She was right, it was disgusting – which is the reason why she was telling her fellow adult friends about it. Not about her son mind you, but about what she saw. The only mention about her son was that he knows so much more about the computer than she does. She said she has no idea what he is doing on that machine.

That was the statement that struck me. With laughter she told us that she did not know what he was doing on that computer. I was flabbergasted. Then what did she just tell us? Didn’t she just tell us a story about her son showing her something disgusting on the computer? Didn’t she then see what he was doing? Did he not show her?

In a way I could not believe my ears, but at the same time, I reminded myself of the line that has helps me remain calm in the face of utter disbelief: “Never underestimate the power of denial.”

When I shared this event with my wife, her first response was even stronger: “that is severe child neglect.” And although I could see her point, I also knew this woman was not intentionally neglecting her son. She simply was not able to comprehend what he was doing on that machine.

My other shock came when I looked up the website she mentioned…  I already was feeling sad about the loss of her son’s innocence. But even I didn’t realize the magnitude of how violent this loss must have occurred. There was no warning, no introduction or a lead-in to what’s ahead. This was not something a child should be looking at – ever.

As healthy, curious, open-minded adults, we may be able to place moral filters on what we’re seeing. But when I opened this particular site, and seeing it through the 11-year old boy’s eyes; I shuddered and shook my head. What a sad sad loss of innocence.

Then I closed my eyes, thought of my own 3-year old daughter, and I shuddered and shook my head again. I made a resolve that something needs to be done to make sure young children are not exposed to this kind of inappropriate material on the web.

That was six years ago… that was my ‘big’ bang moment. And from that moment on, things have been moving outward.

Are you reading this because you share the understanding that we, as child advocates of all nature, need to protect our children before they loose their innocence?  Yes? Then I gladly welcome you to the GoPlaySafe Network.

Tom Steenhuysen ~ JustcallmeTom

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