Hey, readers. It’s been a while! I’ve been enjoying some down time with my family, as well as preparing for my first real year homeschooling my oldest child for kindergarten. But with the events unfolding in our country right now, I feel inspired to jump back on the blog.

I was definitely among the people celebrating the overturn of Roe v. Wade. I have cheered “Hey hey! Ho ho! Roe v. Wade has got to go!” at the March for Life for many years. But I also know that there are many who feel confused, angered, saddened, and frightened by this decision, and their feelings are valid. I think pro-life and pro-choice people can all agree that without a culture of life to back it up, the overturning of Roe is empty, scary, and heartless. 

Don’t get me wrong, changing laws is important, but we have to change hearts and minds, too. We have to build a culture of life where abortion is not just illegal but unthinkable and unnecessary. And that culture of life can (must!) start right in your home.

So, how can you foster a domestic culture of life with your spouse and children?

1. Pray

First and foremost, pray. Pray with your spouse and if you have children, pray with them, too! Pray for women in crisis pregnancies, that they be absolutely flooded with support. Pray for fathers, that they be courageous protectors of the women and children in their lives. Pray for medical professionals involved in pre and postnatal care, that they remain committed to doing no harm to their patients, born and unborn. 

Here are some great prayers  for a culture of life and for the unborn, including a novena to St. Gianna Beretta Molla, an amazing married Saint that I wrote about a little while back.

Finally, don’t forget to pray for those who doubt this decision, that they find comfort in God and in witnessing an increased effort to support women in need. Which brings me to my next suggestion… 

2. Donate and volunteer

We have all seen the posts that claim pro-lifers don’t care about women or children after birth. Of course, they aren’t true, but let’s make them even more outrageously untrue. Donate money or supplies to your local pregnancy resource center (find yours at the link). Set up your Amazon smile account to give to one of these centers– so easy and free for you, but it makes a difference. Volunteer your time organizing a diaper drive or organizing baby clothes at a donation center.

If you have families in need within your own circle of friends, at your church, etc., offer them personal help. Maybe you could babysit older kids free of charge while mom attends prenatal visits. Maybe you could help get dad a job interview at your company. Maybe you could just bring over dinner on a busy weekday night, or be a listening ear.

3. Foster a respect for life in your children

Teach your children by your words and actions that all human beings are created in the likeness and image of God, regardless of age, size, level of ability, race, economic/ social class, gender, etc. Read books or watch movies that include characters in wheelchairs, characters with Down syndrome, newborns, elderly people, people in poverty. Better yet, get your kids around all of these sorts of people in real life. Let them befriend diverse humans and learn that they are all valuable and lovable.

Here are some other ideas  for building a culture of life with your children from the folks at Teaching Catholic Kids, including the beautiful custom of spiritual adoption.

4. Watch the way you speak about pregnancy, babies, etc.

Most parents would agree that parenthood is the most challenging and most rewarding adventure of their lives. Somehow, the “challenging” part is widely circulated, but the “rewarding” part is often overlooked. 

Reframe the way you speak about your own children, or children in general. Let people catch you gushing about your babies. Affirm how beautiful and blessed that family in the grocery store is. You never know how a sarcastic comment- or a grateful one- will affect the way a random passerby perceives the ideas of pregnancy, parenthood, or the sanctity of human life.

5. Learn and practice a method of NFP

NFP, or Natural Family Planning, refers to a wide umbrella of methods of family planning that do not rely on contraceptive devices or medications. Instead, a woman charts the natural signs of her fertility, and she and her husband use these notes to make decisions about when to have sex and when to abstain from sex, depending on their intentions to conceive or avoid conception.
NFP not only reflects but also fosters a deep respect for God’s design for marriage, sex, fertility, and the creation of human life. I guarantee it will change the way you and your spouse think about these topics, and your children will begin to pick up on it as they grow, too. For much more information about NFP, check out my most-read blog post ever right here.

Thanks for reading!

I hope one or more of these is helpful to you as you work to build a culture of life starting in your own home! Which one are you excited about? Did I miss anything? Comment below and let me know!