Children And Abortion

[Didacus]

My son was 12 when I showed him some gory pics.
I brougt up the subject.

He's pro-life.

[prose]

[quote name='MIkolbe' post='1472119' date='Mar 1 2008, 09:08 PM']I think the issue is bigger than 'just' abortion. It is a basic respect for the sanctity of human life and its creator. This should be taught from birth.

Having said that, proaching the subject of abortion is something that should be answered regardless of age. The caveat "with all brutal honesty even if the kid is 5" is not really fair and is ultimately (though possibly unintentionally) misleading.

You talk to child in their own terms, especially the younger ages. I think you CAN talk to a 5 year old about abortion and its intrinsic evilness in terms they can understand. Just keep in mind your audience and communicate repectively.[/quote]


[quote name='MIkolbe' post='1472421' date='Mar 2 2008, 03:30 PM']I cannot speak intelligently regarding how you 'encountered communication' regarding abortion. But, if you were horrified at such a young age, maybe the communication method used needed improvement. I think you can communicate the evils of abortion to a 5 year old without "looking at decapitated babies".

My point is you CAN communicate why it is evil, while not horrifying the recipient of said communication. Though, to your point, I would wait to initiate discuss until I felt my child had the capacity to accept/comprehend the concepts of initiated discussion therein. However, answers to queries should happen at any age.[/quote]

I agree. I think that it is important to present things in perspective. Gory pictures don't need to be displayed to discuss abortion. Just like gory pictures don't need to be explained to discuss death in general.

I see it a lot like sex. I am not going to introduce my 4 year old to the intricacies of sex, but I am honest and open when I answer questions. I just make sure to answer them at her understanding level. For instance, I don't explain the process when she asks how babies are made.

[littleflower+JMJ]

I think if you do a good job communicating the message of life and about protecting it, and just not letting "exposing" things do it for you, any child within their appropriate level of language will be able to handle and grow in the experience.

I feel there are so many examples to use that the pictures really shouldn't be coming up as the first handout to kids, nor as the only thing you can think of to help explain abortion. But I also would not run from it and if they will be at rally or come across them, then a discussion needs to happen before hand if possible to prepare their understanding and maturity of it all because the reality is sometimes pictures (what kind of pictures depends on the situation) are necessary.

And this pretty much goes for any age, not just little.

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='fidei defensor' post='1471821' date='Mar 1 2008, 12:02 PM']I don't think it's necessary to drag children into the abortion issue. It's not something that affects them, and when they are older, they can decide how they feel about it without being told what to believe.[/quote]

Some things might affect them, somethings do not. But even though it might not at the time, doesn't mean you leave them out in the cold. As a parent, you search for truth and you do the best to instill it in your children. In fact, its almost mandatory otherwise there will be no foundation of right and wrong, good or bad but only what they feel. Thats not how society can work.

There will be a time sadly, where they might reject the truth passed on to them but that doesn't mean you don't do your parental duty when raising a child.

And it will only be "someone else" such as their peers at school, the anti-christian atheist teacher or complete strangers in the media and MTV that will be the one to tell your child "what to believe". Important matters deserve way more attention than what your recommending.

[Socrates]

I didn't vote, as this poll seemed loaded.

My parents were pro-life activists, and I grew up with the pro-life movement. Don't remember if there were many bloody pictures being shown when I was a small child, but if there were, it didn't have any traumatic effect on me. My mom read this book to us called "Before You Were Born," or something like that about, about life before birth. I was taught from early years that unborn babies were people too, and that abortion was the killing of an unborn baby and was wrong. I don't think any graphic descriptions or pictures were necessary to make this point. I don't remember when I first saw graphic pictures, but it was probably sometime in the 8+ range. They didn't traumatize me or destroy my childhood or anything, but they did vividly implant on my young mind the evil of abortion. It made it easy to see past the lies of the liberal pro-abort propaganda.

[jmjtina]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1473351' date='Mar 3 2008, 10:44 PM']I didn't vote, as this poll seemed loaded.[/quote]

agreed.

children understand alot more than some adults.

Are graphic pictures needed in the pro-life movement? Yes.

For children? It depends on the child. Educating children on what abortion is doesn't mean traumatizing them with graphic photos, but the opposite. To help them understand why their parents stand outside of a building praying the rosary to pray for babies who are about to be killed and the women who are about to be victimized.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='friendofJPII' post='1472254' date='Mar 2 2008, 10:24 AM']if I was horrified at age 9, I can only imagine how a little child would feel at age 5, looking at decapitated babies.
I agree sanctity of life should be taught from an early age, I think if the wonder of unborn life is stresed the kid wil naturally become pro-life when they discover what abortion is, later on.[/quote]
How did "talking to a child about abortion" and "showing gory pictures" become synonymous? To tell them that abortion kills a baby is something they will understand, especially if they have younger siblings, and they remember when their mother was pregnant with these siblings.

