As surprising as it may be to parents, young people today are immersed in porn c
ulture everywhere they look. Through Internet porn, gaming, social media, market
ing, and advertising, kids today have a much broader view of social and sexual p
ossibilities, which makes it difficult for them to establish appropriate expecta
tions or to feel adequate in their own sexuality.
Even more important, no one
is talking to kids directly about the problem. Parents tend to convince themselv
es that their children are immune to cultural influences, wait until it comes up
, or hope schools and pediatricians will address the issues. Educators and docto
rs may be able to start the conversation but it is fundamentally a parent s job
to provide information about sex and relationships early and often to help young
people find their way through their social and sexual lives. Delaying the neces
sary but awkward conversations with their kids leaves them vulnerable. The media
, marketers, and porn and gaming industries are eager to step in anywhere parent
s choose to hold back.
