By Susan Ciancio
A mom recently shared with me that she didn’t quite understand why teaching pro-life values at home is important. Actually, she wasn’t even sure what it entails or how to do it. So I told her our philosophy at the Culture of Life Studies Program.
We believe that, no matter where your kids go to school, building a culture of life begins in the home. We don’t want to add one more thing to your to-do list. But the reality is that, if we don’t form our children, the world will.
Think about that. Do you want your children’s peers or their public school teacher teaching them about values and morality? Will these people help cultivate moral courage in your children? Will they speak about the inherent dignity of every single person? Will they give your children concrete ways to live so that they show their respect for life? Will they embolden your children to speak about and live their faith?
Most of the time, the answer to each of these questions is a resounding no.
That’s why parents must be courageous and teach these values at home. But if you don’t know where to start, or if you aren’t well versed in pro-life truths, you may feel at a loss. That’s where CLSP comes in; we help you create a pro-life family.
Through our age-appropriate lesson booklets, we give you concrete ways to impart pro-life values. We start by teaching kids in pre-K that all people—no matter their location, their age, or their ability—have value. We show the beauty and wonder of the preborn baby. We talk about respect for the elderly and those who live with disabilities. And we offer real-life scenarios for ways that kids can make a difference in their homes and schools.
As kids grow, we introduce more mature topics, and only later in their education do we talk about abortion, euthanasia, and other threats to life. These atrocities are much easier to combat when kids have that pro-life foundation.
Parents can—and must—teach these values on a daily basis. It’s not simply a talk that can happen once in a while. These values must be integrated into our lives so that they’re a part of us, not just a part of our week.
We encourage you to talk with your children—as much as is appropriate—about today’s issues. Ask questions and listen to them. Explain the facts about what our Catholic faith teaches. Read the Bible. Pray. Use the lives of saints or pro-life heroes of today as examples of how your kids should treat others. Help your children become comfortable talking about and defending their faith. Ask them “what if” questions. For instance, you could ask your high schooler, “What would you do if a friend said she believed abortion is a ‘right’ and that it’s up to the woman to decide?” You could show your middle schooler a sonogram and talk about facts related to a baby’s development. Or you could ask your elementary-aged child, “What would you do if a bully was making fun of a classmate who is in a wheelchair?” Or “How would you make a lonely person feel valued?”
These are all pro-life values! Anything that helps kids see the inherent worth of a human being and that teaches them to treat others with dignity and respect is considered pro-life. And these talks can be held anywhere—from the couch to the dinner table to the car on the way to baseball practice or dance.
As Catholic parents, it is our duty to teach these values to little ones so that, as they grow, they build upon them. When kids have spent 10-13 years marveling at the child in the womb, they will be less likely to advocate for his death. When they are taught from a young age that people come in all shapes and sizes, they will be less likely to treat people with cruelty or bully others. When they know for sure that God intentionally created us male and female, they will be less likely to fall into the transgender trap. And when they look at the elderly or sick with compassion, they will be less likely to advocate for an early death.
In short, they will value all life—from creation until death.
This is how we create pro-life families. And it’s why CLSP offers over 40 lesson booklets to help teach this crucial knowledge. All of our booklets are easily downloadable. All come with a section that you can read to your children or that older ones can read alone. Then you simply wrap it up with our discussion questions (we also provide answers!) and sometimes a project to help integrate the value. It’s so easy! You don’t have to stand at the front of the living room and lecture. You can simply read, converse, and impart wisdom, faith, and the love of God to the human beings you’re charged with getting to heaven.
So as we enter Respect Life Month, vow to make a change in your home life. Put away the electronics, turn off the TV, and learn about something truly life-changing. It’s never too late to start teaching pro-life values at home.