Pornography can start in Primary School!

I sat up when I read a recent Straits Times Article on September 6, 2014. A 8yo boy chanced upon online Porn when he was in Primary 2! And guess what! He stumbled upon it, while looking for a photo of a naked aboriginal boy for a school project.

Like it or not, the Internet is pretty much part of our everyday lives! My daughter started asking for permission to use the PC for school projects when she was in Primary 1. I did not think much into it, and left her alone to do her homework.

However, after reading the recent article on the Straits Times, I am glad that I turned on the Parenting filters in my PC, soon after my daughter’s request.

According to another local survey by Touch Cyber Wellness:

• 41% of boys accessed Porn when they were in Upper Primary (10-12 yo)
• 54% of boy accessed Porn when they were in Secondary School (13-16yo)
• 76% of girls accessed Porn when they were in Secondary School (13-16yo)

Other key highlights:

• 32% Boys, 38% Girls – Said that Accidentally saw Porn on the Internet.
• 49% Boys, 13% Girls – Said that they searched for it on the Internet.

 

What does the survey tell us?

Most of us thought that we will only need to deal with the topic of Sex when the kids hit Secondary School. I remember that I was only exposed to Porn, when my classmates showed me a “Playboy” Magazine when I was in Secondary 2.

However, the survey shows us, that boys are starting younger and younger, with 41% of them accessing it in Upper Primary, and with a majority of these 41% accessing them on the Internet.

If we want to lower the risk of accidental exposure to pornography on the Internet, we need to set up parenting filters found on the Internet and other platforms like YouTube.

 

Here is one Simple Tip for setting up your Internet Filters on YouTube:

Scroll to the end of your YouTube Page, and click on Safety. Press on the button to toggle between “On” and “Off”.

Yes! It is as simple as that!

 

Real Preventive Measures

As Much as we hate it, it’s time to talk to the kids about the “birds and the bees!”, Many of us think that we only need to talk about Sex, when the kids hit Secondary School. However, with the increased probability of them accessing Pornography in Primary School, we need to start changing our mindsets. Our kids may just not be all that innocent when they finish their PSLE!

If you are still thinking about “kicking the can down the road” and dealing with this issue later in life, here is some food for thought. Although we Parents may struggle through the sex talk, I am sure that we can do a far better job, than that cheeky boy who sits at the back of the class. Most of the time, Ah Seng’s views on Sex, women and Virginity may not even be approved by his parents!

If we want the kids to keep their virginity for their marriages, we need to start education our kids today! After all, they learn best when they are young!  ,