poison of pornography.

• Paperback: 60 pages
• Publisher: Glen Cove Press; 1 edition (March 13, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615927335
• ISBN-13: 978-0615927336
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.2 x 10 inches
• Price: $15.79

 

Amazon

About the Authors

Kristen Jenson holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a master’s degree in Organizational Communication. She enjoys traveling, speaking, blogging at ProtectYoungMinds.org, and never wants to stop learning. Kristen lives with her husband in the great state of Washington, where she enjoys growing a vegetable garden (kale, anyone?), as well as taking long walks with her dog, Blackberry. Above all else, her three children are her greatest treasures.

Gail Poyner, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and owns Poyner Psychological Services. She provides therapy for a spectrum of psychological disorders, including pornography addiction and prevention counseling. Gail has six children and fourteen grandchildren, and lives with her husband in Oklahoma. When she is not traveling to provide mental health services for disaster victims, serving as an expert witness in court, or speaking at professional conferences, she enjoys working in the yard, as well as cheering for her beloved Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team.

Notice: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author at the Set Free Summit and was encouraged to give an honest review of this title.