We are mama bears! Hear us roar! Today we’ll be talking about some inspiring moms in the fight against porn and sexual exploitation. Listen up mamas. YOU are the first line of defense. You have the power!
Marilyn recently created an Instagram post on ParentsAware that inspired us to do this show. The core message was: STAND UP for WHAT you BELIEVE. She actually created this post after another parent challenged her for sharing her values and beliefs with her children. Below is an excerpt. Read the full post here.
“… Children thrive when they have a clear vision of their parent’s values and beliefs—on all sorts of issues. It helps them grow in confidence and self-esteem.💪
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Then when it comes time to make their own way in the world👨🎓👩🎓 they have a solid framework from which to base their decisions—no matter what path they choose.
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The benefit of expressing core values and beliefs has been clearly documented🔎📘in child development theories for decades … ”
Mothers through time have led the way–instilling core values into their children and helping to protect them from dangers throughout the ages. We have the power to continue that legacy and to protect our children from pornography!
We feel very strongly about sharing our values with our kids. As Marilyn put it…
- I see my part of my duty as a mother IS to share my values and beliefs with my children
- It’s up to me to give them a foundation from which grow and thrive
- It’s up to them to move forward and make their own life decisions as they approach adulthood.
In today’s episode we are discussing several inspiring women in the fight against porn and exploitation:
- The collective impact of mothers on the world
- Lessons we learned from our own “media savvy moms”
- What it really takes to fight sexual exploitation as moms
I. THE IMPACT OF MOTHERS
Mother Teresa is the picture of kindness, love, and charity—These are the antidotes to porn and exploitation. Here are a few quotes from this amazing woman:
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa
“Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world.”– Mother Teresa
Another mother making on an impact on a global scale is Carolina Allen founder of Big Ocean Women, an organization that stands for Faith, Family and Motherhood. Melody had the opportunity to join these amazing women at the United Nations for the Commission on the State of Women. It was a pivotal experience in her work with the movement to end sexual exploitation.
II. OUR OWN MEDIA SAVVY MOMS–LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR WORK
Marilyn’s mom refused to accept that porn magazines–including Playboy–we’re being sold next to bubble gum machines (at eye level to children!)
Her mother’s example taught her:
- Not to accept the status quo
- One voice can make a difference
- Our children need us to stand up for them.
Melody’s mom escaped communism in Cuba as a young girl. She knows the price of freedom and doesn’t take the ability to educate her children for granted.
Her mother’s example taught her:
- To be fearless,
- To be shameless,
- It’s important for families to be open about everything!
Her courage and openness are some of the driving forces behind Melody’s work to educate parents and communities on the harms of pornography.
III. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FIGHT PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION?
Now it’s our turn! Our generation of mothers has the power to stand firm in the face of pornography and exploitation.
It takes STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE and communicating that to your children
Judith Reisman (a pioneer in our field fighting pornography) said, in order to fix huge global problems like porn and trafficking, we don’t need a P-h-D; we need a D-A-D and an M-O-M:
“I always said that the M.O.M. and the D.A.D. are the most important credentials. The minute you introduce PhDs and BA’s and Master’s degrees—that is when we start involving other people who have all been trained to believe a different way. And as a result, they are going to push their own agendas. Because they are ‘smart.’ They have the degree! They think, ‘You’re just a mom,’ or ‘You’re just a dad … What do you know?’ And I believe they know in their deepest soul that they’re wrong.” (from “An Interview with Judith Reisman”)
Think about the foundational principles we keep coming back to in all our shows. These are the tools we need to fight porn and exploitation. As we apply these principles one day at a time we can definitely make an impact on the big impact on the picture. After all “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world!” So …
- Get off the fence – Start talking to your kids about pornography today!
- Beware of the rattlesnakes – Are your kids on digital devices? Warn them about what they could encounter and how to respond to stay safe.
- Give your kids a construction site – Create a safe place where your kids can talk to you about anything under the sun.
This digital world is definitely intimidating, overwhelming, and isolating, but REMEMBER:
- You are NOT alone.
- You are doing better than you think.
- If you are listening to this podcast, then you CARE, and that is half the battle!
- Be patient with yourself, and remember to take this one step/one day at a time
- We are here to help along the way!
- Thank you for all you do!
Challenge: This week, find a mother and tell her what a good job she is doing. We need each other. Go team!
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