We got satellite TV recently. Before you start
congratulating us, you should know we have intentionally been without
satellite/cable for almost 4 years. During that time, our TV experience was
exclusively streamed service via the internet. Our primary service was Netflix,
and loved every minute of it.
We controlled what our kids watched.
We didn’t watch commercials.
We could watch entire seasons of a show.
It got to the point where when our kids went over to friends’
houses that didn’t have streaming services, they ended up saying things like, “oh,
you have to watch commercials…” It was awesome.
Unfortunately, our new house is considered “in the middle of
nowhere” by most, including all local cable subscribers and high speed internet
providers. Therefore, we got satellite TV with internet.
Probably the most interesting thing I have found so far with
the service we got was the parental controls. You type in a code that locks out
all the adult channels, provides limits on TV time, sets up access to kids only
channels, and a plethora of other features. And that got me thinking……
I don’t want parental controls. What I want is for my
children to not even want to do things that parental controls limit.
I want them to not want to watch porn.
I want them to limit their own TV time.
I want them to turn the channel when they see things they
know are inappropriate.
For that matter, I want them to walk away when the
conversation goes sour.
I want them to stand up for the guy who is getting made fun
of in the youth group.
I want my daughter to call me to come pick her up when her
date is being inappropriate.
And that is hard as a parent. Its exhausting. Why? Because you
have to give up the things you want to do, and get to KNOW them. We have to do
things they want to do. We have to put down our phones, A LOT, look them in the
eye, and listen to them. Talk to them. Make them answer us. Tell them what is
right. Over and over and over. Understand how and why God brought them into
this world and point them in that direction, instead of trying to make carbon
copies of ourselves.
I want a child who doesn’t need parental controls to make
wise decisions, to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, and to
say no when the time comes.
