We Need Awakened Parents, Not "Unicorn" Parents

Given the many demands pulling at parents, it is easy for them to fall into the trap of trying to make to the most of the time with their kids by being fun, or what used to be called over the years, “cool”. A “cool” parent was one who could relate with their kids, worked to bridge the generation gap, and wanted their kids to have a parent that their kids could brag about to their friends as being fun and allowed them to essential do what they wanted, follow their own supposed innate wisdom, without many limits being imposed. In counseling, we would call those “permissive parents.” Now days, it’s called, being “woke.” But, unlike in previous generations of parents, being “woke” is now being used as a sort of a personal accolade, indicating that the parent “gets it” with regard to how to truly parent in a way that enable your kids to have maximum freedom to explore his world.

As a parent, trust me, I do understand the importance of being a parents who is enjoyable to be around, who says, “Yes,” more than, “No” when possible, and tries to ensure that kids can grow into their God-designed potential. However, most concerningly, I have seen a dangerous self-imposed blindness in those parents who are striving for “wokeness.” Without understanding that things have been unleashed into our youth culture, the likes of which have never been seen, to be a parent who strives to be liked by his/her kids at the expense of being wise is simply electing to close your eyes to the dangers active looking for kids with parents who “can’t see for looking.”

Now, I am aware that I might be a bid jaded from having spent over a decade working intensively with the full continuum of sex offenders. However, during those years, I did a deep dive into the minds, motives, and methods of Predators… which opened my eyes to how they think, what fuels their hunger for young flesh, what drives them, how they groom, and what are the things they look for in their determination of whether or not to being their methodical manipulation of a particular child. What is one thing that became clear? The best protective measure for a child’s safety is a parent who is involved, aware and protective… not one who prides him/herself in being their own person, who takes a fairly “hands-off” approach, and who follows the winds and trends of youth culture in an effort to be viewed as “woke.”  

In response to both her article and the symbolism used by Jenna Galley, who asserts, “ Unicorn mums are funny, up front and honest. They like to have fun and relax, preferably with a cold beverage. They do what they have to do to keep their kids alive. But they also do what they have to do”, I would suggest that a parent should put their beer down, and awaken to what is actually out in the culture which is very different than at any time in recent history. For, packaged in bright rainbow colors, sprinkled with glitter, and emblazoned with happy unicorns, are dangers to which such “unicorn parents” are blind to, as they who they are for just being themselves… as their kids are permitted to interact online and at libraries with other such “woke” parents, who are toasting themselves, along with all the other unicorn parents, for all the unicorn activities in which their kids are involved. 

Though I am aware that Ms. Galley is likely unaware of what the unicorn represents for Pedophiles (it is the #1 symbol used for grooming and communicating/identifying other pedophiles), since she used it as the theme of her article, as a symbol of the kind of parent toward which one should strive, I felt compelled to help awaken such parents to the methods used by Sophisticated Child Predators to not only communicate with one another, but also to identify, select, and groom their "targets of opportunity."

Much like the military will identify a target by "painting" it with a laser for a guided smart bomb, Predators will paint their targets by symbols which can mark out a child who's parent is naive, thus unwittingly unprotective. Does everything have meaning and are used by to them? Of course not. But, some are well-known among those of us who've worked clinically with Predators in prison sex offender treatment. In fact, it surprised me how much I didn't realize until working with them for over a decade.

As they are masters of manipulation and deception, they love taking what are actually cute and fun-loving childhood things, and turning them into useful tools for hunting. They will use symbols such seeming insignificant things as chicks, chicken, eggs, pizza, and rainbows. But, their #1 symbol? The Unicorn.

So, yes, I appreciate the sentiments of such parents, as Ms. Galley, who to want to affirm themselves in their style of parenting, However, I do want to caution parents who feel that being themselves or  “woke”, by being unaware of the current dangers within the youth culture, is something worth celebrating ad affirming.