Moms, Give Your Kids Total Protection: Body, Mind, and Spirit

Humans are complicated.

We often don’t understand our feelings, things that bewilder, stress, or trigger us – or even why ice cream always seems to help.

We want to exercise but don’t always do it. We pray with more enthusiasm when a crisis hits. And sometimes, we don’t understand why worrying thoughts seem to crop up in the middle of the night. Paul from the Bible even goes on a rant about his human condition. Here’s just a taste. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). Even the great apostle dealt with angst. I feel you, Paul.

Our kids are no less complicated; most are still years from the maturity needed to navigate the life they’ll lead as adults. Our cultural climate demands they mature quicker and often forces them to deal with topics that used to be grown-up territory. It’s the result of an increasingly chaotic and nonsensical culture that swirls around them, And, mamas, the danger is real.

The exponential increase of mental health and faith-killing attacks on our vulnerable youth has brought the rise of an unprecedented mama bear movement as more and more American moms stand firm. We WILL protect our kids.

We can pull them from public schooling (a boss move), install SimpliSafe or Ring to secure our homes, and join the neighborhood watch. All good, but some dangers are creeping through our perimeter via the internet, cable and network television, peers at youth group, and more.

There are also non-physical threats, which are even more insidious in some ways. These attack their minds and spirits through schools with agenda-driven curriculums, gender ideology, and anti-God rhetoric. Entertainment and social media have become more dicey with sexual and deviant messages and images entering what used to be the child-friendly world of animation.

Before we go any further, discussing protecting our kids involves a few disclaimers. First, we are not suggesting hiding them in a tower, Rapunzel-style, or not allowing them to grow and mature through over-protection. There’s a balance needed to raise your kids to be savvy and strong, resilient, and determined to be future leaders in our nation. We are talking about children, tweens, and teens – with varying guardrails based on age, maturity, and your plan as a mom.

Whatever your plan, taking a “whole” child approach to your protection strategy is sound. As complicated people – we are body, mind, and spirit.

The Attack on America’s Kids – Body

Beyond our home security, ensuring our littles are supervised during outings and vacations, the dangers now come in greater variety, some even from formerly trusted sources.

One of the most devastating dangers is human trafficking. More than 100,000 unsuspecting youth in the US are victims of this modern slavery. Roughly 50 million souls worldwide have been trapped in this $150 billion industry, with more than a quarter of those children. We would be wrong to assume it could never touch our families or loved ones. Kids are lured via the internet to meet strangers who pose as peers online, and other kids are snatched when other opportunities arise.

Stephanie Mann has been tuned into kids’ safety for a long time. Her organization, Safe Kids Now Network, has been a source for parents to create safer neighborhoods and schools. She is a crime and violence prevention specialist and has been a voice for families for decades. We enjoyed an informative conversation with her on this week’s podcast. Don’t miss her insights on keeping your kids and community safe.

Then, there’s an even more prevalent evil – the gender ideology movement. This is populated by teachers, administrators, activists, and even profiteers in the medical industry. Corrupt judges in states like Minnesota (hello, Gov. Walz) can strip you of parental rights if you don’t agree to your 12-year-old’s desire to have her breasts removed and receive sterilizing hormone treatments. Laws vary from state to state; however, it’s been revealed repeatedly that some teachers and others have actively chosen to keep parents in the dark.

Speaking of the gender craze, have you considered whether, at your daughter’s school, she may get an eyeful of a fellow student who is entirely male (man parts and all) when he shares the locker room with her after claiming to be female? Yikes!

The Attack on America’s Kids – Mind

In some ways, it’s easier to spot risks when someone looks sketchy on a street corner or at the park, but the full-on assault on your son or daughter’s mind represents a whole new ball game.

Schools push Critical Race Theory unabashed, though often hidden with a different name – and with it, they convince impressionable kids that they are oppressed – or oppressing others. They spin a tale that is inaccurate, ill-intentioned, and wildly anti-patriotic, calling it American History. Teachers, being authority figures, hold significant sway in the classroom. Soon, students succumb to the lie that they should be ashamed of their own country.

Meanwhile, the currently accepted sex-ed curriculum implemented in many public schools teaches a warped and anti-science version of sexuality and gender. Kids are trained to assume that gender is a construct and it’s okay to question and even change your gender. Even if you’re sympathetic in some way to the transgender plight, it is simply not possible to change someone’s biology, so once a student goes down this road, they find themselves reaching for something that remains unattainable. It’s a recipe for depression and discouragement, which is why there is an inordinately high rate of suicide in the transgender community. Even if some of these gender-pushers think they are doing the right thing, they are, at best, dead wrong, and America’s kids are paying an astronomical price. It creates havoc in kids’ mental and physical stability – leaving them unmoored to the constants that provided their formerly solid foundation.

