How to handle Tim Tebow Superbowl ad?

[Anonymous]

My kids are young (7 and 9) and have no clue what abortion is. They both will be watching the Superbowl today with friends at our house. Any suggestions on how to handle this?

[Anonymous]

How about turning off the TV when it comes on?

[Anonymous]

Turning off the TV will only make a bigger deal of the commercial. The kids will want to know what the big deal is. And since we don't know when the commercial is coming, we'll have to turn it off after it's started. My son will want to know what's inappropriate about Tim Tebow.

[Anonymous]

How about distracting them during the commercials? So when that ad comes on, they won't be paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Why not have a canned speech ready ahead of time that is super age-appropriate? Admittedly this would be easiest if mom/dad are comfortably pro-choice, because the speech would be over quicker.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I vote for distracting them. And even if they're in the room when it's on, they may not even pay attention.

[Anonymous]

oh please this is your issue-they won't notice nor care unless you do.

[Anonymous]

We're definitely pro-choice but some of our friends who will be here are not. Also, I don't know how you have an age appropriate discussion about abortion with a 7 year old. I'm hoping that the commercial is in the third or fourth quarter and that my little one has lost interest in the commercials (her favorite part).

[Anonymous]

Maybe use the mute button during each set of commercials "so everyone can talk"? That way you won't be drawing attention to that commercial or any other.

I agree with the others that there's no way to have an age-appropriate conversation about this with a 7 year old. Just try to skip over it.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how detailed this ad will be? I'm assuming he'll only use the word 'abortion' and there will be no pictures.

I'd just say Tim's mommy and daddy weren't ready to have a baby and they had lots of decisions to make about having him and who would take care of him. They decided to have him and take care of him themselves.

If pressed on what the word 'abortion' means, I'd say it's when someone decided they don't want to have the baby because (fill in the blank, they're not old enough, they're not ready) and they see a special doctor for that.

You can tweak to fit pro-choice or pro-life, but at it's essence, that's what you're talking about with all the drama removed.

[Anonymous]

I think it's possible to have an age-appropriate discussion about making choices which, after all, is what Pam Tebow did. For the record, I am extremely pro-choice and every single thing about this ad airing during the Super Bowl (or at all) outrages and offends me. It's possible they won't even pay attention to the ad, but if you feel you have to address it with your kids, maybe something along those lines could help.

[Anonymous]

From what I've read about the ad, there won't be any pictures or anything gruesome (unless you consider anti-choice beliefs to be gruesome, which I do, but at least they won't show us any bloody images this time). The point of the ad is to illustrate that Pam Tebow made a choice to carry a potentially life-threatening pregnancy to term - yes, the meds she had been given to treat a disease she suffered while in the Phillipines as a missionary could have caused birth defects - and she "heroically" chose to continue her pregnancy despite this risk - but less-well-known is the fact that she had a placental condition that endangered her life and she was lucky. Many other women are not.

[Anonymous]

I haven't seen the commercial but according to the buzz, they don't mention the word abortion in the commercial. Both DH and I have said the people that came up with this have won the PR story - the buzz that has been generated over the commercial is publicity you can't buy ... and then you have the actual ad. Anyway, if pressed by the kids I would say that is a topic for when they are older - but it may be possible that they won't know what it is about unless others bring attention to it. If you think about it, there are several Superbowl commercials that have an adult subtext or skirt that edge. What do you say when the beer ad reminds people to drink responsibly?

[Anonymous]

penguinsix wrote:How are you going to handle all the erectile dysfunction ads?

lol

[Anonymous]

I hate the ED ads too! But at least it is easier to distract the kids during those commercials. My sports-crazed son is sure to focus on Tim Tebow. Some old guy golfing (etc.) is much less interesting. Although they have commented about the two bath tub ads for Cialis.