In fact, I know of a pro-life kids club, that was started by three kids who were ages 9, 9 and 7 when they started the club. Did they know all the horrific facts about abortion? No. Did they see pictures of babies that had been decapitated? No. Did they understand that a baby is killed in an abortion? Yes. And that's all that was important.

[friendofJPII]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1476414' date='Mar 12 2008, 05:49 PM']How did "talking to a child about abortion" and "showing gory pictures" become synonymous? To tell them that abortion kills a baby is something they will understand, especially if they have younger siblings, and they remember when their mother was pregnant with these siblings.

In fact, I know of a pro-life kids club, that was started by three kids who were ages 9, 9 and 7 when they started the club. Did they know all the horrific facts about abortion? No. Did they see pictures of babies that had been decapitated? No. Did they understand that a baby is killed in an abortion? Yes. And that's all that was important.[/quote]


dontcha' think that if you tell them that abortion kills a baby, they will wonder how?

Honestly, I don't have a firm opinion on the subject, other than the concept should not be rammed down their throats prematurely. I'm not against the gory pictures, but I do think they should be kept away from little children. But like I said, maybe that is impossible if the rest of the family is involved.

[rizz_loves_jesus]

I've been pro-life since before I could walk- obviously, I've known what abortion is for a very long time. I think that fact makes me stronger in my pro-life stance.

But parents know their kids best- if they know their child is going to have nightmares over it then idk. It makes you stronger, but then again, maybe that's only for certain people.

[Paddington]

It sounds like children can wait til they are older to find out. Not saying they should wait, but that they can. But, they do learn about Hell when they are very young and that is harder emotionally.

[friendofJPII]

[quote name='Paddington' post='1478297' date='Mar 16 2008, 03:54 PM']It sounds like children can wait til they are older to find out. Not saying they should wait, but that they can. But, they do learn about Hell when they are very young and that is harder emotionally.[/quote]

that's true. I remember learning about hell when I was 6 or 7 and being very scared. But I am grateful to the good sisters, b/c when I became a teenager and was serously tempted that description stuck with me!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='friendofJPII' post='1478096' date='Mar 16 2008, 10:16 AM']dontcha' think that if you tell them that abortion kills a baby, they will wonder how?

Honestly, I don't have a firm opinion on the subject, other than the concept should not be rammed down their throats prematurely. I'm not against the gory pictures, but I do think they should be kept away from little children. But like I said, maybe that is impossible if the rest of the family is involved.[/quote]
Actually, I have found with kids that they accept simple explanations when adults would make things far more complicated.

[mariahLVzJP2]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1478463' date='Mar 16 2008, 10:18 PM']Actually, I have found with kids that they accept simple explanations when adults would make things far more complicated.[/quote]

[ironmonk]

My daughter is 4, the way I have been educating her is that at night when she prays, we pray for all the unborn babies in the world and an end to abortion. When she asked what abortion was, I told her that some bad people kill babies. She knows that there are bad people in the world, and she knows that some people don't understand. If anyone brings up the subject to her in the future when I'm not around, she'll know it's wrong.

God Bless,
ironmonk

[kujo]

[quote name='MIkolbe' post='1472119' date='Mar 2 2008, 12:08 AM']I think the issue is bigger than 'just' abortion. It is a basic respect for the sanctity of human life and its creator. This should be taught from birth.

Having said that, proaching the subject of abortion is something that should be answered regardless of age. The caveat "with all brutal honesty even if the kid is 5" is not really fair and is ultimately (though possibly unintentionally) misleading.

You talk to child in their own terms, especially the younger ages. I think you CAN talk to a 5 year old about abortion and its intrinsic evilness in terms they can understand. Just keep in mind your audience and communicate repectively.[/quote]

Amen, MI.


[quote name='Socrates' post='1473351' date='Mar 4 2008, 12:44 AM']I didn't vote, as this poll seemed loaded.

My parents were pro-life activists, and I grew up with the pro-life movement. Don't remember if there were many bloody pictures being shown when I was a small child, but if there were, it didn't have any traumatic effect on me. My mom read this book to us called "Before You Were Born," or something like that about, about life before birth. I was taught from early years that unborn babies were people too, and that abortion was the killing of an unborn baby and was wrong. I don't think any graphic descriptions or pictures were necessary to make this point. I don't remember when I first saw graphic pictures, but it was probably sometime in the 8+ range. They didn't traumatize me or destroy my childhood or anything, but they did vividly implant on my young mind the evil of abortion. It made it easy to see past the lies of the liberal pro-abort propaganda.[/quote]

Amen, Soc. I think that it depends on the child. You were obviously strong-willed and mature enough to handle the subject, but perhaps others will not be. The parent should tell their child whenever they ask about it, and communicate it to them based on their needs and sensitivities. However, I think that the topic should be proached one way or the other by the time the child reaches the age of 10 or 11. Unfortunately, much like sex, this issue affects our children earlier and earlier these days.