Posted on 05/13/2014 6:53:25 PM PDT by MNDude
At what age do you think you should first teach kids about abortion, and what do you tell them?
it’s a wonderful thing, why not tell them as soon as possible? it’s just like any other operation. /sarc
That's when they learn about squashing bugs.
There is a phase children go through whee they have more trouble separating real and imagined. That age when they start having vivid nightmares. I would try to wait until that stage is past, around age 7 or 8. Around the end of that stage they enter one where they are very much into right and wrong, black and white, no shades of gray. That is a great time to introduce the topic and set their minds to understanding abortion is wrong.
I won’t be discussing it with my adopted under 10-year-olds yet unless it comes up. But it will definitely be discussed one day.
Someday when they’re mature enough we’ll also have to talk about the fact that they are lucky to be alive. Their biological mother could easily have aborted either of them. She had aborted at least four pregnancies before they were born.
My younger son was three when we went to our first March for Life. Had to tell him something.
I would be far more focused on telling them how to avoid the issue, entirely- that is, abstinence before marriage/ self-awareness (Do you want children? And how to avoid it it if not AND the health risks associated with the various forms of birth control so that they can make the best choices possible). As a practical issue as well as a spiritual one.
I guess the direct answer to your question is as close to puberty as possible & not sooner.
“When it is necessary.
Just as you would not expect a child to carry a 100 lb weight you should not expect them to carry knowledge that is too heavy either.
That is what a parent does. “ (-HTB)
I think you nailed it. As a society, we do this way too much, about way too many things. The cares of adulthood will come soon enough. Kids should be able to be as carefree as possible. It may get me in trouble, but I would exclude them from Pro Life activities until they are old enough for it to be an issue to them- if for no other reason than to protect them from the ugliness of the opposition.
jmho
The following is an excerpt of my training manual to work at a pregnancy resource center. Pardon me as it took longer than expected to find my manual. I just moved.
There are two viewpoints:
1- Sanctity of human life and quality of human life.
2- Sanctity of human life has an absolute value, which is based on the fact that God created man in His own image.
Quality of human life has a relative value, which his added on personal attributes such as the absence of physical or mental defects. Society determines which factors are important, but is usually focuses on wantedness and usefulness.
In the biblical view, there are four main ideas that form the life at conception viewpoint: So if you were to explain this to a child (or anyone else for that matter), I'd encourage you to have these down: Creation, Man’s fall, God’s redemptive plan, and pre-born human life.
CREATION: The sanctity of human life is established by God
Genesis 1:26-27
Having been created in the image of God, man was endowed with moral and spiritual capacities. God assigned the value to man to serve and to be in fellowship with Him, special from all of creation.
THE FALL: The sanctity of life is denied by man.
Genesis 3:8-24
Instead of remaining obedient to God, Adam and Eve chose to go their own way. God punishes them, and death enters creation. For the wages of sin is death – Romans 6:23. This brings about a significant change in their relationship to God, to each other, and to their environment.
Genesis 4:8-10
A man kills his brother, and God judges sin. Even though man is fallen and loses a correct view of life, God still views life as worthy of protection.
Note: At this point, capital punishment as a function of government is not instituted yet, but will become an instrument of grace in Leviticus. All legitimate forms of discipline (biblically derived) are instruments of grace designed to reaffirm the sanctity of life, and turn the wicked heart back to God. This is not part of the manual; but it is part of a broader discussion of progressive revelation and how God uses the three governments of family, church, and civil government to institute His will.
Genesis 9:6-11
Violence and evil become so widespread that God doesn’t allow man to free fall into sin unchecked. He restores by bringing justice with the flood; and afterwards, gives a new promise and a new command.
REDEMPTION: The sanctity of human life is restored by God
John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:4-7
Those who repent of their sins and trust Jesus Christ are restored to fellowship as His children. God’s purpose in creating man is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10
Those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ come to resemble God the Father. In Christ, they are recreated in God’s image.
Matthew 22:36-40; Matthew 25:37-40; Galatians 6:1
As those who know God and are made anew according to His image, we are called to demonstrate His loving concern for mankind.
Exodus 20:13; Proverbs 24:11-12; Numbers 35:33; Isaiah 1:10-17
God expects his people to stand for righteousness and justice. Those who fail to do so will be held accountable.
SANCTITY OF PRE-BORN LIFE
Psalm 139:13-16
David acknowledges that God “knit” him together in his mother’s womb and that, as a result, he is “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 51:5
David repents of his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and acknowledges his participation in sin from his conception. He is stating that, as an unborn child or fetus, he stood before God as a sinner because of the sinful nature which had been passed down from Adam.
Job 10:8-12
Like David, Job speaks of God being intimately involved in his life from the time he was conceived.
Genesis 25:23; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Isaiah 49:1-25; Galatians 1:15
God deals with human beings as creatures made in His image and determines His plan for them before they are born.
Matthew 1:18-20; Luke 1:15; Luke 1:24-56
God’s concern for mankind intensifies to the point of identification. In the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God becomes man. His incarnation befins with His conception. Wen Mary, who has just become pregnant with Jesus, comes to see Elizabeth, who is six months pregnant with John the Baptist, Elizabeth acknowledges that Mary is the mother of her Lord (Jesus). John leaps for joy in her womb. His joy is the result of being filled in the Holy Spirit before birth, which is a supernatural event. But the fact that John cold experience an emotion such as joy is not a miracle from the standpoint of prenatal development.
Genesis 16
Hagar experiences a crisis pregnancy, and is helped an comforted by an angel of the Lord. Despite the sinful circumstances surrounding his birth, Ishmael is a valuable human being in God’s eyes, and plays a significant role in human history.
Not an exhaustive study, but it's effective. If you can remember four points, and the corresponding Scripture, you will be good.
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