72 – Ex-Playboy Photographer Educates Parents on Protecting Kids from Sexual Abuse & Online Predators

Emily Gaudreau was on assignment shooting Playboy’s 2008 “Party School of the Year” showcase when she put her camera away, vowing to never use it again. Since then, she has aligned with her true purpose as a sexual abuse prevention advocate and parenting coach. In this episode of Open Mike, Emily and Mike discuss crucial topics the modern parent needs to know about, including at-home learning, sex trafficking, smart device usage, and drug experimentation.

Show Notes

[0:47] Introducing our guest, Emily Gaudreau! [01:41] Emily’s background [02:40] You used to be a photographer — how did it transport you into this new realm of work? [05:02] Do you have formal training in social work or psychology? [7:15] Emily discusses the blurry nature of “sex-positive” pornography and how it can lead to violence [9:36] Sex trafficking is scary as hell and it’s a lot more prolific than people realize. How do you keep younger kids safe when monitoring them is so hard with modern technology? [11:12] What’s the age when you’ll give your daughter her own smart phone? [14:08] Other than restricting phone usage, what else can parents do to protect our kids? [15:30] Premature exposure to pornography can cause kids to display signs of abuse [18:40] How prolific is premature exposure to pornography? What is the conversation we should be having with our kids? [19:47] Kids of divorced homes are 20% more likely to be victims of sexual abuse [22:12] In an ideal world, sex ed comes from parents… how do you stop kids from hearing from their friends first? [24:14] Do you find that kids are more on alert these days? [26:54] Check out How to Raise a Maverick and hit Emily up on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! [27:03] What does “maverick” mean to you? [30:10] Without guidance, teens having sex are a little clueless… in an ideal world, are kids going to figure it out together, themselves? [35:25] Sex ed in the United States is hyper-focused on gender studies in younger people and overlooks fundamental issues like consent [37:43] Are you for or against allowance? What’s the best way to give your kids allowance? [41:14] What’s your take on alcohol and parents who allow their kids to have a sip or two (or more) when they’re underage? [44:15] What’s your best advice for parents who know their kids will be around marijuana and want to experiment? What’s the safest way to deal with that? [49:06] There’s a difference between not allowing something in your home and having an open level of communication. The home needs to be a safe space with standards that are consistently upheld. [53:10] What’s your best advice for parents of younger kids, 7-10 years old, about whether they should be the friend or parent figure? [55:13] Do you have any tips on how to keep kids focused during the COVID-19 online learning process? [57:15] You have a course for parents including a coaching session called “Young, Wild, and Safe.” What does that involve? [58:48] How would you summarize the absolute best parenting advice you could give someone? [59:55] Thank you to today’s guest, Emily Gaudreau! [1:00:08] Remember to investigate How to Raise a Maverick and Emily’s social: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter [1:00:33] Thanks for tuning in to Open Mike Podcast — we’ll see you next time!