The Attack on America’s Kids – Spirit

The New York Times recently published “Your Religious Values are Not American Values.” Earlier this year, a Politico reporter invoked the derogatory tag for those who love God and country – “Christian Nationalists” to label them extremist and went on to accuse them of believing that our rights come from God rather than the government.

Most understand that our rights do come from God, as did the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The whole “Christian Nationalist” thing is part of a leftist cultural grab to denigrate people of faith and move our nation toward a godless society.

This anti-religion ideology has invaded schools, with teachers and curricula championing the cause of removing God from everything. The problem is that God has always been central to our nation, founding, Constitution, prosperity, invention and discoveries, and our survival. Removing the hope that comes from faith in a God who cares for our kids – is an overstep of any school that dares insert itself between a child and their family’s faith.

The battle against belief also extends to the arts, internet, television, and movies that encourage kids to abandon the outdated beliefs of a man-god up in the sky, hoping to replace it with…nothing.

Here’s What You Can Do:

Protecting Them Physically (Body)

1. Know where they are and who they are with. This seems as old as time.
2. Stay connected to their school, whether it’s public education, private, or even a homeschool co-op. Volunteer to serve and be aware of what’s happening.
3. If you allow social media and internet connections, consider limiting them to people they know in real life. No minor needs 1000 followers, many of whom will likely be strangers. In fact, the more you limit smartphone and tablet use, the healthier they will likely be.
4. If they encounter dangers at school or in the locker room regarding gender or privacy, contact the school, know your rights, and stand your ground.
5. Be a listening and understanding advocate for your kids. Listen to them when they share and make time to be someone they can come to, with no topic off limits. If you foster loving connection and open communication, you’ll be better able to safeguard them because they’ll feel comfortable opening up to you.

Guarding Their Minds

1. The internet is rife with bullying, self-esteem-killing comparisons, and unhealthy connections. Encourage an active and full life for your children in the non-digital world. Model online restraint in your life so they’ll have your good example.
2. Spend unhurried time every afternoon or evening to hear all about what happened in school. Listen without saying too much, and don’t make a face! (That one’s a challenge for me.) Be easy to talk with, and you’ll foster a better relationship and trust. You’ll be surprised at all you learn. They may reveal who’s been pushing a false narrative in history class or a pornographic novel in Literature. (Sadly, both are more common than ever.)
3. Engage in conversation about a wide variety of topics at the dinner table. Our family has had robust discussions about the attempts on President Trump’s life and Kamala Harris’ weak and untenable “plan” (if you can call it that) for the economy. We’ve discussed the circuit-riding preachers in early American life, current movies, and the intertwined galaxies seen with the James Webb Telescope. Your family’s energetic discussions can help your kids stay grounded in truth and provide a forum for any topic.
4. Teach your kids the skill of media discernment by discussing what you’ll allow them to watch and why something may not make the cut. It helps them to learn the idea of positive boundaries. After all, Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to “…guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” PluggedIn.com is a great family resource for learning about the content of movies, television, gaming, and even some YouTubers.
5. Check out A Mom’s Guide to Parental Rights. When you encounter unsafe situations like gender indoctrination or inappropriate literature in your school, make sure your school’s leadership knows of your objections and consider opting your child out. It delivers a message to the administration – and also to your child that you won’t allow them to be subject to the unhealthy, woke mind virus pushed by some educators.

Strengthening Their Spirit

1. Your child’s spirit is the foundation of the body and mind and can be a source of hope, strength, and resilience. Encourage and model faith in your family.
2. Make Bible literacy part of family life. Tell Bible stories with enthusiasm – and maybe even a little drama. David’s life sounds like a movie, and Joseph’s own brothers plotted to kill him. Then, there’s Balaam’s donkey that spoke! When my kids were younger, telling the story of a valley of dry bones as they began to rattle and come together – always brought the house down.
3. Prayer is paramount in connecting with the Lord. He is listening and desires to hear your voice and your child’s. Teach about how to talk to God and then make it a regular part of family life. Pray when things are good and whenever something’s going very wrong. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.” (Philippians 4:5)
4. Make church a priority. Gather in person with other believers to encourage and enjoy one another. Develop friendships with others who share your faith. Enroll your kids in Vacation Bible School in the summer. Volunteer as a family to serve. Stretch yourself relationally during this time when we are over-connected online – and under-connected with real people!
5. Model authenticity to your kids. If you’re not where you want to be spiritually, it’s not too late to return to faith. Ask God to help you rediscover (or discover for the first time) the hope, peace, and an amazing future found only in Him. Read the Gospel of John and ask God to help you grasp His story. It’ll knock your socks off!

These are just a few ideas to consider as you guide and raise the next generation of patriotic Americans. You can probably think of even more strategies that make sense for your family. We encourage you to enlist your good instincts and creativity in all areas of your parenting journey. Though dangers are everywhere, we don’t have to live in fear. We are not victims – we are moms.

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