Talk to a Teen About Abortion

Talking to a teen about abortion is a challenging subject. The discussion will vary depending on whether you are just raising the topic generally as an opening to general talk about beliefs, positions, etc. on abortion or whether you are trying to convince a teen to make a decision about whether or not to have an abortion. This article focuses on the general discussion.

Steps

 * 1) Consider your own beliefs and position on abortion. It is important to explain this clearly, with your reasoning, to your teenager. It is equally important that you do not expect your teenager to see things the same way as you - expect respect for your beliefs but do not expect to oblige your teenager to have the same beliefs as you. This is a time of learning and exploration, not indoctrination.
 * 2) Ask your teenager what he or she understands about abortion. Explore their feelings about the issues surrounding abortion. It is important that you know what they know and how they feel before you engage in a larger conversation about the pros and cons of abortion.