Restless Wonderer

I was shocked and disturbed to read last week an article on the BBC News website entitled, 'Pornography addiction worry' for tenth of 12 to 13-year-olds ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-32115162 ).  This is the latest in a series of reports on the effect pornography is having on our children.  The article is based on a survey of 700 children aged 12 and 13 conducted by the charity NSPCCC ChildLine.  It found that 20% had "seen pornographic images that had shocked or upset them" and 12% had taken part in a sexually explicit video.  The charity describes pornography as "a part of everyday life" for many children who contact its helpline.  The BBC article describes the impact this problem is having on some children by quoting one boy aged under 15 who says he has begun to think differently about girls and wonders whether he'll ever be able to get married and suggesting that many girls feel they need to act like porn stars in order to be attractive to b...

Where does parental pride slip over into real pride (you know, the really bad 'deadly sin' kind)?  I sat in my son's BB (Boys' Brigade) parents' night this evening and brimmed with pride as he participated with his peers. My daughter has her GB display later this week, but she already received two awards - first place in craft and second in Scripture (mirroring her dad's crafty approach to the Word???) - at the dress rehearsal on Saturday past.  Surely it's ok for me as a parent to be pleased with my children's achievements?  Yes, I believe there is an appropriate parental pride, or perhaps I should call it delight or pleasure in our beloved children? The strange thing on these occasions, though, is the competitiveness that emerges in the parents as we sit and watch.  There's no doubting that this tips us over the edge of appropriate pleasure in our kids into something unhealthy.  I'm by no means immune - against all better judgement I feel a thr...