We live in a world that seems obsessed with solving problems by destroying life instead of nurturing it. These 4 ideas can help you to form passionate pro-life hearts in your children.
It was Nick’s golden birthday. He turned seventeen-years-old on October 17th, and we celebrated in style. My wife made a special teriyaki chicken dinner at Nick’s request. The decorations were Notre Dame football — Nick’s favorite team. The plates, napkins, tablecloths, and helium balloons were Fighting Irish top to bottom. The cake, naturally, featured a Notre Dame endzone scene complete with goalposts. Amid all the party goodies and celebration, my wife and I were thankful for our pro-life family and attitudes toward the sanctity of life that had given us Nick.
As the festivities progressed, the conversation around the table became boisterous. Along with a small cache of wrapped presents, the premier gift for Nicky was that two of his older siblings made it home from college for his big day. Much ribbing and laughter went along with celebrating the birthday boy.
When we got to the cake, the conversation ebbed. Nick stood up. He motioned for quiet, and we gave him our attention. “I have a prepared speech for you,” he said. “It’s my birthday, and I want to say that I am thankful for my life and that I was born. I know a lot of kids like me don’t get to be born. I am glad that my parents decided to give me my life – so that I could have a birthday.”
Nick has made this declaration in various forms on different occasions over the years, but it never gets old. You see, Nick has Down syndrome. He is well aware that many kids with Down’s are aborted before they ever see the light of day. Nick’s right to celebrate his precious life — a life “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God (Psalm 139:14).
The Heart of Raising Pro-Life Kids
On the other hand, the gratitude he expressed was hardly necessary. As do his six siblings, Nick knows that my wife and I would never have chosen abortion for any of our preborn children. My kids know that with absolute certitude, and they’ve always known that.
I think this is at the heart of raising kids who know the sanctity of life: The witness of moms and dads who are utterly and unequivocally committed to protecting human life from conception until natural death. That witness can take a variety of forms. It just happened to be the case that the primary pro-life witness we’ve made in our family is Nick himself. His presence in the world and his rich and full life are testimony of God’s providence and grace. After you meet Nicky and see his smile, genuineness, and enthusiasm, you’ll have no doubt that the world is a better place because he’s here. And that’s absolutely true for all boys and girls with Down’s. Ask their parents. Ask their siblings. They’ll be delighted to tell you.
But what if you’re not blessed to have a child with Down syndrome, either by birth or adoption. How can we form passionate pro-life hearts in our children? This seems especially difficult in a world that seems obsessed with solving problems by destroying life instead of nurturing it. Here are 4 ideas that we’ve found helpful in our family. See if they resonate with you!
Four Ways to Teach Your Kids the Sanctity of Life
1. Talk About Abortion
Talk about abortion — a lot. Is it uncomfortable? Awkward? Only at first. Around our dinner table, hot topics like abortion come up frequently. We rarely attempt to curb discussion of controversial issues. Younger kids benefit by hearing the terms and the debate, which will generate interest and a desire to probe further.
To be sure, we managed those discussions to ensure age-appropriate themes. We always urged our kids, no matter their age, to ask for clarification if they didn’t understand what we were talking about. Moreover, as parents, we made certain that we were thoroughly informed and up to date on the issues, which can be a daunting task. There are plenty of reliable resources to do that, including the organization National Right to Life, but I’d advise you to rely primarily on local or state pro-life organizations. That way, you’ll be connected with a supportive group of folks who’ve been there with their own sons and daughters, and they can tell you what worked and what didn’t in their own pro-life family formation.
2. Care for Those in Need
Caring for the poor might seem like an odd prescriptive for raising pro-life kids, but I promise you it’s essential, especially as your kids grow into adolescence. They’re going to hear that pro-lifers only care about babies (and their moms) before birth, not afterward, and you have to counter that argument with concrete action.
It’s not enough to spout statistics about the charitable outreach the Christian community extends to moms and families in need. Instead, we need a family culture oriented to care for the poor. There are two ways to create this culture. The first way is through the checkbook. Let your kids see you giving money away to both organizations and individuals in need. The second way is to serve directly — like volunteering at soup kitchens and food pantries, especially pregnancy care centers and homes for pregnant moms in distress.