SALT LAKE CITY, UT (Good Things Utah) – Parents tend to underestimate how often their kids can be exposed to pornography, so it is important to teach them what they should do when it happens. Kristen Jenson, CEO of Defend Young Minds, told us about her new book “Good Pictures Bad Pictures” which helps parents have an important conversation.

Kristen wrote her book to help inform kids about what porn is and how they should react to it. Early education is important, parents should be the first ones to have a conversation with their kids about what pornography is. Kirsten says this conversation should happen as soon as they have access to the internet. It is impossible to avoid this exposure, so it is vital for kids to know how to react before the exposure happens.

Even preschoolers can understand the concept of bad pictures without understanding the birds and the bees. They should know a simple, age-appropriate definition of pornography, they should have a warning as to how it can harm them, and they need a plan for when it is encountered. The book “Good Pictures Bad Pictures” walks kids through an understanding of all three of these things. Kirsten says you should teach your kids to turn, run, and tell when they encounter pornography. This means to turn away and tell a trusted adult. Parents should establish that it is okay to talk about it, so they feel comfortable telling them about it.

To learn more, you can visit the webpage defendyoungminds.com for more tools. Find the book on Amazon or locally at Deseret Book.