Digital Natives and Porn

[Iambloodystarving]

I have 3 dc's all coming to an age when they will have smart phones and computers. Most of their peers already have them with very few restrictions. I am 50, so not a digital native and came of age when prostitution was for pathetic men, porn was in the back of the video shop, and sex was pretty straight forward.
I worry so much about the dc's in the modern age with 24 hour porn on tap. I worry about the boys they will meet. I worry about their own perceptions of sex etc.
I would love to ask those of you who grew up in this digital age where 24 hour porn was available your thoughts on it? What you thought about sex, about you and sex, or what sex even was? Did it impact the boys you met and their expectations of you? What will you say to your DC's about it? What will the conversations be? Was it all fine? I am a bit a sea with all of this. Anyone else?

Bump

and again!

It didn't impact anything as I knew it was there for entertainment. I was curious and did look at it, after the one time I never went back because it satisfied my curiosity. I think the only thing it impacted was pubic hair.

Well that is good news LATHERITUP. Maybe it is not as grim as I imagine and the children will be able to separate out.

I’m in my late 20s, so porn etc was around on the internet when I was a teenager though probably not to the same extent as it is now.

That said my parents were much less clued up to any kind of digital safety.

I didn’t learn about sec from porn, I learnt about sex when my parents had ‘The chat’ with me at about 9. I certainly didn’t go looking for anything dodgie on the internet.

I do think though that it was different for guys. As say a 16 year old I had no interest in porn but the early boyfriend I had suggested that I watch porn to see what sex was like. I found this problematic then and still do now. That said I don’t really know what the alternative is to finding out what it’s all like.

I think what’s more important than worrying about the impact of porn would be encouraging your daughters to have a strong sense of self.

No boys ever tried to copy stuff they’d seen in porn on me because I wouldn’t stand for it. I knew that porn wasn’t how sex was meant to be and more importantly that I deserved better than someone who wanted to hurt me or do other particularly gross porn type stuff.

One thing that I do think is harder in a digital age is limiting things like Web chats or dodgie photos. I know a few people at school who got in a lot of trouble for screen shots being taken of them stripping online. I think when I have teens I’ll turn the route off after a certain time and have a no phones in bedrooms policy. Who’s knows how that’ll go - I’m not there yet 😂

All good points Brooksey5. I am a great believer in the power of talk too.