Kid Of Character

The Root of Perversion Doesn't Usually Begin in Adulthood (2-3 minute read)

Most people don't wake up one day as adults and suddenly struggle with s*xual brokenness

Many of those battles have roots that reach all the way back into childhood.

The enemy has no respect for age. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and one of his strategies is to introduce children to things their hearts, minds, and bodies were never created to carry so early in life. He works to distort what God designed to be beautiful, holy, and life-giving.

This isn't because s*x is bad.

S*x is God's idea.

He created it to be good, pure, and enjoyed within His design. The problem isn't God's design. The problem is when children are exposed to s*xual images, conversations, entertainment, or experiences before they are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually ready to understand them.

Children's brains are still developing. Their minds are naturally curious. When mature content enters too early, it can create confusion, distorted thinking, unhealthy curiosity, shame, secrecy, and struggles that may continue into adolescence and adulthood if they're never addressed.

This is why parents can't afford to ignore the issue.

At the same time, we must be careful not to shame our children.

Curiosity is not the same as rebellion.

Many children ask questions because they're trying to understand the world around them. They don't need panic. They don't need condemnation. They need calm, truthful, age-appropriate guidance from parents who are willing to have difficult conversations.

Our goal should never be to make our children believe s*x is dirty.

Our goal is to help them understand that God created something beautiful that the enemy desperately wants to counterfeit.

Not every child needs this conversation at the same age or in the same way. Every child is different. Parents need widom and discernment to know when and how to begin these conversations.

As parents it's also wise to pay attention when you notice significant changes in your child's behavior. While these behaviors do not automatically mean something s*xual is happening they can be opportunities to gently check in and ask loving questions.

Some changes to be aware of may include:

• Spending unusually long periods alone on electronic devices
• Turning screens away or positioning themselves so others cannot see what they're viewing.
• Frequently sneaking away to be alone with devices.
• A child who was once open, talkative, and engaged becoming distant, withdrawn, or secretive.
• Increased irritability or defensiveness.
• A decline in academic performance or loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed.
• Strong or unusual reactions to innocent displays of affection.
• An intense fascination with conversations, media, advertisements, or jokes involving romance or s*xuality.
• Asking unexpected questions about s*x or s*xual topics after exposure to something they have seen or heard.

These signs don't prove anything by themselves, but they are invitations for connection—not accusation.

This isn't about becoming suspicious of our children. It's about becoming intentional.
The enemy loves secrecy.
God works in truth, light, grace, and restoration.

As parents, we have the privilege of creating homes where our children know they can bring hard questions, confusing experiences, temptations, and even mistakes into the light without fear of rejection.

The goal isn't simply to protect our children from the world.
The goal is to prepare them to walk in truth.
There are countless opinions about s*xuality today.
But there is only one truth that sets people free.
Let's be the parents who aren't afraid to lovingly teach it.

Good information for building strong readers.

Families, let's talk about something that trips a LOT of us up.
You read Brown Bear, Brown Bear (or any beloved repeating book) to your baby a hundred times. One day they pick it up and "read" the whole thing back to you. Your heart soars. You think — my baby is reading!

Here's the loving truth: they may be reciting, not reading.

Predictable and repetitive books are DESIGNED to be memorized. That's the whole point of them. And memorization is a beautiful, important thing — it builds vocabulary, rhythm, and love of story.

But memorizing a book is not the same as being able to read a NEW book.

Here's the rule that will save you years of confusion:
📖 Predictable books grow the LISTENER. YOU read them TO your child. Keep doing this — forever. 💙
📖 Decodable books grow the READER. Your CHILD reads them. This is where the reading brain gets built — one sound at a time. 🧠
Both books have a job. They are not the same job. Your child needs BOTH — in the right hands.

More parent resources at 👉 www.dreamskc.org/resources
Share this with a grandparent, an auntie, a teacher, or a friend. 💛

I was driving one of my daughters to an activity the other day, and I immediately thought about all of the driving I did years ago when my now-adult children were involved in activities all over the city.

I spent countless hours driving them from one activity to another—sometimes it seemed like we spent more time away from home than we did at home. I did it because I wanted them to be well-rounded. I wanted them to develop their creative gifts. I wanted to make sure they stayed out of trouble. But, I also did it because I wanted to be a "good mom."

I didn't want my kids to miss out. I didn't want them to grow up saying they never got to do anything or never had the opportunity to enjoy activities as children. I wanted them to have memories and experiences they could look back on and talk about as adults.

There were definitely benefits, but there were also some downfalls.

I'm thankful to be in this season of life where I’m free from feeling the pressure of believing I have to keep my children busy in order for them to become well-rounded. I've learned to be much more strategic—doing what is needed and what is truly important for each individual child, rather than making decisions based on what might make my children like me more, what I want, or simply keep them out of trouble.

Over the years, I've also heard people say that parents should enroll their children in activities when they're struggling with behavioral issues. That might work for some, but that may not be the best decision for your family or your child. In some cases, adding more outside activities could actually make things worse.

The choices we make for our children should be prayed over if we truly want to make the best decisions for them.

I had to learn that some of the greatest investments in raising a well-rounded child don't cost a registration fee.

Sometimes it's snuggle time on the couch.
Sometimes it's watching a movie together.
Sometimes it's cooking dinner as a family.
Sometimes it's having meaningful conversations, grabbing lunch
together in the middle of the day, or simply stopping to pray.

Not every child needs to stay busy in order to enjoy life. In fact, we could unintentionally teach an entire generation that constant activity equals a meaningful life. That mindset has the potential to create discontentment in the long run.

Sometimes the best thing we can give our children isn't another activity. Sometimes it's simply our presence.