O Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

During a conference with the parents of a seventh grade boy several years ago, we were discussing some attitude and behavioral issues that were causing disruptions at school. Having observed this type of attitude before, I asked if their son had watched any violent movies recently. The mom and dad exchanged a nervous glance, then the mom explained that dad had begun to allow their son to watch some of dad’s favorite “R-rated” action movies. The dad readily agreed while expressing that he did not see any issues with his choices. I asked the dad to consider the differences between himself and his son; he needed to watch those movies through the eyes of his son. His 12 year-old’s eyes and brain did not filter the images and stories in the same way.

The conference ended congenially, however dad insisted that “bonding” that occurred outweighed any negative consequences of their joint viewing habits. Several months later, I began to observe improvement in this young man’s behavior. I called dad to report the progress. What he told me surprised and encouraged me; “I was upset with you after our conference until I watched the next movie with my son. I finally watched the images through my son’s eyes and what I saw shocked me. We have found other ways to bond.”

One of our greatest tasks as a parent is to teach our children how to filter the images and information that are abundant in our community. Romans 16:19 states, “I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.” This presents a great challenge for us in our society. Consider the following tools to assist you in being that filter for your child:

• Be Their Filter – We cannot shield our children from evil even if they have no contact with media so it is essential to listen to them and talk through their experiences. 
• Movie Reviews – I have used Pluggedin (www.pluggedin.com). This site provides review of movies, TV, and music from a Christian perspective. I use it before I go to a movie myself! 
• Internet Filter – Most studies indicate that over 90% of middle school students have observed pornography online. There a several excellent filter systems for your home internet at reasonable costs. The best filter is keeping computers in a public place.