PARENTING September 5, 2005 Issue

INNOCENCE—INDESTRUCTIBLE

ISOBEL DAVIS

I'M IN THE GROCERY STORE . My shopping cart is full of carefully selected fresh items because I care about what my family consumes. But as I near the racks at the checkout stand, I can't control what my young children take in next — the magazine covers! My children's first exposure to gossip, sex, and a preoccupation with skinny bodies may be from some of these covers, which are begging for attention as we wait to check out. They stay out of the cart, like a bruised apple. But I can't keep the cover images and copy out of my children's sight.

To me, one of the most challenging aspects of parenting is protecting our children when we can't always control what they take in. In order to teach my children to be discerning, I make a practice of critiquing the material that our culture spins our way. At the grocery stand, we assess the covers of magazines and the messages they convey. While watching television, we analyze the advertisements and discuss ways in which they manipulate us. Yet, even with safeguards in place, I can't be a perfect filter for my children.

But prayer always takes me beyond my limited abilities as a parent. When I pray to God, my children's omnipresent Parent, I feel as though I'm helping to preserve their innocence in an important way. I can't shelter our children forever, but I can defend their God-given childlike qualities, such as trust and kindness, as they go out into the world.