Be Careful Little Ears

Picture a three year old little boy playing with a toy truck. That truck falls to the floor, and instead of the usual, “Oh man!” he spouts, “D*** truck!” After the initial jaw drop reaction, you are quick to tell him that is a bad word, and he should choose another to express his displeasure in the truck that so obviously let him down. He nods in pretend understanding, and goes back to his imaginary world where trucks apparently have personalities of a harsher nature.

Accusatory mode starts downloading …

The blame was going on the neighbor who talks a bit loud, or perhaps the family member that did not watch his mouth the other day. Agitation is almost immediate because all of those surrounding your child are at fault. You simply do not talk that way.  Children are like sponges and everyone else should know that they need to respect your wishes, and not speak vulgarities around your son. Nodding and feeling indignant at the world and its lack of understanding, you sit back down to continue your Law and Order marathon.

Solving the murder on this particular episode is very engaging, and it takes a moment for you to notice the silence in the other room. Glancing over, you realize that your son is sitting next to you and trying to figure out what it is that has your undivided attention. You become very aware of what is being played on the screen – the blood, the yelling … the cursing, and he has stopped blinking as he absorbs every little detail.

Pause the DVR!

Shooing him off to play, you watch him pick his truck back up again, but this time the truck is dying because he was shot by a bad guy.

Accusatory mode download complete …

The blame goes to you.

Clicking off the television, you sit down with your son and pick up another truck to race across the coffee table and down a ramp made from old books. You make noises of pretend exasperation as he beats you, and revert him back to the, “Oh man!” language he was using before. The reality of what he has been listening to really hits, and while you thought he was not paying attention, he was silently pulling in everything that his parent thought it was okay to watch. You are his primary example, and while he may pull things from others surrounding him, it is ultimately you that he will follow.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from which you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.