This week in our Connection Group, we started a new study about the importance of our worldview and it ended in a discussion about how as parents we have the responsibility to shape our kids’ worldview. The way we see the world is largely shaped by our experiences and what we learn, first in our homes.
Well, I’ve felt like I’m swimming against the tide of our culture by actually filtering what goes into my daughters’ minds. They can’t just turn on the tv and watch whatever they want, or listen to whatever they want. They’ve probably missed out on some the stuff that other kids have seen.
Last night, my just-turned 10-year-old went to a friends house where she got to see a music video featuring "Happy Tree Friends." I must really be out of touch because I had never heard of them. If you don’t know what they are, consider yourself lucky, and you may want to stop reading because I hate to be the one to rock your world. Happy Tree Friends are cute, adorable, cuddly animated forest animals who get violently maimed, mutilated, decapitated, gouged, and otherwise killed in extremely graphic ways in each episode. When she came home and told us what she had seen, she was seriously disturbed.
Maybe it’s just because I haven’t let her see enough senseless violence, but I’m so glad her heart has been guarded that this kind of thing bothered her. I’m understating this, it crushed her and scared her. As a parent I’m as angry and upset as I can be. It’s so hard to sit and watch your child’s innocence be stolen by these sick people. These cartoons are clearly drawn in a way that appeals to children, but they claim they’re for adults. What kind of adults would watch this stuff? Much less think it’s funny. If its a joke, I just don’t get it.
How can I respond to my daughter? We prayed together that God would erase the memory of this trash, I held her closely as she cried, and I talked to her about the replacement principle of putting some good stuff into her head to take the place of the garbage.
It was a serious reminder to Pam and I of why we don’t just let our kids do whatever, go wherever, and see whatever. I know we can’t keep our kids from every dark thing that’s out there, and it kills me to admit that. If I could, I’d keep her inside, sheltered from every destructive influence, but it’s impossible. And I know she has to experience some things at appropriate times to be prepared for the real world. Proverbs 4:23 says, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
I also told her that this is why we do what we do. Jesus is the only one who can make a real difference to bring Light into the darkness. And I’m am more fired up than ever about getting the message out!
THAT was the best explanation ever of being “Overprotective.” Except for that, I wouldn’t call what you did being overprotective. I would call it being a good parent and smart.
Once again, God uses Cole to teach dumb Zak.