Never Too Late
© 2008 Teresa Cook
"I found your topic of protecting children from pornography interesting," wrote a mom recently. "I have an
18-year-old about to begin college. Late, I know."
I replied to her that it's never too late to talk to your children about porn. Unfortunately, no one ever becomes immune
to the lure of sexually explicit material, and many young people have been led astray after they left the safety of their
homes to attend college.
I remember reading about one young man who first encountered pornography in his dorm room thanks to an obliging roommate.
He’d never before seen anything like the nude pictures that seduced him to join them in a fantasy world. He became
instantly hooked. Years later, his progressing addiction nearly cost him a marriage when his wife caught him having
phone sex after he'd run up thousands of dollars in debt on the 900 numbers.
Our son Brandon had just started college when he confessed that he was addicted to pornography and asked for help.
Partnering with him in his recovery process, we worked alongside Brandon to remove sources of temptation. Little did we
know that his Christian college would leave the door wide open to pornography.
In his second college semester, Brandon took Computer Applications, a required course. On the first day of class, the
instructor told the students there were no blocking programs on the computer lab's twenty-four PC’s. "We're all adults
here," he said. "I expect everyone to conduct themselves accordingly."
Brandon had been attending a sexual addiction support group and could have told the instructor stories about how men,
two and three times a college student's age, conducted themselves on the computer.
It disappointed me that a Christian college could be so blind to the dangers posed by a deserted computer
lab full of unprotected computers. Unfortunately, one day your child will be confronted with similar opportunities. Even
if your child is about to walk out the door to head for college, talk to him about pornography. Don't let another day go by.
It’s never too late.
*Use the discussion points in "
The Porn Talk" to initiate conversation about the dangers of
pornography.
