Use the following points to guide conversations with your kids about sanctity of life. We have also linked to the Pro-Life Declaration for Kids and Teens, designed and published by Focus on the Family. We pray these resources will foster healthy biblical conversations about God’s heart for all of life.
1. ASK: WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD?
As much as we want to shield our kids, they hear about tough topics at school, on the playground, at a friend’s house, and even at church. We never want to prematurely expose our kids to tough topics, but unfortunately sometimes the world does that for us. Because this information is coming from their peers, there’s a good chance they have been misinformed. When your child brings up a tough topic or a hard question, ask what they already know. This gives you a chance to gently correct any confusion they may have.
2. KEEP DISCUSSION AGE AND MATURITY LEVEL APPROPRIATE.
When talking about the sanctity of life, the best place to start is with Scripture that talks about God’s view of human life, such as Genesis 1:27 and Psalm 139:13-16. With younger kids, emphasize that God believes all human life is important because we are all created by God. That means He asks us to be kind to all. God says every person has value and we agree.
Older or more mature kids can handle more details. You can talk about how God says that every person is important, but not everyone agrees. Some people believe that we become human when we are born. But God makes it clear that He creates us and values us from the very start of life. Another word for the start of life is “conception”. Conception is the moment when a baby starts growing in their mother and Psalm 139:11 says this is when life begins.
If you feel that your child is ready to hear more details about the concept of abortion. You may explain that abortion is a procedure that is legal in our country. Abortion means that an adult makes a choice to not allow a pre-born baby to live.
3. DISCUSS: WHAT CAN WE DO?
Once a child understands that there is an injustice in the world, they are often the quickest to fight for fairness! Help your child focus these feelings into wise actions.
Remind them that as Christians, we believe that every life is important. That means we still show love and kindness to the adult who made the choice. Being pro-life means seeing value and purpose in every single life. This includes the unborn baby, the oldest person on the planet, and everyone in between. It also means that we encourage others to understand God’s view of human life.
We can fight to protect life by encouraging our lawmakers to make life-honoring decisions. We can pray for moms, dads, and babies. (Download the Prayer for Sanctity of Life) We can encourage and support families who are adopting or fostering children. We can help the Pregnancy Help Center by fundraising or donating diapers and wipes. We can celebrate life and show kindness to all, even if someone is different from us.
The resources below are provided by Focus on the Family. Downloadable versions can be found by clicking on the image.
