How to explain abortion ruling to 7 year old

[Anonymous]

Tonight at dinner after going to visit Harper’s Ferry my husband and I were talking about the Civil War and I made a quip about hopefully we don’t see another Civil War. I wasn’t thinking about my 7 year old sitting there (note to self: keep mouth shut) but this prompted her to say “but couldn’t you just give the baby to someone else.” To say I was in shock is an understatement first that she knows anything about the SCOTUS decision but also connected it to my quip.

And now I’m at a loss of how to explain this to her. We haven’t had the sex talk yet. She knows broadly that babies come out of women’s bodies and that women have eggs but we haven’t talked about anything beyond that.

I feel like I have to say something as clearly she’s picked up on the conversations right now and I’d rather be the one who tells her what’s going on then her trying to figure this out on her own.

And I know folks are going to immediately say troll, but I promise I’m not. This happened tonight and I desperately need advice on how to move forward.

[Anonymous]

You don't. Let her have her childhood.

[Anonymous]

You’re really stretching to assume you mentioning the civil war somehow connected the dots to the Recent SC decision. Really stretching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re really stretching to assume you mentioning the civil war somehow connected the dots to the Recent SC decision. Really stretching.

Perhaps but this is literally the last thing I said before she responded with “you could just keep the baby” which is odd no matter the context .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't. Let her have her childhood.

I’d like to! But clearly she’s heard something and is trying to process it. Point is I’d like to guide that processing if at all possible.

[Anonymous]

There is a great kids’ book called “What’s an Abortion, Anyway?” Our 7 yo has it, together with What Makes a Baby, and they go well together.

You do need to discuss it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a great kids’ book called “What’s an Abortion, Anyway?” Our 7 yo has it, together with What Makes a Baby, and they go well together.

You do need to discuss it.

Thank you — adding to my Amazon cart now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re really stretching to assume you mentioning the civil war somehow connected the dots to the Recent SC decision. Really stretching.

This. The OP has got to be a complete baboon

[Anonymous]

OP, perhaps start with saying something like “you said something interesting at dinner, can you tell me more about what you meant” ask her what she knows/has heard. Ask if she has any questions and clear up any confusions she has (in an age appropriate way). If she has a question and you’re not sure what an age appropriate answer is, tell her you need some time to think about how to answer and you’ll come back in a day or 2.
This approach got me through the 2016 election and the previous presidency with my elementary schoolers when they came home with questions we hadn’t expected.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t need to be a conversation where everything is explained at once. Start with teaching her the mechanics of where a baby comes from.

At some point you also mention that before it becomes a baby, it’s a fetus growing in a woman’s body, and during that time women should be able to decide whether they are ready to be a mom, and if not, they can go to the doctor and the doctor takes the fetus out of her body until (if) she decides she’s ready to be a mom.

[Anonymous]

“but couldn’t you just give the baby to someone else.”

Your child is wise.

[Anonymous]

Highly nuanced topics aren’t developmentally appropriate for 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

“but couldn’t you just give the baby to someone else.”

Your child is wise.

The child has no experience in the grey areas of life. Did you read the case of the Texas women who needed a late abortion because the baby would have died at birth? Life isn't black and white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

“but couldn’t you just give the baby to someone else.”

Your child is wise.

Abortion is an alternative to pregnancy, not an alternative to parenthood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Highly nuanced topics aren’t developmentally appropriate for 7.

This! Seven year olds are not short adults. They are too young to understand the topic of abortion and the controversy around it.