How to Talk to Your Teenager About Abortion

Engaging in conversations about abortion with the teens in our lives is an essential and ongoing endeavor. Like many complex issues, it is not a one-and-done occurrence but a continuous processing of questions, conversations, and critical thinking. We must approach the topic with respect, open-mindedness, and a genuine desire to foster understanding and trust.

These conversations have the capacity to shape their life-long perspectives on complex moral and ethical issues. Encouraging critical thinking is essential to discussing all life-affirming issues and prepares them to engage different perspectives with humility, care, and compassion. We have a fantastic opportunity to guide and equip them to explore the ethical, moral, and personal considerations surrounding abortion. Doing this can promote a well-rounded understanding of the topic by challenging them to think deeply and analytically.

Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment where meaningful discussions occur is crucial. Your teenager should feel comfortable expressing thoughts and opinions without fear of judgment. Assure them that their views and questions are valid and valued. Establishing an atmosphere of trust can encourage deep, open, and honest discussions.

Here are 12 tips on how to have meaningful conversations about abortion with your teen.

1. Create a safe and non-judgmental environment. Establish an atmosphere where your teenager feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions without fear of judgment. Assure them that their views and questions are valid and valued.

2. Encourage critical thinking. Discuss the complexities of the abortion issue and encourage your teenager to think critically about different perspectives. Help them explore the topic's ethical, moral, and personal considerations.

3. Provide comprehensive information. Offer age-appropriate information about the science of fetal development, the different stages of pregnancy, and the medical procedures involved in abortion. Use reliable sources and encourage them to seek further knowledge if they are interested.

4. Explore legal, scientific, and ethical aspects. Discuss the legal framework surrounding abortion in your country or region. Explore the ethical debates regarding when life begins and the unborn child's rights. Dive deeper into the science of when life begins and how we are created. 

5. Engage in pro-life apologetics. Introduce your teenager to books and resources that provide well-reasoned arguments from a pro-life perspective. Books such as "Courageously Pro-Life" by Sarah Bowen and "Why Pro-Life" by Randy Alcorn can be starting points for further discussions. Summit Ministries also has incredible resources for parents, teachers, and home educators. 

6. Discuss real-life scenarios. Talk about different situations in which individuals might consider abortion an option, such as unplanned pregnancies or health complications. Encourage your teenager to consider alternative solutions and the potential impact of those choices.

7. Foster empathy and compassion. Help your teenager understand the emotions and challenges individuals may face with a pregnancy decision. Encourage them to approach the topic with kindness and respect for each woman and remind them of how much God cares about her as well.

8. Address emotional aspects. Recognize that discussing abortion can bring up strong emotions. Be supportive and understanding if your teenager expresses confusion, sadness, or anger. Provide a listening ear and validate their feelings.

9. Discuss healthy relationships and responsible choices. Emphasize the importance of healthy relational decisions, God’s design for sex and marriage, and how God created fertility to be shared between a man and woman as a gift. Encourage open conversations about boundaries and the potential consequences of decisions, good or bad. 

10. Encourage civic engagement. Discuss how your teenager can peacefully advocate for life-affirming issues, such as participating in pro-life events, volunteering at pregnancy centers, or engaging in community service projects that support families and children.

11. Bring everything back to scripture. This may seem like an obvious statement, however, it’s important that your kids know where to find Truth. Pro-life values are not merely your opinions or a political view. Our Creator ordains the life of each child, made in His image, and forms them in their mother’s womb. He is the giver of life itself. What is near and dear to our Savior’s heart, should be near and dear to our own. 

12. Be clear about where you stand on life issues, too. If your daughter finds herself facing an unintended pregnancy or your son fathered a child outside of marriage, do they know you will stand beside them and your preborn grandchild? While no parent wants to walk down this road, your children should know that pregnancy is not the sin. Encouraging a life decision does not mean you are condoning sex; it means you have a consistent biblical worldview. 

In America, women who identify as pro-life (or are from families that are pro-life) are twice as likely to have an abortion and conservative Christians make up the second largest group of women that are at-risk for an abortion.* Helping your child establish a biblical worldview, encouraging them to choose life despite difficult circumstances, and letting them know you would support them could literally be the difference between life and death for your grandbaby. 

Remember to always approach these discussions with patience, respect, and a willingness to listen. Allow your teenager to form their opinions while providing guidance, sharing your values, and tailoring the information and discussions to your child's emotional maturity and needs. 

Foster an environment of trust and understanding, allowing them to learn and grow in their knowledge of the value and sanctity of every human life.

*References

https://vitaeresearchinstitute.org/