Media Savvy Moms

Dandelions. Clover. Weeds! Most agree that these invaders are to be eradicated from our lawns and gardens ASAP. If not they will spread and take over. Similarly, we want to root out pornography before it takes hold.

Today, Lisa Whitsitt and I are having a conversation about weeds and pornography. Lisa is our Director of Educational Outreach and is very involved in developing community connections for Parents Aware. She is also proactive in reaching out to government leaders to advocate for legislative change to protect children from online harms.  

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Do you know a teen who is struggling to quit porn? The reality is that many kids get caught in a porn trap. They want to quit. They try to quit. Yet, they find themselves returning again and again. Imagine, what if there was a tool that could help fortify teens against pornography?

In this episode, I am joined by Clay Olsen, Co-founder of Fight The New Drug (FTND), a youth movement dedicated to raising awareness on the harmful effects of pornography. Clay is also the Founder of Fortify, a recovery tool designed to support anyone—youth and adults—seeking a future free from pornography.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Do you know a teen who is struggling to quit porn? The reality is that many kids get caught in a porn trap. They want to quit. They try to quit. Yet, they find themselves returning again and again. Imagine, what if there was a tool that could help fortify teens against pornography?

In this episode, I am joined by Clay Olsen, Co-founder of Fight The New Drug (FTND), a youth movement dedicated to raising awareness on the harmful effects of pornography. Clay is also the Founder of Fortify, a recovery tool designed to support anyone—youth and adults—seeking a future free from pornography.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

We keep scratching our heads trying to figure out why young kids are sexting. But the fact is the formula is pretty basic: (curious kids + digital devices) x (sexualized media) = sexting normalized. So, the question is not if I need to have this conversation but how do I talk to my child about sexting without being awkward. 

This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning question. These shorter episodes are designed to give you just that. Tune in to the podcast to hear the whole scoop, and check out the show notes for helpful tools and information. If you’d like to submit a question, click here to Contact Us.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Porn harms families. No question there. So what do you do when a parent struggles with sexual addiction? Instinct may be to keep it hidden. Your spouse knows—but not the children. You reason the truth would be too painful. Better that they never find out. And yet, experience and research show that children actually suffer more from the weight of hidden truths than they do from careful and honest disclosure.

Tara McCausland, Director of Outreach for SA Lifeline joins me this week to discuss this very sensitive topic. SA Lifeline is a non-profit foundation that provides education, resources, and a 12-Step group for those suffering from pornography and sexual addiction. As well as for family members who’ve experienced betrayal trauma in the wake of addiction.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Involved parents worry about their child or teen’s safety online. And rightly so. The nature of the internet means harmful content could come across their screen at any time. Dangerous situations seem to be lurking around every corner. So, many parents wonder, how often should I monitor my child’s smartphone? Should I check it daily? And is that really the best way to keep them from harm? 

In this episode, I confess that I don't check my child's phone the way many parents do. Saying that publicly on this podcast does make me feel a little vulnerable. I recognize I’m going against the grain. But, I hope, as I explain the principles behind my strategy and how online safety is always a top priority in our home, I feel confident in saying there are better (and less cumbersome) ways to keep kids safe than simply checking their smartphone.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Every mom is amazing! There’s no question there. Yet, we are often our own worst critic. When things don’t go according to plan, the negative self-talk comes flooding in. So, how can we start to believe in ourselves again? And how can building mom confidence change the dynamic we have with our kids and their tech?

In this episode, I ask Leah Davidson, co-founder of H&L Life Coaching, what to do when we feel like we’re not thriving. We take a fresh look at what confidence means. And how that applies to raising kids in a media-saturated, pandemic stricken, year of virtual school, kind of world! 

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

It’s normal. It’s natural. Everyone goes through it! And every kid has LOTS of questions. Yet, for many families talking about puberty still feels awkward and embarrassing to mention—leaving kids to sort through confusing information on their own. Often, that’s whatever media and friends throw their way. That doesn’t seem fair or terribly healthy, does it? So, how can we move past any discomfort and learn to embrace the new puberty talks for a media-saturated world?  

This week, I got to connect with Rowena Thomas, who is the facilitator of Amazing Me in Sydney, Australia. Rowena provides programs to schools and resources for parents and kids about sex and puberty. I met Rowena through Instagram, where I immediately fell in love with her bright, cheerful, and exuberant posts. Her message is that conversations with our kids about sex can be more fun and less complicated!

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Are you a mom to boys? Do you worry about helping them mature into sexually responsible teens and adults? How often do you defer to dad for “The Talk?” Have you ever questioned, can moms talk to boys about pornography? If so, you’re not alone. 

This episode is part of our #DearSavvy series. Sometimes you just want a quick answer to a burning question. These shorter episodes are designed to give you just that. Tune in to the podcast to hear the whole scoop, and check out the show notes for helpful tools and information. If you’d like to submit a question, click here to Contact Us.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.

Yes, it feels easier to say, I don’t want to go there, I don't want to talk about it. But we know sweeping tough issues under the carpet doesn’t make them disappear. In fact, it only increases the trauma. Children are hurting. Families are being torn apart. So, we’re going to be bold. We’re going to face this issue straight on. And we’re going to talk about pornography’s role in the rise of child-on-child sexual assault.

I’m so grateful to Heidi Olson, MSN, RN, CPN, SANE-P,  for joining me on the show this week. She is an absolute superhero. There’s nothing easy about her job. Every single day she is dealing with children’s disclosure of sexual assault.

Media Savvy Moms is a podcast by ParentsAware, an organization dedicated to helping parents talk to their children and teens about pornography and healthy sexuality. For complete show notes, visit http://parentsaware.info/index.php/podcast/.