Check In With Your Kids: Why Parents Can’t Afford to Look Away

As parents, it’s easy to think, “My child knows better. They would never get into that.”
But that assumption has left many parents blindsided.

The truth is this: no child, no matter how well-mannered, how “golden,” or how much they’ve been raised in faith, is exempt from temptation. Whether it’s pornography, explicit music, chat rooms, or inappropriate books, our kids are being exposed to far more than we realize.

Kids Are Smarter Than We Think

• Kids are perceptive.
• Kids know how to hide things.
• Kids know how to go incognito.

While parents are consumed with marriage struggles, financial stress, or health issues, kids are finding ways to explore curiosity in spaces we often overlook—gaming platforms, group chats, YouTube, Roblox, Minecraft, and Rec Room. And it’s not just high schoolers. These conversations are happening in elementary school.

When Was the Last Time You Checked?

Ask yourself honestly:

• When was the last time you checked your child’s devices?
• When was the last time you walked into their room and looked in their drawers?

Some parents resist this, saying, “I don’t want to invade their privacy.” But here’s the hard truth: giving kids complete privacy without oversight isn’t healthy parenting—it’s underestimating what’s really needed.

I’m not talking about stripping away boundaries. I’m talking about making sure your children aren’t left to raise themselves because you’re distracted.

Kids Learn From What They See

Children don’t just follow what we say. They follow what they see.
They notice:

• The arguments.
• The tension.
• The anxiety.
• The hypocrisy.

And just like adults distract themselves with work, shopping, or busyness, kids will distract themselves too—except their distractions can take them into darker, more dangerous spaces.

What Parents Can Do

• Check their devices.
• Have daily conversations.
• Get counseling for yourself.
• Seek marriage counseling if needed.
• Be present—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

Protection doesn’t start with teachers, schools, or the government. It starts at home—with your presence, your guidance, and your consistency.

The Bottom Line

Children don’t need parents who assume, “They know better, so they’ll do better.”
They won’t.

They need you.
Your presence. Your eyes. Your voice. Your leadership.

Don’t leave your child to parent themselves while you’re distracted.

💡 Parenting is presence. Privacy without guidance is neglect.

🙏 The enemy doesn’t wait to check your child’s devices—why should you?