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If your children rarely hear you talk about the abortion issue, they’re likely not prepared for interactions with classmates or teachers who might not share your values when it comes to human life. As parents, how do you go from not talking about it to ensuring they understand your views and are prepared to handle confrontation about it?

While a conversation about abortion might not be high on your to-do list, please remember that your children are better served learning about these critical issues at home. Using your values as the foundation for your beliefs will help them be better equipped to handle these conversations in an informed way when you aren't in the room. 

Here are five ways to start having meaningful conversations with your children about their beliefs:

1. Know your values.

It’s important to know what you believe about life and why. This will help you share your stance in a clear way that makes sense to your children. You may need to explain the process of a baby developing inside the mother. Talk about how life begins at conception. While this might feel like a talk you're not prepared for, when you keep it limited to the a baby's growth in the womb and why they are a real life from conception, it may be more comfortable to tackle the topic with your younger school-age children. 

The Bible is a great way to help your children understand the sanctity of life. The Bible is full of stories that teach us about God's love for every person and the value He places on each one. When we stand on God's word and treating each other the way Jesus called us to, then the focus remains basic yet very strong. Loving one another makes abortion unfathomable. 

2. Make it personal.

It's not always easy for kids to understand these serious issues, especially when they may be too young to fully understand the concept of pregnancy and abortion. If you can make things personal for them by sharing your own or friend’s experiences with adoption or miscarriage, you'll be able to share your view on abortion in a more effective way. 

If someone has been adopted into your family, talk about that person and how much he means to everyone else. If there was a miscarriage, talk about how sad this loss of life is and that all babies are created for a purpose, even in miscarriage. While most situations focus on women's health and women's rights, you can keep your children focused on the blessings that come from choosing life.

     3. Look for teachable moments.

When it comes to the topic of abortion, there are many opportunities to have this conversation with your kids. You can begin by asking them about their thoughts or feelings on abortion or simply ask them if their friends are talking about it or if they’ve seen things online.

They might follow a celebrity who is vocal about their feelings about abortion and unfortunately, that often means they hear more about "women's rights" than they hear about valuing life and saving babies. These are great opportunities to address the concept of enjoying a singer or actor for their talents but recognizing that your family's values are different. It may not make sense to ban artists and celebrities who support abortion and you will instill life-long principles that will give your children confidence to stand firm in their own beliefs and recognize that we can enjoy someone's talent but we must be true to our values.

By gently incorporating the conversation at logical times, it will feel more natural and your child may feel more open to talking about it. 

4. Be prepared for resistance. 

Most children will resist talking about things that make them uncomfortable or feel like a subject is being forced on them. If your child does resist discussing their thoughts and feelings about abortion, don't force them into having such conversations. Instead, look for other teachable moments when you could talk more openly about this sensitive subject.

Recently, there have been petitioners from both sides of the issue outside of public libraries, major retailers, and other high-traffic areas in cities across America. When your children ask questions about the petitioners and what they are doing, this is an opportunity to be honest in an age-appropriate way while opening a line of communication that helps your child to feel safe asking the hard questions. 

5. Make sure your kids understand the sanctity of human life in all its stages.

You want them to know that a fetus is still a person, just like you and me. Your child may not be able to fully grasp everything you say, but at least they'll have an idea of what's going on. The more comfortable you are discussing the topic, the better able they'll be to understand later on when they're older and more mature.

Abortion isn’t an appropriate topic for all ages. You'll know when your child is ready for that conversation. Until they are ready, you can impact their views on the sanctity of life through positive talk about each of us as God’s children. 

Let them hear you talk about scripture that describes God’s purpose for us; let them hear you talk about the blessing of babies and what a joy children are; let them see you donate diapers and formula for women’s shelters so they know the needs of mothers and babies should be provided for; and let your children know that they’ve made a beautiful difference in your life. 

Positive conversations around life are an impactful way to build up the next pro-life generation and prepare them for the inevitable moments when friends bring up the topic of abortion.