Oh The Things No One Should Ever See

There are things in this world that I would be happy not knowing. Some of the things my sons tell me, for instance. Technology and the internet make remaining blissfully unaware of the myriad of unthinkable my children can access with a few typed words impossible. Parenting isn't what it once was, not by a long shot.

I'm horrified that nearly anything and everything the world-at-large can imagine is likely depicted somewhere in the cyber world. It is unlikely that I will ever be able to discuss or counteract the disturbing and inappropriate content that either of my sons has seen online. Sure, there are programs to block certain sites, but even that isn't foolproof. 

As much as I can feel overwhelmed by this, the fact that my sons tell me (sometimes in far too much detail) about most of the things they have seen is actually a good thing. It opens the door to conversation about the relevance (or absolute lack of) some things have in any person's life. They have learned to navigate and recognize the good from the bad, useless from the beneficial, and overall appear to still be grounded and capable of making better choices. 

I may never know the extent of what my sons have seen online, and honestly, I don't really want to. Having faith that they learned right from wrong, and how to deal with what they encounter is what keeps me sane. Nothing is for certain, though I believe each of my sons have the tools in life that will make the difference between allowing what they are exposed to influence their choices negatively, and being able to process what they encounter while remaining true to themselves. 

It's a scary, unpredictable, and sometimes unthinkable world...stability and a moral compass are our best defense.