There is a sign outside of Bryn's school that says "Smile! Your mom chose life" on one side and "a heartbeat starts at 3 weeks" on the other. The signage finally led to the question about what that means...Oh boy. Here we go.
I gave a very factual explanation of how sometimes women don't want to be pregnant and a doctor can stop a pregnancy by removing the baby and how in 1973 there was this court case called Roe v. Wade that made this process legal. I also explained how some people believe it is OK for a woman to do this because they feel women should have the right to choose whether to have a baby or not and how some people believe that killing an unborn baby is not OK since it is taking a life. And then I asked Bryn what she thought of that. The response...
"Well, if a husband and a wife have a baby and that baby would get really good genes, then if that baby wasn't born it wouldn't be able to pass those really good genes on to the next generation."
Hmmmmm...guess we have talked enough about genetics and evolution around our house to get that point to sink in.
The funny thing is that she took it as obvious that abortion = killing a baby despite the fact that I presented both sides. I guess the finer points of the right to choose are lost on an 8 year old. But I like the fact that she seems to be able to be a critical thinker - regardless of what she ends up believing about various things (despite my gentle nudging in one direction or another!) I am proud to have a kid who can think for herself!
3 comments:
Ooh..Knew there was another reason I hated those signs. Good job on the critical thinking part. I never know what to say in the moment and am confident I'm not going to remember you approach when the time comes.
Ugh. This is one conversation that no mother wants to have with her children, no matter the political leanings.
Nice post and she sounds like a smart girl! ;-)
Wow, good job mom!
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