Horrified

Those of you who have read my blog for any length of time have probably come to the conclusion that my kids are pretty sheltered. You're right, and I won't say it's something I'm ashamed to admit.

I'm not a big fan of the movies that are marketed to kids, I find most of them have quite inappropriate content. We don't have toys that make noise or take batteries. My television is hardly ever on, and when it is I strictly monitor what the kids watch and the amount they can. I never watch the news or keep daytime television running in the background, I can't even begin to imagine what they'd pick up on if I did. We recently discovered some games on the computer and my iPhone that the kids play, but they are purely educational and contain no marketed characters.

I'm a prude.

That's probably why I was so shocked when Cash noticed a sign containing the following character:



"Look Daddy! It's Veggie Tales!"

Except it wasn't. At all. And, judging by this article, my son wasn't the first to make a connection and notice the billboard.

I was horrified, and so thankful that my kids aren't proficient readers yet.

I know I'm fighting a losing battle. I know what I'm up against. I want to guard their little hearts and minds for as long as I can, but when it's front and center on a billboard it's hard.

My kids, of course, are still really young, and Heath was so good at just changing the subject and moving the conversation along yesterday that nobody knew anything weird had happened. But...I think I lost some of my innocence for my children. I think I realized how big the world was and what a battle I was up against. I'm not thrilled about it and I know that raising counter-cultural kids isn't an easy road, but it's the road we want to walk.

But there is hope. Hope that at least a smidgen of what I want for my kids is sneaking through:



"Mom! Look at that funny square guy!"

Yup, we've successfully cleared one hurdle in the cartoon world... My kids have no clue who Sponge Bob is.

Praise God!